Restore Backup Image from one computer to another

<Essentially what you wish to do is uncharted territory. I don't know of anyone who's done this, and certainly not with such an old build.>

I know, it's precisely because of that I am cautious (but there is so much tolerance of corporate control and conformism);

<To address your own concern, you could have asked Google. can you install Windows 10 without an internet connection
I did and found e,g, Windows 10 Without Internet (How to Install and Use It) for you.>

Great. I actually did Google it but did not get that page. Thanx.

<The downside is that if e.g. drivers that are not included in the Windows build are required- and might even be essential- you wouldn't get them. You would have to sort that out later- bearing in mind your new laptop has hardware several years newer than your 'fixed' build. If this proves an issue, Macrium Redeploy could help in your specific case, from what I've read of it.
Note too that if necessary you can add drivers to Macrium's PE disk (bootable disk).>

I am well aware, but it's the price I pay for staying out of MS's way. For years I always kept track of mfgrs drivers, downloaded them for manual upgrades -- not a big deal, better than MS messing around with my system, and I feel better this way.

Historically, you would install Windows with some MS generic drivers and you would get the latest one from the mfgr. I am trying to find out if this is what will happen here.

I am aware of the Macrium capabilities, but paid version is way too expensive for a one-time use (the free version is fine otherwise) and it's not certain to work either in uncharted territory.

<There is a further risk: some machines require specific downloads from the manufacturers site to support specific features. Usually these are optional.>

Yes, and this is exactly what I am trying to figure out: if I can do a "generic" drivers install and add mfgr drivers manually later.

<I have applied certain modifications to my Win 10: but unlike you, I have ensured these mostly carry forward during an upgrade, make no fundamental changes to the O/S or system files, and are readily reapplied if necessary.>

That's because you know how to do that -- I don't and I am not sure I wanna mess with it.

<I'm also totally unconcerned about so-called 'privacy' issues- and if so concerned you would run your PC air-gapped in a Faraday cage- no internet at all.>

Suit yourself -- I think it's far, far from being "so-called".

<Do let us know how you get on.>

Will sure do if I ever figure out a path with reasonable chances. And if I do it and it works I will post here the stepwise instructions, how about that?

In any case, thanks for your help -- it is appreciated. It's probably too much to ask, but I would like to know your thoughts on the long list of issues I posted.

One

sgeneris said:

SIW2
quandary,

The DISM extraction option is beyond my technical knowledge and I would like to avoid it if at all possible.
There are several potential points where I would need to learn already and it's already a bit beyond my reach.

I don't you believe that running the procedures below or learning new things should be beyond your abilities. We all start with minimum capabilities and grow from there. The driver backup process is:
- open an elevated command prompt
- run dism /online /export-driver /destination:"D:\Installed-HP\Drivers"
Note: "D:\Installed-HP\Drivers" is a drive & folder that will be available after the restore of the image from the old PC
The restore process is:
- open an elevated command prompt:
- enter the command cd D:\Installed-HP\Drivers
-run pnputil /add-driver *.inf /subdirs /install

If this is really beyond your capabilities then consider just using what comes with the new PC and installing all your apps from scratch. Keep it simple.

<I don't you believe that running the procedures below or learning new things should be beyond your abilities. We all start with minimum capabilities and grow from there.>

I did not express it well: it's not that I cannot learn this stuff, it's that there's too much to learn and I am not sufficiently certain that it'll work/it's worth it.

< The driver backup process is: ...>

Thanx for the instructions.

<If this is really beyond your capabilities then consider just using what comes with the new PC and installing all your apps from scratch. Keep it simple. >

If I end up deciding against the hassle, that's what I will have to do -- but that does not mean I will like it.
Another IMO waste of time and brain effort for no good reason. Why should not user be able to stick with what works for them and keep dedicate themselves to mindless and useless vendor changes?

dalchina said:

I bet that if you have a mobile phone it isn't like the one you had 10 years ago - assuming you had one...

Nor would you expect to be able to install Windows 98 on a modern PC... alas, things move on.. and not always for the better.

Actually the story here is an almost identical repetition of the phone -- and also by MS!. They came up with a perfectly fine mobile OS that I used for years but, as a monopolist, did not know how to compete and forced me into Android, which is probably much worse than what would have been advanced Windows Phone, and which they keep changing for nothing that's useful to me. I would like to decide if I need "progress" or not.

That something keeps changing does not mean is valuable. In fact much of the changes these days costs users much more than gains.
It is done almost solely for the benefit of the industry and to rob users of control, to manipulate, control and exploit them. Users are so busy serving this purpose of the vendors that they fail to realize how they are being used for undeserved profit.

It is called the monopolistic, oligarchic corporate welfare state in the stage of decadence and collapse.

End of rant.

- - - Updated - - -

quandary said:

- open an elevated command prompt
- run dism /online /export-driver /destination:"D:\Installed-HP\Drivers"
Note: "D:\Installed-HP\Drivers" is a drive & folder that will be available after the restore of the image from the old PC
The restore process is:
- open an elevated command prompt:
- enter the command cd D:\Installed-HP\Drivers
-run pnputil /add-driver *.inf /subdirs /install.

quandary,

Regarding your DISM instruction, to make sure I understand: I extract the .INF driver files from the target computer before I install the old W10 and do the restore -- OK. Now, how do I incorporate these drivers into the installation of the old W10 and the restore ***without smtg like Macrium or AOMEI***? If this were possible, then this might work.

sgeneris said:

Regarding your DISM instruction, to make sure I understand: I extract the .INF driver files from the target computer before I install the old W10 and do the restore -- OK.

Correct.

Now, how do I incorporate these drivers into the installation of the old W10 and the restore ***without smtg like Macrium or AOMEI***? If this were possible, then this might work.

You do not incorporate the drivers into the installation of the old W10. Instead, after the restore is performed and the new PC is booted the "pnputi" command is run which will install/replace the necessary drivers as required.

quandary said:

Correct.

You do not incorporate the drivers into the installation of the old W10. Instead, after the restore is performed and the new PC is booted the "pnputi" command is run which will install/replace the necessary drivers as required.

What you say will work iff:

1
There are no license/activation issues (due to MS or no Internet);
The old W10 will boot without the target drivers. Here we may face 2 issues:
- Intel CPU >11 generation;
me going the cloning way and the target is GPT/UEFI, but let's hope the procedure provided by dalchina works;
Note that cloning relieves me from partitioning the disk and copying the content of the apps and data partitions.

2
If the above works, the question is if everything will be OK after the cloning and the drivers install works.

Am I missing/wrong about anything? So everything depends on the IFF.

dalchina said:

No one can guarantee anything here. We don't even know which PC and type of disk you will get. Be prepared to try and retry, given the constraint you have created for yourself- hence the need for so much help.

And ensure you keep your original disk aside untouched- make any changes on a clone of that disk. Don't risk losing what you have now.

The try and retry is a hassle that I will take only if I think there is a fair chance of success.

Absolutely -- after decades in this business you learn not to mess with the original.