How to restore your files to a new PC
To restore your files to a new PC, install the backup app on the new computer, sign in with the same account, and restore from the old computer's backup using the website. Your files and folders come back; programs and Windows settings do not. This guide covers the preparation, the steps in Tornova Backup and what to do with the old PC afterwards.
What moving to a new PC involves
A cloud backup is a handy way to move your files because it already has them. You do not need to copy everything to a drive by hand. The new PC pulls what you choose from the backup of the old one.
It is a file move, not a clone. A backup of files and folders cannot recreate your installed programs, your Windows settings or a full system image. Plan to reinstall your apps and sign in to them again.
Before you stop using the old PC
- Run a final backup. Choose Back Up Now on the old PC and wait for it to finish.
- Read the result in Activity. Backup Successful means the whole intended backup completed. If it says Partially Completed, the files that could not be protected are listed, so fix or copy those by hand.
- Check your Backup Set. Anything outside it is not in the backup. Add missing folders now. See What should you back up on a Windows PC?.
- Keep the old PC for now. Do not wipe it until you have checked the files on the new PC.
- Note your browser data and licences. Passwords, bookmarks and software licence keys are often stored by the apps themselves, not in your document folders.
Restore steps in Tornova Backup
- Set up Windows on the new PC and connect it to the internet
- Download and install Tornova App on the new PC from the Download page
- Sign in to Tornova App with the same account you used on the old PC
- On the website, open Restore
- Choose the old computer as the source and the new computer as the destination
- Select the folders and files you want, and choose where they should go
- Choose Restore Now and follow the progress in Tornova App
- Open some files to check them
The website lists the new PC under Devices after you sign in to the app. Personal plans are defined by storage and not by a device count, so the new PC does not need a separate plan. You can get the app on the Download page.
If you are in the app on the new PC, Open Restore on Web takes you to the Restore page ready to restore to that PC. The details of choosing, name conflicts and checking the result are in How to restore files from a cloud backup.
Organizations In an Organization, restoring to a different PC depends on your permissions. Restore permission is separate from Backup permission, and a Restore Lock can block it. Your Organization Admin can tell you what applies.
Where to put the files
You choose the destination before starting the restore: back where the files were, or a folder you choose. On a new PC, a folder you choose is often safer. User names and folder layouts may differ from the old computer, and restoring into one clearly named folder lets you move things where they belong afterwards.
If a file with the same name already exists on the new PC, you can choose Keep both, Skip or Replace. Keep both is the default, and Replace asks you to confirm.
Restore the most important folders first, such as Documents and Desktop, and check them. Then restore the larger ones, such as photos and archives, which take longer.
What you will not get back
- Programs and apps: install them again from their publishers.
- Windows settings, drivers and personalisation.
- Files that were not in the old PC's Backup Set.
- Files that were skipped as locked or unavailable during the last backup.
- A bootable copy of the old system. Tornova does not offer a system-image or full-PC backup.
That is normal for file-based backup. Fresh installs of Windows and your programs are usually cleaner than copying old ones across.
Plan and storage for the move
Your storage belongs to your account, not to one computer, so the old PC's backups and the new PC's backups share the same plan. Restoring files uses the restore allowance included with your plan, which equals the plan's backup storage.
Back up the new PC too. Add its folders to the Backup Set and run Back Up Now. If you run out of storage, Tornova stops safely and reports it; it never deletes existing backups to make space. See Pricing for the plan options, or How much cloud backup storage do I need?.
What to do with the old PC afterwards
Wait until you are sure the new PC has everything. Then decide about the old device in your account. Tornova distinguishes between unregistering a device and unregistering and deleting its data, and removing a device with its data has a 3-day grace period before permanent deletion. Do not delete the old computer's data until you have checked the restored files.
Before you give away, sell or recycle the old PC, wipe it properly. Backing up is not the same as erasing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I restore to a new PC without the old one switched on?
Yes. The files come from the cloud backup, not from the old PC. The old PC only needs to have completed a backup earlier.
Do I need to pay for a second device?
Personal plans allow unlimited Windows devices, and the plan is defined by storage, not by the number of devices.
Will my programs and settings come across?
No. Tornova restores files and folders. Reinstall your programs and set up Windows again.
How long does it take?
It depends on how much you restore and on your internet connection. Restoring in stages, important folders first, lets you start work sooner.
Can I restore from a PC that no longer works?
Yes, if it completed a backup before it failed. The backup is stored in the cloud, so you can restore from it to another computer.
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