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#1 2021-10-29 21:38:47
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Restoring old PC data to new PC
Hi all.
I've joined because I've recently started using IDrive, and (I realise this will sound stupid) I simply can't work out how to download the data backup that I made on my old PC to the new one I got today.
I've been Googling for more than half an hour, and looking around in IDrive both online and in the app, which I've got on my new PC, but I can't work out how to do it. I can't actually even see the backup, though I know it is there.
I'm hoping that somebody here will be able to help me.
Best,
Shirl
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#2 2021-10-29 21:54:04
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
Hi again, and I hope it's okay to put this supplemental thing here, as I can't post in the forums yet.
I don't know whether part of the problem is that when I go into the IDrive app on my PC, and click into the Restore tab, it shows my new PC (the one I'm using) in the 'select device' dropdown box at the top, and under that in the larger box, under Name, it shows an IDrive icon with 'My Account' to the right of it. However, it's not possible for me to put a tick into the checkbox to the left of the icon.
I have no idea why this is :-(
Very many thanks for any help. I'm hoping I can download the data onto my new PC without having to set my old PC up again.
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#4 2021-10-29 22:05:07
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
Hi, and very many thanks for helping.
In that case I may have messed things up. I thought I understood that I should remove that old device, but it sounds from what you say as though I shouldn't have. It's not in the list any more to be selected.
It could be that I can't now use that original backup :-( Well, fortunately I do still have the other computer, so I've not lost the data at least!
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#7 2021-10-29 22:36:23
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
Many thanks - I'll go and look there!
It sounds like your other suggestion is the better way to go, though. I was just thinking that if I could use this backup I could set it to run overnight 
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#8 2021-10-29 22:39:05
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
There isn't anything in the trash. I'm not sure whether that means I didn't delete it, or whether it means that it was too large to be moved to the trash.
Sorry to ask so many questions, but does it make any sense to you that I can't tick 'My Account' in Restore in the app?
Thank you again for helping.
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#9 2021-10-29 22:48:14
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
Shirl wrote:
does it make any sense to you that I can't tick 'My Account' in Restore in the app?
It's not actually selectable - I don't know why they make it look like it should be.
You should see the drive letters underneath, which you can expand by clicking on the triangle, and select at the desired level.
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#10 2021-10-29 22:55:30
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
Hi again, and thanks for explaining that!
When I go to sign out of the online version it tells me that I've used 14% of my storage i.e. 727GB.
Might that mean the backup is still there? Where would I be able to see it, if it is?
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#11 2021-10-29 23:21:04
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
If it's not in Trash and the computer no longer shows in Dashboard/Computers (online) or under Select Device on the client software, then I'm at a loss to explain where where the data is!
I've witnessed the storage status take a while to update, but in my case it was only a couple of hours after I deleted a 40GB file.
I guess its possible that the space is orphaned due to some strange bug in IDrive's systems, in which case you may need to open a case with them. My advice is, use the online chat during California working hours, then you should be able to persuade the 1st-line support person to transfer you to a real engineer if they can't help.
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#12 2021-10-30 00:55:28
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
I may have actually tracked it down!
It appears that if you delete a device, access to your data is removed from the IDrive Client and Dashboard, but it should still exist under Cloud Backup from the website.
Have a look in there and see if your old computer data is available.
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#13 2021-10-31 08:43:09
- Shirl
- New member
- Registered: 2021-10-29
- Posts: 7
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
Hi there and thanks again.
I think it might still be there, as the web page reports that I've used some storage, but unfortunately I can't find a way to see it.
Happily I also have a backup that I made with Acronis, and so I'm attempting to restore that now.
My plan was to allow my Acronis subscription to expire next Feb and start using IDrive, and so I bought IDrive in the meantime. I read it was very easy to use, but I have to say that I've not found that yet! Will persist, though, and see whether I can get to grips with it.
Thank you again for helping me even though on this occasion we didn't find the solution! I really appreciate it.
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#14 2021-10-31 11:13:44
Re: Restoring old PC data to new PC
If the data isn't in the Cloud Backup area on the IDrive website, I would suggest you consider contacting IDrive Support, because they owe you 727GB of storage!
The redacted screen-shot above shows all the computers I ever had on my account, including one that had an old profile which is no longer backed up, but the data is still in there.
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