Windows 10: Transferring system image to new hardware setup

I remember the last time I did this, back in 2015, taking the SSD out of the old computer and putting it into the new one....Windows just refused to boot, bluescreening over and over again, and I was forced to use a fresh installation.

Does Windows still do that? I've heard that it kind of binds itself to your current hardware config, and if you change too many things, it won't boot. What I'm going to do is just image my current SSD and apply that image to the new SSD in the new computer. Will that work?

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:)

 

System Image Problem

I'm getting a head start in case you get on early.

Can you post camera pics to your thread from your phone?

There will be steps later that require attention to detail and I'd feel better if I could see what's on your screen. I had to try the steps more than once when I tested the process and I'd like to avoid that on your machine.

Here's what I'd like to do for the Macrium Rescue steps later on in the process
I'll post the the step, you'll post an picture of the Macrium screen,
I'll echo same screen back if I see something that needs changing or I'll just say Go Ahead

When I confirm that the Macrium screen, you'll make any changes I've highlighted and THEN execute the step

Here's where you begin today's session, we'll get as far as we get and then pick up when you get back home.

Step 1: Safeguard the System Image by moving it to a new folder

1. Connect the Seagate exp drive
   
   
2. File Explorer: Navigate to the Seagate drive
   
   
3. Create a new Folder named 1_sysImage
   
   
4. Move WindowsImageBackup to 1_sysImage

Step 2: List the VHDs in the System Image

1. File Explorer: Navigate to 1_sysImage\WindowsImageBackup\machineName\Backup date-time
   
   
2. Press the Type column to sort by Type
   
   
3. Post a screen shot

 

Is the free upgarde transferable? I think not.

After I had finished the transfer, I signed in to new hardware (the transferred 10) using an MS / Insider account and used the Media Creation Tool to create a USB install media for clean install. Clean installed Windows 10 using this install media on original hardware with the generic key, first wiping the hard disks.

Am using that Windows 10 now, clean installed and activated on the original hardware.

Two more tests I made:

• Using the ISO created with Media Creation tool from Microsoft, clean installed Windows 10 Pro to a Hyper-V virtual machine. Windows was automatically activated
• Generalized that Hyper-VM Windows setup
• Captured the image
• Restored this image on an old HP laptop
• Booted the HP laptop, gave the generic key in OOBE
• Windows was setup correctly and automatically activated

-- AND --

• Using Disk2VHD, created a VHD of this HP laptop's activated Windows setup
• Created a new Hyper-V virtual machine using the existing VHD option
• Used the VHD I had made with Disk2VHD
• Windows was activated

Conclusion: Three working and activated Windows 10 Pro machines using the same installation and generic key:

• I created a virtual machine clean installing Windows 10 and activated it
• Using the system image of that vm I transferred it to a laptop, it was activated
• Using Disk2VHD on the laptop I created a new VHD of the same Windows 10 setup
• Created a new vm using the VHD, Windows was activated

 

Is the free upgarde transferable? I think not.

Hi Kari,
Can you confirm that the computer at step 5 (I numbered your list *Wink ) had never had an activated Insider build (especially not 10240)?

I'm wondering if it was possible that the second machine activated because the activation servers recognised the hardware from an earlier activation, and not because of the method you used to transfer?