Move Windows 10 to a new PC

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  1. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 64bit
       #1

    Move Windows 10 to a new PC


    I am running windows 10 64bits and going to upgrade my PC hardware, including changing mother board, CPU and hard disks. Is it possible to create an image of my current PC and move to the new one without installing all my currently running programs and data?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    Yes. Make sure you are logged into a Microsoft Account on the old computer and you see this:

    Move Windows 10 to a new PC-capture.jpg
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 7,871
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       #3

    You can try but W10 will need different motherboard drivers than those contained in the image from the old PC. Hopefully, W10 will recognize the hardware changes on first boot and install the required drivers. I would download the drivers you need for the new motherboard and have these available when you configure the new PC.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 41,412
    windows 10 professional version 1607 build 14393.969 64 bit
       #4
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #5

    This is the "proper" way to do it.

    1) Make image backup of current install

    2) remove any 3rd party store apps (ones not included with Windows). These tend to cause sysprep to fail.
    If it fails, look in log and see which app is causing issue and uninstall it.

    Sometimes, apps annoyingly refuse to uninstall and you may need to run an admin powershell commmand

    e.g. this one always causes me problems

    34791E63.CanonInkjetPrintUtility_2.6.0.5_neutral__6e5tt8cgb93ep
    run following:

    Get-AppxPackage 34791E63.CanonInkjetPrintUtility_2.6.0.5_neutral__6e5tt8cgb93ep | Remove-AppxPackage

    3) in file explorer go to c:\windows\system32\sysprep

    4) run sysprep.exe and a pop up box will pop up

    5) select oobe from pull down menu

    6) select generalise

    7) select shutdown

    8) Then hardware drivers are removed. Once pc has shutdown, transfer hdd to new pc and boot pc.

    9) pc will go through oobe as if brand new install. Windows 10 will download drivers it needs in same way as any clean install.

    10) create a new local account.

    11) once logged in, reboot and switch to original account. You can then delete new account.
    Last edited by cereberus; 30 May 2017 at 23:41.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 7,871
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       #6

    Is sysprep a standard tool since I don't seem to have it?
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    Steve C said:
    Is sysprep a standard tool since I don't seem to have it?
    \Windows\System32\Sysprep\

    I've never bothered with sysprep before a move.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #8

    I wrote a tutorial for this back in 2011, for Windows 7 on our sister site Seven Forums, but's it applies for the most to Windows 10, too: Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

    As Cereberus mentioned, UWP apps make generalizing W10 with Sysprep sometimes difficult. Have to rethink that before making a W10 tut about this process.

    Kari


    EDIT, totally off topic:

    Hadn't thought about that tutorial in long time, was now quite surprised to see it seems to have been quite popular with over 1.2 million views meaning it has been viewed on average over 530 times per day during these past six and a half years :)

    Move Windows 10 to a new PC-image.png
    Last edited by Kari; 30 May 2017 at 10:27.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Thank you all for the inputs. In the past when I change new motherboard and CPU, I have to go through all the trouble of reinstalling the Windows OS and all third party programs, like MS Office, Adobe PS, etc. I am wondering if there is some way to just make an image of my current PC and copy it to my new PC like ghosting or cloning from one hard disk to another.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #10

    etbt666 said:
    Thank you all for the inputs. In the past when I change new motherboard and CPU, I have to go through all the trouble of reinstalling the Windows OS and all third party programs, like MS Office, Adobe PS, etc. I am wondering if there is some way to just make an image of my current PC and copy it to my new PC like ghosting or cloning from one hard disk to another.
    Yeah -

    1) install Macrium Reflect Free, and create a rescue usb drive.

    2) add Macrium boot entry from other tasks.

    3) Do sysprep as above.

    4) when sysprep is finished, and pc has shutdown, restart pc and boot to Macrium Reflect.

    5) Create backup image to external drive.

    6) on new pc, boot from Macrium Rescue drivr, and restore image to ssd.
      My Computer


 

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