Transferring everything from old laptop to new one?

CyberLogic · 14 Jun 2012

Hi, guys. I currently have a Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop, and I might be getting a new one (Dell XPS 14, hopefully) with a larger, 500 GB HDD and better much specs.

Now, I know I could use Acronis TrueImage or something to essentially have everything from the old laptop on the new one, but the whole procedure with that program is really complicated I don't really want to have to go through it because I'm scared I'd mess it up. And I *think* I could do it all by using Windows itself. I've been thinking a lot about this and I think it would be better if Windows handles it.

So, I have two partitions, C: and D: - where C: contains Windows + installed programs, etc. and D: only has movies/video files and nothing else. C: has about 46 Gb free and the "used" amount is 30 GB, so there's enough space in there to store a Windows System Image for everything existing on the C: drive.

Sooo... if I just "temporarily" install Windows on the new laptop, hook it up to the old one using Windows Easy Transfer cable, restore the System Image for C: on the new HDD (which would replace the temp W7 on the new lappy), then create a D: partition using Easus Partition Wizard on the new lappy, and then use Windows Easy Transfer to copy everything from my old D: drive to the new D: drive.... that should do everything, right? Of course, I'll have to get a Windows Easy Transfer cable for all this.. but still.

I know... it's not much of a "problem".. more like general advice, haha. I'm just worried about having to go through all this when I get the laptop... Lol, there are just too many programs that I'd have to re-install if I do a fresh W7 install. I think I can fix any potential driver issues for the new hardware by myself.

ignatzatsonic · 16 Jun 2012

CyberLogic said:

So, I have two partitions, C: and D: - where C: contains Windows + installed programs, etc. and D: only has movies/video files and nothing else. C: has about 46 Gb free and the "used" amount is 30 GB, so there's enough space in there to store a Windows System Image for everything existing on the C: drive.

Sooo... if I just "temporarily" install Windows on the new laptop, hook it up to the old one using Windows Easy Transfer cable, restore the System Image for C: on the new HDD (which would replace the temp W7 on the new lappy), then create a D: partition using Easus Partition Wizard on the new lappy, and then use Windows Easy Transfer to copy everything from my old D: drive to the new D: drive.... that should do everything, right?

You can't store an image of C on the C drive, so the amount of available space on C is irrelevant.

Windows Easy Transfer is not highly reliable in my opinion.

You say "temporarily install Windows on the new laptop". Won't the new laptop already have Windows installed on it when it arrives?

In your shoes, I would use the new laptop as it arrives, with its Windows 7 installation, and simply reinstall my programs to it. Other methods might work, but would be complex and prone to disappointment.

CyberLogic · 16 Jun 2012

Yeah, the laptop I'm getting comes for a special offer in this store.. it's cheaper, but has "Free DOS" on it, apparently. Also, what if I shrink the free space from C: and add it to D: and then store the System Image for C: on the new, bigger D: partition? And I have lots of movies, etc. on D: that will need moving to the new laptop...

ignatzatsonic · 16 Jun 2012

The first thing I notice is that you want to transfer Windows from the old laptop to a new laptop.

If the old laptop has an OEM Windows installation, you can't do that within the terms of the Microsoft EULA. You would have to buy another license since the new laptop is a different machine with a different motherboard.

If the old laptop has a retail Windows installation (possible but unlikely), you could use that Product Key on the new laptop.

Transferring *everything* from old laptop to new one?