Replacing a Computer with a Different Platform

If the new computer has an entirely different platform (Windows versus Mac), you cannot use the "replace computer" process, and you cannot restore using the McAfee Online Backup backup software installed on the new computer.

You can restore files only by logging in to your McAfee Online Backup account online to select files. For more information, see Restore or Download All Your Files from the Web.While it is possible to download files from McAfee Online Backup on the Web to a computer with a different platform, it is not recommended unless you have sufficient technical knowledge to understand and cope with the demands of doing so.

If your McAfee Online Backup account does not permit you to access your McAfee Online Backup files online, contact your administrator who can recover your files on your behalf.

When your previously backed up files are restored to your new computer, they are in the exact same folder structure as when they were originally backed up. Because the default folder structure on the new platform is entirely different, you must manually move your recovered files from the "original" folders (created during the restoration process) into the appropriate folders on the new computer.

Consider an example of restoring files from your Documents backup set to a computer with a different platform, and assume that your user name is the same on both computers.

On your Mac, your default folder structure may look something like this: Users/your user name/Documents.
On your Windows computer, your default folder structure may look something like this: C:\Users\your user name\My Documents.

If you restore document files backed up from a Windows computer to a Mac, you would move the files from the newly-created My Documents folder into the existing Mac Documents folder.

If you restore document files backed up from a Mac to a Windows computer, you would move the files from the newly-created Documents folder into the existing Windows My Documents folder.

After your recovered files are safely on your new computer, you can delete the old computer from your account. Then you can install the McAfee Online Backup backup software on the new computer using the same credentials and begin backing your new computer. If your account has enough storage space and if you're not already backing up the maximum number of computers allowed, you might instead back up the new computer before you delete the old computer from your account.