cloning OS partition to new hardware

[NorthboundOcclusive]

Okay, so ive got a 25gb WD Blue HDD, with win7x64 on it as an 80gb NTFS (C:\) partition. the rest of the drive is programs (D:\), everything that i could keep from being installed to C:\program files basically.

like so.

once the rest of my new hardware arrives, i want to copy that 80gb os partition to one of these fellas:

,crucial MX100 256gb SSD.
then, (once everything is running and stable) expand the data partition back to fill the entire drive, so that C:\ is the 256gb ssd, and D:\ is the 250gb hdd.
does that make sense?

Im familiar with using gparted to fiddle with partitions, but i want to be sure that windows isnt going to flip a table when it suddenly finds itself on a new drive, attached to a new motherboard and new CPU.

ive tried this trick once before, some years back, with winxp (moving the os to a new mobo/cpu setup, which didnt work at all, the disk was eventually formatted and win7 installed on it.


is win7 any better about being relocated like that? do i need to "seed" my win7 install with drivers for the new motherboard's chipset and widgets before i do the teardown? any mandatory prep-work to make this happen smoothly? (backing up files is a given, of course). recommendations for imaging software? i think i was looking at clonezilla last time.
if i have to re-activate windows, no big deal (totes legit OEM copy), but id rather not have to reinstall if i can reasonably avoid it.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

any reason you don't just want to do a clean install?

 

[Caring1]

If you clone onto the new SSD you wont need to re-activate Windows.
Partition Magic and Clonezilla will both do the job.
There's also no need to install chipset drivers first as Windows should have those installed already. Edit, this is only if the same Motherboard is being used.

 

[brandonwh64]

acronis boot disc is good.

 

[Winston_008]

I did this just recently, I moved my windows install onto a new drive and then stuck it into my new pc, and I have had 0 problems with the migration, I even went from amd to intel and it still went smoothly. Try using this (link to the iso is in the guide) Paragon adaptive restore

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic...rrent-windows-install-with-a-new-motherboard/

 

[Caring1]

acronis boot disc is good.

I'll second Acronis

 

[Liquid Cool]

http://directedge.us/content/abr-activation-backup-and-restore

I usually do a fresh install and use ABR for activation.

Although, with all new hardware...I still do a fresh install and activate. Especially when moving from a hard drive to an SSD.

Although, I'm paranoid...

Best,

LC

 

[95Viper]

http://directedge.us/content/abr-activation-backup-and-restore

I usually do a fresh install and use ABR for activation. Clean and simple.

Best,

LC

ABR says,

"This is a utility that allows you to backup and restore Windows Vista activation for systems that are pre-installed from the factory by an OEM".

That is like a Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc.
It only works with Vista... quote here ,

"ABR works with Vista SP1, and on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Vista."

And, the Windows 7 Beta version?
I quote, again,

"This is a beta (test release) of the next version of ABR with Windows 7 support. I have had reports that it is working with Windows 7, but I do not have access to OEM versions of Windows 7, so I cannot verify it myself."

Not to reassuring there; unless, there are some updated info I am not seeing.

 

[Liquid Cool]

95Viper...ABR beta has been out for years and works perfectly with Windows 7 installs...but you are correct....OEM installs only. I wasn't aware of this, but I've always used it on laptops, albeit with a 100% success rate.

Best,

LC

 

[NorthboundOcclusive]

any reason you don't just want to do a clean install?

other than "meh, hassle of reinstalling all my programs and suchlike", no not really. and there's undoubtedly more, better reasons to do a clean install, like setting windows to put the default Program Files folder(s) somewhere off the SSD.

There's also no need to install chipset drivers first as Windows should have those installed already. Edit, this is only if the same Motherboard is being used.

would be a different motherboard

 

[OneMoar]

once you copy the partition to the new hdd boot from it and run
%windir%\System32\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe from a administrative command prompt
select system out of box experience and tick generalize and shutdown (it is super critical you allow this to complete without any interruption do not at any point open programs or shutdown the computer
install the drive into the new system and boot it up
run though the normal first boot setup prompts making sure not to re-use your old username as it will delete your data if you do
done and done

 

[Static~Charge]

HDClone does a good job. Since you're cloning from a hard drive to an SSD, go through this list after you've booted Windows on the SSD:

Check the partition alignment
http://www.overclock.net/t/1226963/how-to-properly-re-align-your-ssd-hdd-partitions

Verify that TRIM is enabled
http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=86403

Disable disk defragging
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3292-disk-defragmenter-schedule-turn-off.html

 

[NorthboundOcclusive]

making sure not to re-use your old username as it will delete your data if you do

=(
that would be annoying then, if X program is looking for Y folder in C:\users\<user>\Appdata for a user profile that's no longer in use..
thats the sort of thing im hoping to avoid by cloning the whole OS partition

 

[OneMoar]

=(
that would be annoying then, if X program is looking for Y folder in C:\users\<user>\Appdata for a user profile that's no longer in use..
thats the sort of thing im hoping to avoid by cloning the whole OS partition

your old user name will still exist you can remove the other account after you finish setting up

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

other than "meh, hassle of reinstalling all my programs and suchlike", no not really. and there's undoubtedly more, better reasons to do a clean install, like setting windows to put the default Program Files folder(s) somewhere off the SSD.

would be a different motherboard

Hey there, @NorthboundOcclusive !

I'd strongly recommend re-installing Windows and bear with the one-time hassle of re-installing the programs as well. You would do it all at once and then you'd be done with it, basically enjoying the new system configuration!
But you are changing the motherboard, I doubt that the cloning would even work. Even if it does, you are bound to face a lot of difficulties and errors. I'm an advocate of the clean install, because there are far more examples of cloning processes gone bad, than fresh installs.
I say save yourself from some headaches!

Hope I was helpful! Good luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[Jetster]

If you clone onto the new SSD you wont need to re-activate Windows.
.

Actually yes you do. At least if you have any new hardware you will

Any clone is iffy. 80% of they time they work fine but its the other 20% that can lead to one problem or another

The only time I cone if there are program I just can't reinstall for one reason or another. Or if backing up data and reinstalling programs will take a lot longer than a clone