Formatting Media server PC

[aBe_FX35]

Hello all,

 

I am just coming here to get specific instructions on how to safely and relatively easily format my current PLEX Media server PC, which i use Stable bit DRIVE POOL and Scanner on that main machine to monitor my Western digital RED HDDs 4TB (x4 in a drivepool using Stablebit). Long story short that pc is acting very very weird,slow, not loading half the time, and its freaking me out because my entire media collection are on those drives/pc. Seems that the motherboard and pc do not fully work right with Windows 10, so i guess i have no other choice but to format entire windows Drive (C: ONLY) and put windows 7 Ultimate on it, that way it will be more stable with windows 7 drivers, windows 10 hardly has any drivers for my old motherboard. (PC is about 6 years old, new gpu, and WD HDD's). hopefully RDP will be compatible between win 7 and my other win 10 machine ? but thats another issue for another day.

 

I need to safely protect my data, and do a fresh install of windows 7 ultimate 64 bit, how do i do this without losing my data or causing issues, hopefully i can re-install everything back with ease, (stablebit, plex server) etc. i want the drives and letters are exactly the same.

 

I would like to get the exact same setup except installed on win 7. 

 

Thanks

 

PS: side note, i have an external HDD for backup purposes, how do i backup my media to it, without creating duplicates (some of the files already exist on there, i just have not updated my collection to the backup hard drive in a while so i dont know where im at, and dont want to waste space by trying to manually trying to put only the new media on there. (would take ages to figure out).

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Correct, it's one license per PC.  Additional licenses are only $15 each though.  So you can get them for "dirt cheap"

 

That said, you DO NOT need a license if you are solely using the software for remote control functionality. 

[Spider99]

Assuming the c: drive is not part of the pool then you have little to worry about

 

re installing win 7 will only install on the c: drive - you are in control of that anyway - or just disconnect the power leads to the pool drives while you do the install

 

then reinstall DP/Scanner etc and the pool will be recognised by default 

 

If the drives come back with different letters just change them in disk management before you install any other software

 

As for the backup - look at something like syncbackpro - there is a free version as well

 

RDP will be fine

[aBe_FX35]

Assuming the c: drive is not part of the pool then you have little to worry about

 

re installing win 7 will only install on the c: drive - you are in control of that anyway - or just disconnect the power leads to the pool drives while you do the install

 

then reinstall DP/Scanner etc and the pool will be recognised by default 

 

If the drives come back with different letters just change them in disk management before you install any other software

 

As for the backup - look at something like syncbackpro - there is a free version as well

 

RDP will be fine

thank you very much ! now that my drive pool is safe, i will take pictures of the currently assigned letters so i can put them exactly back the way there were. i purchased the drivepool software and scanner can i have the software installed on both of my pcs ? multi user ? Edited May 23, 2017 by Christopher (Drashna)
fix quote

[Spider99]

one lic per PC so you will need two for each program for two pc with Dp and Scanner