Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap

@ignatzatsonic: Thanks for replying. I read through this whole thread-- It looks like there were a number of people earlier in the thread who used Paragon Adaptive Restore successfully. It always sounded to me like a nifty feature, but I have seen little discussion of how to handle licensing questions.

My version of Win 7 is indeed retail, though it was an upgrade version. I don't recall what previous XP was. I thought MS changed even how the "Retail License" works, but what you are saying sounds reasonable and justifiable. I actually do have another available key. If the old hardware is not in fact broken, one could transfer an installation to newer, better hardware, and at the same time continue to use Win 7 on the old hardware. Let's say you transfer the OS plus the User to the new machine, and on that machine change the hardware drivers and then the also change the product key to a new license. (I think Windows itself includes a provision for doing this.) On the OLD machine, delete the current User and associated files and establish a new one. Or do a repair install if desired--but the old machine would keep the old product key. So the old machine would be available for another use.

Any reason the above would not work? If the old motherboard is dead, looks like what you are suggesting should work with a Retail Licesne.

Michael

Hi
Does this method retain Windows 7 personalization? Start Menu, side panel favorites, small Registry edits, etc...

Yes, it should. That is the main intention of using this.

Has anyone tried this with a 8 or 10?

I didn't like the normal sysprep way because of scary/annoying things such as "All personalization is removed (taskbar, toolbars, folder options, start orb etc.)" and "In case of relocated system folders... first move the relocated system folders back to C: then disconnect all other drives."

Yeah, no, not doing that, although I admit I'm not sure if it literally means moved folders are only an issues if they're on other drives or if it also applies to different partition on the boot drive.

Either way, am I safe from both of those issues through this method with PAR? I saw one person above - one; would like to see if others agree - say that all personalization does stay, but I also wanted to make sure this method will work find with my 2-partition boot / system drive. C is the main partition, but temp folders and installed applications are on D.

PS: Still have emails proving my initial registration years back. Was there an account wipe or expiration some time back?

Sp3ctre18 said:

...I'm not sure if it literally means moved folders are only an issues if they're on other drives or if it also applies to different partition on the boot drive.

Either way, am I safe from both of those issues through this method with PAR? ...I also wanted to make sure this method will work find with my 2-partition boot / system drive. C is the main partition, but temp folders and installed applications are on D.

I couldn't say for sure, but I think the main issue is trusting that devices (drives, other hardware?) on the new machine will be set up exactly the same way as on the old machine. It would be easy to get something wrong and the OS would not find something where it expects it.

bilateral said:

I couldn't say for sure, but I think the main issue is trusting that devices (drives, other hardware?) on the new machine will be set up exactly the same way as on the old machine. It would be easy to get something wrong and the OS would not find something where it expects it.

Thanks, a small issue I can handle, if I'm imagining what you are. All my hard drives have designated drive letters I chose for them anyway, so making sure they're correct is part of 1st boot tasks.

From my experience, I can't imagine my dual partitions being an issue - I was just asking in case someone can say anything for sure since I'm not sure how precise the wording on the sysprep tutorial was. All's good if it doesn't mess with booting into Windows. :)

Anyway, I managed to free up a drive (usually impossible for me) and thus cloned my hard drive as a backup, so I'll go ahead and see how it goes.

hi ,your post is so helpful for me, i was copied my system partition sector by sector from my first hard disk to second new hard disk for my new system and i cant boot my old windows on my new system until i see your post after hundred search in website ,aafter that i used Paragon Adaptive Restore step by step along with your education and i fixed my hard disk, thanks again,have good luck:)