Preparing for a replacement or reimaged computer

Instructions for saving items like browser shortcuts, email signatures and files on the C: drive when you need to save them for use on a replacement or re-imaged computer.

Overview and Purpose

If your divisional computer will be replaced or re-imaged, there are several things that will need to be saved or exported, so you can restore them once you get your updated device. This article will walk team members from Residential and Hospitality Services through the necessary steps. 

Environment

This article was created using Windows 11, Google Chrome 138.0.7204.101, Microsoft Edge 138.0.3351.77 and the latest Mozilla Firefox as of July, 2025.

Web Browser Bookmarks

You will need to export to HTML, save the file to a location that is not on your C: drive, then later import your bookmarks (if you have a lot of them that you would like to save). If there aren't many, you may choose to simply recreate them.

Exporting Google Chrome Bookmarks

If you have created a login to the Google Chrome browser and synced your bookmarks, you will simply need to login to Google Chrome on your updated device to access them. 

However, if you don't have a Chrome account and are browsing in guest mode, you will need to export/import your bookmarks. 

1. Open Google Chrome and click the three dots at the top right to "Customize and Control Google Chrome."
2. Select Bookmarks and Lists, then Bookmark Manager. 
3. At the top, right of the page that opens, select the three dots menu. It says Organize if you hover over it. 
4. Select Export bookmarks.  
5. When the Save As window opens, navigate to a file location that is NOT part of the This PC folder structure. (For example, save it to your Shares or Home folder or in a folder on your OneDrive. Do not save it to the C: drive, desktop, downloads or documents areas).
   Type in a file name or accept the default, which is usually "bookmarks" followed by some version of the date. 
6. Click Save.  
   Note: Be sure to remember this location as you will need to import the file on your new or updated device. 
7. When you receive your replacement or re-imaged computer, follow these steps again, except when you get to Step 4, select Import Bookmarks and navigate to select the file you first created. 

Exporting Microsoft Edge Favorites

1. Open Edge and select the three dots menu at the top right for Settings and More. 
2. Select Favorites. 
3. Within the window that opens, select the three dots menu (more options). 
4. Select Export Favorites. 
5. When the Save As window opens, navigate to a file location that is NOT part of the This PC folder structure. (For example, save it to your Shares or Home folder or in a folder on your OneDrive. Do not save it to the C: drive, desktop, downloads or documents areas).
   Type in a file name or accept the default, which is usually "favorites" followed by some version of the date. 
6. Click Save.  
   Note: Be sure to remember this location as you will need to import the file on your new or updated device. 
7. When you receive your replacement or re-imaged computer, follow these steps again, except when you get to Step 4, select Import Favorites and navigate to select the file you first created. 

Exporting Bookmarks from Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox and select the three lines menu at the top right for Open Application Menu. 
2. Select Bookmarks then Manage Bookmarks.
3. Select the menu item for Import and Backup. 
4. Select Export Bookmarks to HTML.
5. When the Export Bookmarks File window opens, navigate to a file location that is NOT part of the This PC folder structure. (For example, save it to your Shares or Home folder or in a folder on your OneDrive. Do not save it to the C: drive, desktop, downloads or documents areas).
   Type in a file name (the defaults is just bookmarks). It is recommended to include some version of the date (like Bookmarks 7_15_25). 
6. Click Save.  
   Note: Be sure to remember this location as you will need to import the file on your new or updated device. 
7. When you receive your replacement or re-imaged computer, follow these steps again, except when you get to Step 4, select Import Bookmarks from HTML and navigate to select the file you first created. 

Saving any Files from Your PC (C: Drive)

Any files stored on your Desktop, Documents, Downloads or other locations on your C:/ drive are not backed up by MSU IT or Digital Strategies and Services. If your computer fails, you likely lose the files, so best practice is to not put anything on your local C: drive or desktop that you don’t mind losing. Instead, make it your habit to save things to your department share drive or to your OneDrive on Microsoft 365.

