Windows 10: Restoring Win10 backup Image from Dell to other PC

• although I made an image of the full Dell disk -- with all partitions -- can I restore just the OS C: partition of the Dell PC to replace the OS partition of the new Lenovo laptop? I have already booted up the Lenovo and set it up with a temporary User account.
• Will I experience any boot issues? I ask because there are several partitions on the Dell image some of which I believe are unique to Dell -- such as Dell Recovery -- that shouldn't be restored.
• will the Lenovo PC activate Windows 10 using its OEM bios key or would I run into activation issues?

Thnx in advance



:)

 

"backup and restore win 7" or "recovery" for win10, which one to use on Win10?

still confused about system image (win7 terminology) vs recovery on usb (win10 terminology)...

we have 3 machines, some with win7, some with win10. which backup/restore/recovery/system image ??? program should I use to ensure that I have backups/restore/recovery/system image ??? available in case of pc failure?

the terms used in win7 and win10 are very confusing.

If the preference is to use "recovery" in Win10, why is there an option to choose "backup and restore Windows 7" available in Win10

also, re win10, hate to use up a large flash drive just for a recovery in win10 (when creating a recovery in win10, it wipes out all other files on the flash drive). Will the recovery option still work from a flash drive with other files on the drive?

 

Is the system backup for Windows 10 still identified as a Windows 7 task name?

still confused about system image (win7 terminology) vs recovery on usb (win10 terminology)...

we have 3 machines, some with win7, some with win10. which backup/restore/recovery/system image ???

program should I use to ensure that I have backups/restore/recovery/system image ??? available in case of pc failure?

the terms used in win7 and win10 are very confusing.

also, re win10, hate to use up a large flash drive just for a recovery in win10 (when creating a recovery in win10, it wipes out all other files on the flash drive).

Can I use the flash drive for other files? Or maybe revert back to the win7 backup and restore that does not wipe the flash drive??

 

You need all partitions except any dell recover or it wont boot. I dont understand why you have created a new user account as you need to boot from mreflect to run the image you cant clone while windows is running.

If the laptop has win10 why are you trying to restore an image from another pc?

The whole thing may not work as often oem versions are tied to the bios and wont load on another pc and if its running on the old dell it may not activate at all.

Why dont you just get a win10 iso and do a clean install?

 

Make a Macrium Reflect Rescue drive using the option to do so in Macruim Reflect. Boot the new computer from the Macrium Reflect Rescue drive. Restore the OS partition only from the image right over the top of the OS partition on the new computer. You do probably want to make a backup image of the OS partition from the new computer first anyway, though.

After you copy over the OS partition only, run the Fix Windows boot problems utility from the restore menu of the Macrium Reflect Rescue drive. That's all you have to do. As long as both Windows 10 are the same version (Home or Pro), you won't have any activation issues.

 

The reason I'm trying to restore an image is because I don't have the product key/activation info for some of the apps on the Dell -- such as Office 2013. I have tried using 3rd-party programs to find them to no avail. Also, I setup up a temp user account on the new PC simply to test that it was in working other prior to the clone ...

Thnx for ur response...

I decided not to make an image of the new Lenovo PC because I am willing to do the fresh install of Win10 (after drive format) if need be. In fact, do you recommend I go ahead with a fresh install of Win10 on the Lenovo -- delete the current Lenovo partitions and recreate all the partitions via Win10 installer -- prior to the restore or would that be a last resort option?

 

First, the bad news. Your Office 2013 is likely to detect that it has been moved to another computer and deactivate itself. You may be able to re-activate it by calling Microsoft. Have you tried BelArc Advisor to retrieve the product key?
Products: Belarc Advisor

Windows will actually do the same thing, but the license for Windows 10 established for the Lenovo should re-activate the Windows automatically.

Other than that, it sounds like you want a nice, fresh clean install of Windows, except you want all your programs from your other computer. So, this is what I would do:

1. Make a folder on a USB drive for any Lenovo hardware drivers that Windows might not supply. Let's say the USB drive gets drive letter E: and the folder you create for the drivers is Drivers. Connect the hard drive to the Lenovo and in a Command Prompt (Admin) or Powershell (Admin) run:
dism /online /export-driver /destination:E:\Drivers
Adjust the path in red as needed.

2. Do a clean install of Windows by booting from a Windows 10 USB flash drive or DVD, select the Custom Install option and delete all the partitions on the hard drive. Highlight the unallocated space to install to and click Next to let Windows set up all the partitions.

3. After Windows is done setting up and booting from the hard drive and asking you for network info, I believe, then you can reboot the computer from the Macrium Reflect rescue drive and restore only the OS partition (C: drive) over the top of the newly installed OS partition.

4. Yes, you will have to run the Fix Windows booting problems utility from Macrium Reflect.

5. Let Windows update run and install all the new drivers available from Microsoft. Look in Device Manager for any hardware that has an exclamation point or "unknown device". You can manually restore those drivers from your exported drivers folder on the USB drive by just selecting the folder you created and making sure the checkbox for checking subfolders is checked.

The reason you don't want to just restore the whole entire hard drive from the old computer is because we don't know how many extra and unused partitions there are on it. It sounds like you want a brand new start with no extra partitions and that is what the above steps will accomplish.

Be advised that Lenovo computers come with a one button restore option. Clean installing Windows 10 this way be erasing all the existing partitions on the hard drive will break the one button restore function.

 

@NavyLCDR thnx for taking the time to provide that breakdown. Much appreciated...*Smile

> Yes I did try BelarcAdvisor (it's one of my favorite apps) and it was only able to display the last few digits of the product key. I figured that if I uninstalled Office 2013 from the old Dell after the clone is complete that it would not be a problem -- I hope.

> Ok will definitely use the "Fix Windows Booting" utility before a restart after restore is complete and appreciate the heads up on the loss of the one-button restore ability.

 

Since 2013, Office keys are encrypted. Key finders do not work.

 

Didn't know that. Thnx