which utility to migrate apps and Win config to new system?

x509 · 06 May 2019

NavyLCDR said:

First I would try just moving the entire Windows 10 installation image over to the laptop. As long as the laptop gets Windows 10 Pro activated on it first.

1. Make sure Windows 10 Pro is activated on laptop.
2. Create a drive image of the laptop to external hard drive.
3. Create a drive image of the desktop to external hard drive.
4. Restore only the C: drive partition from desktop to laptop, overwriting the original C: drive partition.
5. Fix boot errors.

Use Macrium Reflect Free, be sure to create the rescue USB flash drive.

Navy,

Just one more question. I don't understand why I need to active Win 10 Pro on the new laptop before I do the drive image transfer? The old desktop image is based on a retail key for Win 10 Pro.

x509

NavyLCDR · 06 May 2019

x509 said:

Navy,

Just one more question. I don't understand why I need to active Win 10 Pro on the new laptop before I do the drive image transfer? The old desktop image is based on a retail key for Win 10 Pro.

x509

Sorry, I thought I read in the OP that the new computer came with Windows 10 Pro. You should be able to reactivate Windows 10 on the new computer if the product key is retail. You'll probably have to use phone activation. Two things will keep you from being able to clone the old drive to new one and booting:

Legacy BIOS v. UEFI. If the old computer is legacy BIOS, then the new laptop should be set to boot in CSM mode. It is possible, and fairly easy, to convert to UEFI when you do the transfer, though, if you need to.

SATA Controller Mode. Both computers should be set to AHCI controller mode. If the old computer is set to IDE mode, it's also fairly easy to delete the SATA drive controller from device manager before cloning, and then when you boot the new computer Windows 10 will automatically install the SATA driver for AHCI mode.

x509 · 15 May 2019

dalchina said:

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Alternatively: You can simply take the disk out of the old PC and put it- or, safer, a clone of it- in the new one, assuming BIOS configuration is compatible. Windows will attempt to reconfigure drivers appropriately. Other issues may apply, but people have done this successfully.

Dalchina,

I hope this is the last, the very last question. (I ordered the new laptop for my wife today, and she is anxious to start usiing it.)

The old system is from 2011. Pre-UEFI. The new laptop is of course a UEFI-based system. Is that difference an issue? Will the new laptop even boot up with the old 2011 system image? Do I need to run some kind of repair?

Thanks.

x509

x509 · 16 May 2019

x509 said:

Dalchina,

I hope this is the last, the very last question. (I ordered the new laptop for my wife today, and she is anxious to start usiing it.)

The old system is from 2011. Pre-UEFI. The new laptop is of course a UEFI-based system. Is that difference an issue? Will the new laptop even boot up with the old 2011 system image? Do I need to run some kind of repair?

Thanks.

x509

Dalchina,

Please ignore the above post.

Navy already answered this question in his most recent post.

Sorry about that. I hope I didn't waste your time. You know that a lot of us on this forum really appreciate all the help you provide.

x509