Windows 10: Migrating Windows from AMD PC to Intel PC

First, on the new computer, right click on the start icon and select Command Prompt (Admin). In the Window, run:

slmgr /dlv

What result do you get?





To upgrade from Home to Pro see here:
Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro

Pay particular attention to paragraph 5 in the tutorial: 5. To Enter a Product Key and Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro

If you Windows 7 Retail Product Key does not work to activate Windows 10 Pro on the new computer, in most cases installing Windows 7 Pro on that same computer and activating it on the phone with Microsoft will fix it.

 

Hi again, my current PC has a legacy Bios, the new one, I'm not sure...I haven't got it yet. It's being shipped to me.

 

The new computer is probably UEFI. There is an easy way to go from legacy Bios to UEFI if you want to move the OS. You will want to have a clean install of Windows 10 on the new computer. Then clone only the partition containing the operating system from the old computer over the top of the OS partition on the new computer. Do not move/clone any other partitions, only the big partition with the OS. Use Macrium Reflect to do it. You will also need to create a Macrium Reflect rescue drive (USB thumb drive or DVD).

Install the drive for the new computer with the OS partition replaced and boot it from the Macrium Reflect rescue drive. Under the restore menu is a utility to fix Windows startup problems. Run that utility. Then the new computer should boot from the hard drive after that.

Macrium Reflect Free

Again, though, see my post #12. Whomever is selling you the computer claiming that it has a 30 day free trial of Windows 10 is lying to you because there is no 30 day free trial.

 

Thanks a lot! When I clone the OS like this and then hook up up my other data drives to the new machine, If I get the drive letters right using disk management, everything should run like it's running now right?
Thanks a lot,
Peter

 

Can I clone my OS partition while the PC is running or do I need to install it to a usb drive and boot from there to do this?

 

1. Assuming the new computer with hard drive has Windows 10 installed and running on it.
2. Remove hard drive from new computer and install as second hard drive (or third, fourth, whatever) in old computer.
3. Boot old computer from it's normal hard drive. Install Macrium Reflect Free. Create the Macrium Reflect rescue USB flash drive or DVD.
4. Clone the old computer OS partition only to the new computer hard drive, overwriting the OS partition that is already there. You might have to delete that partition first and clone the partition to the empty space. All of that can be done inside Macrium Reflect.
5. Re-install the new computer hard drive into the new computer. Boot it from the Macrium Reflect rescue drive/DVD.
6. Run the fix Windows startup utility. Remove the Macrium Rescue drive/DVD, reboot the computer from the hard drive.

Then, if the new computer never had Windows 10 Pro on it, and you are moving Windows 10 Pro from the old computer, go to the activation screen under settings, updates and security, and change product key to your Windows 7 Pro product key. If that works to activate it, you will have to remove Windows 10 Pro from your old computer in order to stay legal. If that doesn't work to activate the Windows 10 - then you will have to install Windows 7 on the new computer (you can use a spare hard drive, or just make space for a new partition for Windows 7). Activate Windows 7 on it - probably have to use phone activation. Then you should be able to go back and use that Windows 7 product key to activate Windows 10.

 

Thanks a lot! I've downloaded Macrium, but I'm not going to install untill the new PC gets here. You never know with the 30 days trial for Mrium, if something goes wrong with the delivery of my new machine...
Could I use this method to copy everything over and then buy a new licence to activate windows on my new machine, so I can keep using my old pc too?

 

You need to go back and download Macrium Reflect FREE, not the trial version. Macrium Reflect Free does not expire.

Yes, you can use this method to copy everything over and purchase a Windows 10 Pro license to activate it so you can keep both computers running. (A cheaper Windows 7 Pro or Windows 8 Pro license/product key might also work, but not guaranteed.)

 

Macrium Free is Free. There is no 30 days trial unless you are a business and told them so. Try again and tell the truth. "I am a home user"

Windows doesn't have a 30 day "Free" Period. What it currently has is a infinitely long "Free" period during which you'll not be able to use personalization options (change your themes or whatever). Other than that it works fine. If you don't care about setting your wallpaper then don't worry about it.

It really is simple and you are overcomplicating things.

Let me try to put it in a simple way.

If you bought Windows OS separately from your PC (you gave MS or some other company some money for a license) you can move it. Hopefully you would remember if you did this.

If you bought a computer from a supermarket then you can't.

It isn't difficult.

So, did you buy your PC from a supermarket?

 

Either way, though, if Peter wants to legally run Windows 10 Pro on both computers at the same time he will have to purchase a second license/product key for Windows Pro.

 

I bought Windows 7 seperately. My current PC was bought as a bunch of hardware parts at a specialized computer store. I assembled it myself and installed windows 7 on it. The new PC was bought at another PC store, that also allowed every single component to be hand picked, yet because of the water cooling, I let them assemble it, because that's a bit above my level. I did reinstall Macrium. I selected "home" instead of "free/trial" the first time. Then it asked for a serial. Now I selected "free/trial" and it didn't ask for a serial. A bit confusing for me, but thanks a lot. It installed fine!

 

I don't know if I would trust a shop/store that talks about 30 day free trials of Windows 10.

 

I looked it up again. They say it's a demo of Windows in which several functions will no longer work unless you activate.

 

Reminds me of when I used to work for a cable TV company 30 years ago. There was a hotel next to our office and one morning coming in to work I noticed "FREE HBO" on their sign (Home Box Office, a pay channel). They were not paying for, nor authorized to be receiving HBO. So I trapped out that channel in the alley. Next morning they were no longer offering "FREE HBO".

 

It does that for some reason. The free version generates a serial number and you have to say "stop bugging me" or some such when it asks you to register.

I don't know what would happen if you registered. Probably they would send you emails or something.

From what you are saying it sounds like you have one widows license not two. You could try upgrading the "demo" Windows 7 one using this tutorial. If it is genuine it will work. If it isn't then I guess you'll have to buy a key.

Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First