is there any alternative way to backup windows 10's app settings and settings app settings? only options i've found is using a ms account which i don't want to do as i prefer an offline profile and i don't want to use onedrive either. i've already got my folder view settings backed up, but am finding it annoying to have to go through the settings app everytime i reinstall windows. i've done a search and could only find an old app someone made for w8 that backed up app settings but not system settings. is a ms account and onedrive the only ways to save w10 settings? this has been bothering me since i switched to w8 and then 10. i'd also like to know if it's possible to backup edges settings too as i backup the folder @ C:\Users\name\AppData\Local\Packages but only restores favourites, not settings which is also annoying. ah...think i might of found a way to backup edges settings.. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\MicrosoftEdge i can see my homepage and settings are stored there, i'll have to try this out on vmware in a bit to see if it works.
I just make system images. I've restored two Windows 10 images and the process was flawless both times. There are other ways I'm sure, but this always fixes my problem.
I’d have thought reinstalling Windows (and updates) would be the main annoyance…And indeed, a system disk image backup would save you not only having to go thru settings, but also having to reinstall Windows in the first place. Provided of course, you make the image when all’s working well. Even easier and quicker for recovering from trouble are System Restore Points. I make one every week with the SRP description: “System OK”. I never know when I’ll suddenly come to need it.
@PhaseDoubt yep I agree; still that for use system image user need remember first put Windows O.S. DVD on drive and change boot options in Bios setup and after entering option first boot CD-DVD start normaly at first screen Solve problems\choose system image\connect external hdd (with system image on it of course)follow instructions reboot machine\enter Bios setup\change boot options again now for Windows Manager as first boot\save\reboot again and your system return works like a charm very easy without one drive or another crap
i'm alright with regards to a windows disc, i haven't use a dvd drive in years, i just reinstall from a usb stick i always have on hand. i keep all my software on one usb hdd and docs etc on another. i have have a 2nd drive in all my pc's / laptops with all the software and backups on as well, to make things easier and quicker to restore, i also refresh the backup drives with new stuff all the time. i'm only ever use system restore once, i think on vista or 7, never saw the need as i don't have a lot of stuff to reinstall, i try to keep installed stuff down to what i need, and not what i might need, i just keep that on the usb. i used to have a load of stuff i reinstalled but i got that down to 4 or 5 softwares. i just find refreshing or doing a reinstall over the top easier and quicker, i do a clean install if windows is buggered though. 30 mins and i'm back to doing stuff again. restoring windows 10 app settings is the only thing that pee's me off now as i can't find where it's all saved in the registry, i tred winmerge to compare a before and after but it only came up with a few bits that i could regonise...usb, bluetooth and background apps and some windows defender settings.
You will not find them there, because they are not there. They are located in this folder %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\{PackageId}, which usually is C:\Users\{UserName}\AppData\Local\Packages\{PackageId}, where {UserName} corresponds to the Windows user name and {PackageId} corresponds to the Windows Store application package identifier. or simply %LocalAppData%\Packages\{PackageId} Much success to You.
already looked there, backing up the edge folder only restores favourites, backing up the immersive control panel does nothing. i've found where edge stores brower settings, (registry) only thing it doesn't restore is cutom search engine setting. still looking for setting app settings...
Look for. I can see, that all the data are there, but not only in settings folder and in settings.dat file, but depending on app, they may be in different folders.
Whatever works for you is always best; I've always preferred a fresh start from a known stable configuration. As is the usual case, YMMV.