Windows 10: How to clone Win10 (UEFI) installation to non-UEFI laptop?

Hello.

I have my work laptop (main) with Windows 10 installation (UEFI, GPT) where all apps already installed and configured. Recently I was given an old notebook (secondary) with Windows 8.1 installation (legacy BIOS, non-UEFI, MBR).

Is there more or less simple way to clone Windows 10 OS from my work laptop to this legacy notebook? I'd like to have BIOS notebook on standby in another location having the same OS and apps installed, and be able to restore to secondary notebook from system backups that I do for my main laptop.

My original intention was to use Acronis Universal Restore (because I'm using ATI for backups and restores) or AOMEI's software, but then I realized that I'm backing up UEFI installation with GPT, while secondary notebook is BIOS with MBR. So my guess is that this scenario complicates things to some degree. But is it still doable?

:)

 

Trouble installing windows 7 on RAID in UEFI

As the title says, I'm trying to install Windows on a RAID array in uefi on my Maximus V Formula. When using legacy ROM I can install just fine but I go into CSM and change settings to UEFI only, I can build the array in the UEFI Raid driver (IRST tab in "BIOS") but the array does not show up in the boot menu and when I try to install windows (boot from UEFI DVD drive), The drive does not show up in the Windows install. The next thing I tried was to enable UEFI and legacy oprom in CSM, boot from UEFI DVD drive and install to the RAID array (probably detected by legacy oprom) and it will install. After first reboot, Windows Boot manager will show up as an option in the BIOS boot menu so I set that as first boot device and reboot. I will get to the starting windows screen and then BSOD (too quick to get codes) The last thing I tried was Changing to legacy mode and installing windows to a different drive. once installed, I initialized the Raid array as GPT and rebooted, changed csm back to UEFI only but they RAID array still doesn't show in the boot device list so I repeated the earlier process hoping that It might work because I had initialized as GPT but it still BSODs on starting windows screen. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

Trouble installing windows 7 on RAID in UEFI

I think you were on track with your first try. Windows installer probably needs the RAID driver in order to detect it on install.

 

Can I install Win10 on a Laptop with a Win8.1 key in the UEFI-BIOS

Can I still install Win10 on a Laptop with a Win8.1 key in its UEFI-BIOS?

I tried but when starting the install routine from USB-Stick it asks me for a key.

I was wondering about that because I thought that the install routine would check the UEFI-BIOS for a valid key.

I entered the key from the UEFI-BIOS manually by myself but the routine did not accept it.

So I didn't install Win10 because I don't want to have a not activated one.