IMPORTANT: If you are receiving a replacement computer, files on your C: drive will be lost if not saved before replacement or reimaging. 

1. Open File Explorer (Go to Start and search for File Explorer which has a yellow folder icon). 
2. In the left side navigation, select This PC. 
3. On the right of the navigation, double-click Windows C:, then Users, then the folder for your NetID. 
    
4. While viewing the file structure, hold down Ctrl on your keyboard while using your mouse pointer to click each of the folders where you have saved files you want to transfer. 
   For example, common folders include Desktop, Documents, Pictures and Videos. Optionally, you can include Downloads. 
   All folders you selected should show up now in blue highlighting. 
   
    
5. Now press Ctrl and C (to copy) on your keyboard. 
6. If you are a Rec Sports team member, navigate to your desktop and open the shortcut for your Shares file storage.
   Go to the folder for your username and open it. (Alternately, go to the area of your Shared files where you save your files). 
   
   If you are not a Rec Sports team member, open a new File Explorer window by right-clicking the yellow folder on your taskbar (along the bottom of Windows) and selecting File Explorer. In that window, navigate to This PC on the left side, then select the V: Drive. On the right hand side, open the folder for Home, then open the folder named after your NetID.
7. In the top menu bar, select New, then Folder. 
    
8. Give the folder a name of your choice. It could be something like "Old Computer Files," then press Enter. 
9. Double-click to open the folder you created. 
10. In the menu bar, select the icon for Paste (Clipboard). 
11. The folders you copied should now be pasted in your new folder. 
    Note: This may take a while depending on how many and how large the files were that you copied. 
12. This is the new and temporary location for your files. Once you get your replacement computer, you can copy the individual files from within the folders and paste them in the corresponding locations on the C: drive of your new computer. 
    Note: You will only want to copy the contents of the folders to their new locations, not the folders themselves. For example, you do not want to duplicate the Desktop folder on your new computer, just copy the contents from the Desktop folder of your "Old Computer Files" and paste them into the Desktop (or Documents) folder of your replacement computer. 

 

Installing Printers on Your Replacement Computer

When you receive your updated device, divisional printers must be installed using a platform call Printer Logic. Instead of installing them through Windows, they are managed through a website at printers.sle.msu.edu. 

A browser extension is required to see and install the printers. 

Follow the steps in this knowledge base article, Setting Up a Printer Using Printer Logic, to walk you through the process. 

 

Saving Outlook Email Signatures

A signature is a method of including your contact information at the bottom of emails that you send. If you don't use signatures, or only use a few and can recreate them on your new computer, you can skip this section. Also, if you use the Web browser version of Outlook, you can skip this as well. 

If you have created multiple signatures using the Outlook desktop application, you may want to back up the signatures to a personal folder on your share drive, then restore them on your new computer.

To backup and restore Outlook signatures, follow these steps:

Backup Signatures:

1. First, make sure you have closed Outlook. Open Windows File Explorer (If you're not sure what it is, select the Windows Start icon, then search for and open File Explorer - it should have a yellow folder icon).
2. Navigate to C:/Users/YourNetID folder. 
3. On the menu bar at the top, select the four lines View button. Select Show >, then Hidden Items. 
4. This will make the hidden folder AppData appear. It may be grayed out a bit.
5. Navigate to AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures.
6. Copy all the files in this folder, then navigate to a backup location (like a personal folder on your shared drive or Home folder). Create a folder named "Backup of Signatures" then paste the contents that you copied into it.  

Restore Signatures on your new computer:

1. Make sure Outlook is closed.
2. To restore, copy the signature files from within the "Backup of Signatures" folder, from your personal folder on your share drive.
3. Then follow the steps above to navigate to C:/Users/YourNetID/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Signatures and paste the files (just the files you copied above) from your backup location back into this Signatures folder. 
4. Now you can open Outlook and access your signatures when sending outgoing email.