Not sure which sysprep options to use to clone install(generalize/oob)


  1. Posts : 13
    Windows 7
       #1

    Not sure which sysprep options to use to clone install(generalize/oob)


    I have a Windows 10 64 bit install (I forgot which build, I think it was 1909) from a 3770K system that is giving me issues that I want to migrate over to a new 10700K system that I built.

    Since this was a sudden hardware issue the 3770K system started giving me and I have many years of settings I want to keep that I didn't have time to migrate over to a new PC, I wanted to see if it was feasible to clone the install to the new system before starting over.

    From what I read, sysprep is what I want for that. Only issue is I am not sure what options to use. I do want to wipe the drivers and any hardware-specific settings/configurations (which from what I understand is what /generalize is for) but I do NOT want to wipe my program registrations, user accounts, passwords, and other such settings (which if I read it right, is what /oobe would do).

    Nearly every guide I read says to use /oobe though so I am not sure if I am mis-understanding these commands or not. If I wanted to clone my Windows 10 install to a new PC (Yes, I have a key I can activate the new PC with) and keep all my accounts, passwords, settings, programs, etc but have it start over with the hardware settings/drivers so I can migrate it over to the new PC, which settings should I be using in sysprep?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 4,511
    several
       #2

    I didnt have any trouble moving a disk containing win7 and a disk containing vista from an lga1155 ( 3rd gen like yours ) to an 8th gen lga1151. Both os sorted themselves out with a reboot or two.

    Very likely win10 will be fine if you move it directly, or clone it ( or os migrate) using something that works such as diskgenius.

    If you do that then you still have the original disk in the unlikely event that there is something insurmountable for the migrated win10.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4,173
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #3

    Normally you would use sysprep on a reference system to prepare it for imaging.

    There are several reasons I would not suggest using Sysprep for what you want to accomplish, but for the sake of brevity let me simply say that I don't really think that this is the correct way to go about this.

    As SIW2 pointed out, the more appropriate way to migrate an existing installation would be to clone or backup your current installation and restore it to the drive in the new system.

    My personal suggestion would be to consider downloading the trial version of Macrium Reflect, make a complete image backup of the OS drive, then restore that image to the new system.

    Make sure to grab the trial version of Macrium Reflect 8 rather than the free version 7. Reflect 8 makes resizing to a different sized destination easier.

    If you need any help along the way, just give a shout. Would be happy to help.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 13
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I have usb drives and CD-Rs of both Acronis and Macrium boot media, so if I need to go that route I can.

    In fact, the disk I wanted to use sysprep on is already a clone that I created in Macrium, since I did not want to use sysprep on the drive I wanted to keep in the 3770K system.

    I heard that Macrium apparently has some sort of built-in feature to also "migrate" Windows to new hardware? Would it be any better or worse to use that over sysprep? Or to use neither?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,173
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #5

    As already stated, that's not really the intended purpose of sysprep, although you could get away with using for that. Sysprep is intended to prepare a system for imaging, where that image will be deployed and take the user into either audit mode or the OOBE, and you don't really want either.

    Yes, Macrium can migrate your image to dissimilar hardware. In fact, just this weekend I moved a Windows installation from a 10 year old system to a brand new system and it worked flawlessly on the new machine.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 6,247
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP - Lubuntu
       #6

    Is the new drive a NVMe?

    Please edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs. It will help us to help you
    System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums

    Don't clone the drive into a NVMe. It probably won't boot as it doesn't have the needed drivers.
    As suggested, make a drive image backup of your 3770K system and then install it on the new computer.
    Windows will update itself installing new drivers required to the new computer.
    Once it is working fine on the new computer, clone it to the NVMe.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 13
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Megahertz said:
    Is the new drive a NVMe?
    No, but it will be eventually. Right now I have a spare sata SSD to clone it to. I have a NVME I want to eventually migrate it to if I can it all working right. I figured the less hardware changes I introduced while trying to migrate Windows to the new PC, the better, and that once I manage to get it booting and working properly off that Sata SSD on the new PC I can then clone that to the NVME.
      My Computer


 

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