Transfer Backup State

If you switch computers or re-install Backblaze, you can transfer the backup state from your old computer to your new one. This process will delete the backup of your new computer and inherit the backup of your old computer. After you complete the backup transfer, you will need to uninstall Backblaze from your old computer.

BEFORE YOU START
Both computers must be perfectly healthy and neither one has any lost data. Get a copy of all your data correctly placed on the new computer. DO NOT Transfer Backup State if your old computer crashed, or lost data in any way, or was stolen, or if you plan to recover data from your backup. In all of those cases, IMMEDIATELY prepare a free zip file restore BEFORE doing anything else. Remember, Transfer Backup State only works if the NEW computer has a complete working copy of all the data you want to backup. Otherwise STOP NOW, it does not make any sense to do the Transfer! Please contact customer support with any questions.

1. Install Backblaze on your new computer or OS
If you haven't already go ahead and install Backblaze on your new computer. You can download the Backblaze trial from the Backblaze.com home page. Once the transfer has completed, Backblaze will also grab the license belonging to your old computer.

2. Select "Transfer Backup State"
Under the Backblaze menu icon select the option to "Transfer Backup State".

3. Sign into verify your account
Enter your Backblaze account email and password to verify your account.

4. Select your old computer or OS
From the list of old computers, select the backup state you want to transfer to your new computer. Click the "Transfer Backup State" button and wait for the transfer process to complete. This may take a few minutes.
Warning: If you interrupt the transfer process the backup state will not transfer. So please wait for it to complete.

5. Uninstall Backblaze from your old computer
After you have successfully transferred the backup state from your old computer, you will need to uninstall Backblaze from your old computer. Learn more about how to uninstall Backblaze.

Recommendations and Tips After the Transfer
After the above steps, your transfer is finished. We then recommended that you then open the Backblaze Control Panel and verify all the settings are indeed correct for your new computer going forward, especially that the correct hard drive(s) are selected for backup. Also, let your computer run continuously for the next few hours to properly digest all the new information. Don't worry if Backblaze thinks it has to backup a lot of data, this is normal and Backblaze just needs a little time to reflect the correct information. For example, if the modification times on your data files have changed between the two machines (this is VERY common when you copy your files across) Backblaze will spend a few hours realizing all these files are identical to the versions already backed up and Backblaze will not transfer the duplicates.