Old to New PC Transfer

[artbuc]

Was looking at a couple 3rd party programs to transfer files, settings, apps, etc  from old to new PC. One is Laplink PC Mover (MS recommendation for Win 10) and Easeus. Both get wildly mixed reviews ranging from absolutely useless to the best thing since sliced bread. I can not tell if the problems are user error or these programs just do not work consistently depending on OS and hardware.

Thx for any comments you have regarding 3rd party PC transfer programs.

[camerongray]

Is there any reason you need to use software to move everything across? It may seem daunting but any time I move machine/reinstall I just copy my files across manually then reinstall any applications as and when I need them.  The way I see it is that if you're getting a nice new machine that's totally clean, it feels a bit counter-productive to then clog it up by transferring everything from an old machine.

[strollin]

I'm with camerongray, I've never felt the need to use 3rd party software to move things between old/new computer.

Transferring apps can be very spotty anyway, I prefer to just reinstall apps as I need them.  Some apps may never get reinstalled depending on whether I ever need them again or not.

[artbuc]

I don’t mind doing it clean but I have everything setup just like I want it. Actually, my first choice would be to simply restore a Macrium backup image on my new PC but I assume MS would have to give me permission to use my old Win 10 OS on the new PC motherboard. I would have to convince them I was going to retire my old PC.

[strollin]

Unless the old/new PCs were extremely close hardware-wise, restoring a backup image from one PC to another probably wouldn't work.

[artbuc]

Unless the old/new PCs were extremely close hardware-wise, restoring a backup image from one PC to another probably wouldn't work.

Never heard that before. Where would there be a hardware issue?

[Salmon Trout]

Never heard that before. Where would there be a hardware issue?

Strollin is absolutely correct. In fact, this is something that we tend to assume "everybody knows". When you take a Windows install CD or DVD, and use it to install Windows on a PC, the installer app on the disk chooses exactly the right drivers, etc, for the hardware it finds on the PC. That is, the chips on the motherboard, including the CPU, the memory, disk, USB and display etc controllers (the "chipset"). So the installation is tailored exactly to the PC's hardware. If the version of Windows is "OEM" (Original Equipment Manufacturer),  that is, it came with the the PC, then in addition there is a legal thing. You have a license to install and run Windows only on that PC, and no other. The installer will find unique serial numbers of the CPU, chipset, etc. Windows will be activated to run on that PC only. This also applies if you bought the PC with Windows already installed. Now, if you take that hard disk and put it in another, different PC, it might or might not work. If the PCs are absolutely identical (same CPU, same BIOS revision, same motherboard revision) it would probably boot but report a hardware mismatch and declare that Windows is not licensed. If the other PC was substantially different in hardware, Windows might boot but run like a stone dog, crash often, etc, or not even boot.

If the original version of Windows was a "full retail" disk, then you would still hit the licensing restriction as well as the hardware issues above.

Re the idea of restoring a Macrium image onto a second machine, same issues. If you had an OEM license, Microsoift aren't going to let you activate the second install, even if it works.

[artbuc]

That is why I said I will need permission from MS. My Win 10 is a free upgrade from Win 7. I have read that MS will let me use it on another PC providing I retire my old rig. So, do I have a licensing issue or a true hardware issue?

[Salmon Trout]

So, do I have a licensing issue or a true hardware issue?

Did you read what I wrote? Different hardware ---> Windows may not work.

[artbuc]

Did you read what I wrote? Different hardware ---> Windows may not work.

Yes, I read it but obviously did not understand it. It seemed like the hardware issues you mentioned were activation/licensing based. Since my PC is so old I doubt restoring an image will work so I will start from scratch. Thx to all for your responses.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-re-activate-windows-10-after-hardware-change

[Salmon Trout]

OK I'll summarise. A Windows installation on a PC is tailored tightly to the hardware of that PC. If you try putting the hard drive in another PC, it may not work because of that fact. The licensing issue is another, additional, reason why it may be a bad idea.

Is this so hard to get? Consider: Windows installs on, and tailors itself to, an Asus motherboard with an i5 cpu. You take the disk out and mount it in a Dell machine with a Core 2 Duo CPU. Windows won't like it.

But it won't cost you anything to try it out.

[artbuc]

OK I'll summarise. A Windows installation on a PC is tailored tightly to the hardware of that PC. If you try putting the hard drive in another PC, it may not work because of that fact. The licensing issue is another, additional, reason why it may be a bad idea.

Is this so hard to get? Consider: Windows installs on, and tailors itself to, an Asus motherboard with an i5 cpu. You take the disk out and mount it in a Dell machine with a Core 2 Duo CPU. Windows won't like it.

But it won't cost you anything to try it out.

Got it. I did not understand any of this. I thought it was purely an activation issue.

[Salmon Trout]

Good luck! It will be an interesting experiment, and won't cost you anything.

[artbuc]

Good luck! It will be an interesting experiment, and won't cost you anything.

Not going to experiment with it. Seems like way too much trouble.

[Geek-9pm]

This might be of interest:

Re-installing Windows 10 On New Motherboard