Can someone help me with this issue? Many times in this forum, advice was given to make a copy of the HD (with Acronis etc) before making a clean or upgrade installation of an OS. My question is, if the replaced OS is no longer valid, after the upgrade, how can you use its image on the HD to replace the OS that was just installed, if desired?
I haven't done it, but I imagine you simply restore the image and if/when Windows complains about not being valid, you call Microsoft and tell them that you had to restore to XP/Vista/etc.
I'm not sure I understand your question correctly.
1. I have Acronis image of Vista SP2 Ultimate.
2. I currently am using Windows 7 Ultimate.
a. Now my original EULA stated that If I upgraded to a newer OS I lost the right to use the old OS.
b. No I did not upgrade from Vista to Windows 7.
c. I did a Clean install of Windows 7.
So I can still us my Original Windows and Dual boot, Vista and Win7.
If I want I can also install back to Windows XP SP3, I did not upgrade from XP to Vista, I did a Clean install using my " Vista UPGRADE Disks".
Every time I have reinstalled or restored via the IMAGE I have never had MS complain about the RESTORE.
At this time I have no wish to Triple Boot or Dual Boot, But I do still have 100% Full working Acronis Images for XP & Vista.
Unless you use the UPGRADE option you do not loose the ability to use the other OS.
When you restore your HDD with reimaging, it maintains your activation, license(s) and everything else in exactly the condition it was when that image was made. Nothing has changed unless certain combinations of hardware have been swapped out.
In the worst case, you will have to reactivate but your proof of retail purchase or OEM sticker will eventually win out.
When you make that copy of your HDD. It's becomes a file (depending on what tool you use, you may have a couple of files). This file is kept somewhere where it can be hooked up to inorder to reimage your machine. If you have say upgrade from Xp to w7 and had taken that image of xp before you do your upgrade, you can either create another partition to install that image back onto your machine (dualbooting) or use Xp Mode to "build" that image as virtual machine.
Win7 has got an option for System Restore!
Type "Backup" on start menu and you will get a result of "System Backup and Restore Center" which is the tool that helps you,to Backup and Restore it!
P.S1: You can use Norton Ghost Software!
P.S2: Use an External Drive (Recommended)
Kind Reagrds,Cheers
LP
Really? I thought that in the case of an "upgrade", the key associated with the previous OS was disabled by MS. If that's true, the restored OS will only work until it contacts MS and discovers that its key is no longer valid.
Of course, with a new install (non-upgrade), the old key remains valid and the OS can continue to be used indefinitely.
---Quote (Originally by richc46)---
Can someone help me with this issue? Many times in this forum, advice was given to make a copy of the HD (with Acronis etc) before making a clean or upgrade installation of an OS. My question is, if the replaced OS is no longer valid, after the upgrade, how can you use its image on the HD to replace the OS that was just installed, if desired?
---End Quote---
This info is 100% correct. (.)Mark Phelps said:
If you do the
1. UPGRADE method the old OS KEY is now invalid.
2. If you do the Clean install with the UPGRADE Disc, then the old KEY is still VALID, therfore the old OS is valid and can be used indefinitely.
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