Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

khamarr3524 said:

Hi, I have a few questions concerning SysPrep. I'm considering buying a new laptop and have come between two laptops, one with integrated graphics (not my primary choice) and a real graphics card (primary choice) however obviously this computer is more expensive and so to cut back on the price, I looked into seeing if I could transfer my entire computer over to the new one, without purchasing Win7 again. In place of the 90 dollar windows 7, I could get around a 40 dollar external hard drive and transfer the boot disc to that computer, right? I need to make sure of this before I waste my money on this computer as I am merely trying to save myself some money.

TL;DR/Summary: Is it possible for me to use an external hard drive to save a boot disc or some sort of memory that contains all my information from my currently laptop to a completely formatted hard drive only laptop (one with no operating system) using SysPrep or some other method?

With free Free Partition Magic alternative, partition manager freeware, partition magic server, partition magic Windows 7 and free Partition Manager software for Windows 7/8/VISTA/XP/2000 and Windows Server 2003/2008/2000. you can shrink, move, copy etc partitions. Download and burn the bootable CD

1. Make partitions you want to copy to new laptop smaller on old laptop.
2. Make partition on new laptop smaller so there's space to put new partitions on.
3. Make partition on external usb disk smaller, so there is space to put new partitions on.
4. now sysprep old machine and shutdown. No reboot!!
5. Now copy partitions you want to transfer form old laptop to external usb disk
6. Now copy partitions you want to transfer from external disk to new laptop

All steps can be done with partition wizard free bootabe CD (except sysprep). Boot from that CD (modify boot priority in BIOS if not booting from CD).

Now boot into System Recovery Options and perform
Startup Repair
This should find the new windows and modifies the boot menu so you have dual boot. Now reboot without CD so boot from harddisk. Select the new windows and you're in. sysprep configures the system now.

-uninstall all drivers no longer needed. So enter "device management" and look for strange and not wroking drivers.
-uninstall software no longer needed. For example special graphics card configuration utilities.
-download/install drivers belonging to this new computer.

Everything working fine? Now you probable want to remove old windows version. If so make a new post

Archquark said:

Kaktussoft said:

How did you make the backup, so with what software? What did you backup, only C-drive or all partitions?

We used the Windows 7 backup program and backed up the original HP system drive with the system image option selected.

Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

Kari, Thanks for your clear instructions. I'd like to ask for some advice, since the process of changing motherboards - Gigabyte 790X to Z68 - this weekend has turned into something of a disaster for me. With a Win 7/64 SSD, Method 1 didn't take, so I ended up with Method 3. It went fine until I booted into the recovered drive. Everything was there but the mouse and internet. I assumed it was a matter of drivers, but have been able to use keystrokes and a file manager to install quite a few items off the Gigabyte CD, but so far to no avail. I had Auto-Play off on the old mobo and it carried over with Win 7. This is a dual boot system with XP - or was until a repair install just went bad - and USB worked already even before installing everything Gigabyte. I did notice during the Win 7 repair process that it asks if I'd like to just install some drivers, but it didn't take to any of the ones on the Gigabyte CD that I offered. Do you have any ideas? The alternative that strikes me is going back to the old mobo, turning on AutoPlay and fixing things up a bit with the new drivers, if it'll install them - big if? - and then trying again. But it would be nice if this could be worked out short of that. I've already gone back and forth the boards twice (e.g., forgot to run Sysprep the first time). Thanks,

P.S. During the repair/recovery sequence, Windows asks if the user wants to reformat and partition. I skipped that the first time but looking now I see it warns that it will do it to all the drives on the computer. Why all, not just the destination? In my case, there were two listed, presumably one of which had the image because it didn't like it when I tried to exclude that drive.

Racehunter said:

I will be changing the mobo on my system in the not too near future. I have the OS and programs on C drive (SSD) and user profiles on D (HDD) The profiles where moved during win 7 installation following an excellent tutorial on here. If I follow the process above, will the user profiles on D still be linked?

Steve

c:\users\someUser is now on D:\users ?
What exactly did you link? Did you also link the admin account to D?

Kaktussoft said:

Racehunter said:

I will be changing the mobo on my system in the not too near future. I have the OS and programs on C drive (SSD) and user profiles on D (HDD) The profiles where moved during win 7 installation following an excellent tutorial on here. If I follow the process above, will the user profiles on D still be linked?

Steve

c:\users\someUser is now on D:\users ?
What exactly did you link? Did you also link the admin account to D?

Are you planning to do a SYSPREP and then shutdown/power off and then swapping the motherboard? You connect the same harddisk to the new motherboard I assume?

Kaktussoft said:

Kaktussoft said:

Racehunter said:

I will be changing the mobo on my system in the not too near future. I have the OS and programs on C drive (SSD) and user profiles on D (HDD) The profiles where moved during win 7 installation following an excellent tutorial on here. If I follow the process above, will the user profiles on D still be linked?

Steve

c:\users\someUser is now on D:\users ?
What exactly did you link? Did you also link the admin account to D?

Are you planning to do a SYSPREP and then shutdown/power off and then swapping the motherboard? You connect the same harddisk to the new motherboard I assume?

Both motherboards have this is BIOS: SATA AHCI enabled? Please check settings now on old board. Read manual of new bios if this setting can be turned on.

Please answer

Racehunter said:

I will be changing the mobo on my system in the not too near future. I have the OS and programs on C drive (SSD) and user profiles on D (HDD) The profiles where moved during win 7 installation following an excellent tutorial on here. If I follow the process above, will the user profiles on D still be linked?

Steve

Hi Steve.

If you meant this tutorial, then no, it is not going to work. When sysprep finds an existing Users folder with profile folders, it does not work.

Also using sysprep with /generalize switch before swapping MoBo will fail because generalizing removes user profiles (more here: Custom Taylor Master Image).

I can not promise this works for you but this is how I have done similar operations:

- Using this method, revert relocating of Users (and Programdata?) back to C:. Just follow the instructions in tutorial, editing answer file (script) so that new location will be the default, for Users C:\Users and for ProgramData C:\ProgramData
- Manually remove all hardware specific drivers, our member Kaktussoft is an expert on this, I have noticed he can surely tell you which drivers to remove and how
- Shut down PC, swap MoBo
- Boot, install drivers
- Reboot, relocate Users and Programdata again if needed / wanted using this tutorial

Kari