• Moving To New CPU, Need To Keep Old Windows Install

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    #497300

    I am a techie, supporting several hundred Win7 PCs.

    Have a couple of questions regarding my personal Dell Studio PC. It crashed fatally a few months back. For various reasons, I am just replacing it now with another Dell model.

    My original hard drives are OK, the old PC blew a motherboard and it made more sense to get a new CPU. This new CPU has a large SSD hard drive and a 2nd conventional drive.

    I had no warning about the crash, so I have no idea what all my apps are, let alone where the CDs/DVDs and installation files are. I would like to first start out with my old hard drive in there, get the PC up and running, then transfer the C drive to the solid-state drive via Acronis.

    I am going to take the video card and sound card from my old PC to my new PC. That should ease many driver issues. I will have access to the Internet from another PC and I also will have a DVD that comes with the new PC.

    I wanted to run this past the great people in this forum. I know it will be a lot of work, that is part of the deal.

    Will I have any issues with Windows 7 rejecting the new CPU with the old hard drive. Will Win7 reject the new hard drive after I clone the drive and migrate it to the solid state drive? I also have Windows 360 which can be a pain. Should I expect any license problems there.

    Anything else I should do? Luckily I am backed up twice, moving data files is not an issue.

    Thoughts?

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    • #1475226

      Seems to me that you should be able to do this. What will happen is, after installing your hard drive into the new computer, you will have to update most or all of the drivers in Windows — ethernet, chipset, audio, etc.

      The easiest way to do it is to install an ethernet card which you have the driver for, so that you can quickly get on the internet. You can then easily surf the web for all of the drivers that you need.

      Group "L" (Linux Mint)
      with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server
    • #1475247

      Both my old PC and my new PC have built-in Ethernet. I have two bays so after I boot up with the old drive (C) I can find drivers and any files in the new hard drive (D). I will go into the BIOS and have it automatically start from the old hard drive.

      Thank you for the encouragement!!!!

    • #1475254

      The problem is that the ethernet drivers required on your old PC may not match the ones needed for your new PC. Hopefully they will, because that will be one less thing you’ll have to deal with.

      Group "L" (Linux Mint)
      with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server
    • #1475348

      Your Windows will probably require a ReActivation. That should go smoothly.

      "Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

    • #1475374

      Your Windows will probably require a ReActivation.

      Not necessarily, if the prior cofiguration was more than 6 months old.

      Zig

    • #1475436

      …Will I have any issues with Windows 7 rejecting the new CPU with the old hard drive…

      I have several times fitted new motherboards (which often were from different manufacturers, and had different chipsets and other components) to customers’ computers after their original motherboard failed (usually after a mains power “spike”). Usually Windows will boot, but will discard any incompatible drivers.

      Edit 22 November 2014: Rather than “I have several times fitted new motherboards…” I should have written “I have many times fitted new motherboards…” (I haven’t kept count, but it would be at least 100 times).

      However, it would be safest if you disconnected the SSD and any other HDD before trying to get Windows to run on the new Dell. Once you have your Windows running you can then re-connect any other drives.

      …I also have Windows 360 which can be a pain…

      By “Windows 360” I think you must mean “Norton 360”? If so, and provided Windows sorts itself out and runs on the new Dell, then you should uninstall Norton 360 before trying to install the new chipset drivers and other needed drivers.

      …Should I expect any license problems there…

      In most cases when I have replaced motherboards Windows has required re-activation. The activation process can easily be upset by security programs like Norton 360.

      …Anything else I should do?…

      Once you have your old Windows working with the new Dell, look up the new Dell’s model number (or “Service Tag”) on Dell’s support site and download the necessary drivers onto a USB drive so you can transfer/install them in your old Windows.

    • #1475545

      Take an image of the old hard drive before doing anything. You should be able to restore this image to new hardware using the backup program you used for the image, although this usually requires the paid version of the backup program.

      Alternatively you can probably convert the old disk to a virtual image and fire it up in a VM, then work from there.

      cheers, Paul

    • #1476271

      Thank you everyone. I have used your great advice to write some notes. Installation will occur in 2-3 weeks (fingers crossed).

    • #1476349

      I’m reading this as you saying you have a new PC and are moving the disk drives from your old PC to the new PC. If Windows 7 on the old PC is an OEM version it is tied to the old PC and can’t be used on the new PC. BTW, generally a new motherboard = new PC.

      Joe

      --Joe

      • #1476363

        …If Windows 7 on the old PC is an OEM version it is tied to the old PC and can’t be used on the new PC….

        Whether Win7 is OEM or retail/upgrade makes no difference. Whenever I have fitted new motherboards to customers PCs Windows (whether XP, Vista, or Win7) has re-activated successfully.

        So far I haven’t had to fit a new motherboard to a Win8 PC, but do not expect activation to be a problem provided the Windows licence key is known.

        • #1476389

          Whether Win7 is OEM or retail/upgrade makes no difference. Whenever I have fitted new motherboards to customers PCs Windows (whether XP, Vista, or Win7) has re-activated successfully.

          So far I haven’t had to fit a new motherboard to a Win8 PC, but do not expect activation to be a problem provided the Windows licence key is known.

          I should’ve said a different model motherboard = new PC in Microsoft terms. If you are using the same model motherboard you can sometimes get away with saying it is a repair and get Windows activated. A new PC means that if you had an OEM version of Windows from one of the big OEMs it is not transferable to a new PC. I’d be surprised if you can activate an OEM version of Windows on a new PC especially when Windows is tied to the BIOS.

          Joe

          --Joe

    • #1476366

      Booting up with the old Win 7 HDD in a Win 8 machine will probably result in a BSOD because that install is registered to the older machine’s hardware and won’t be transferable as Joe has said.

      It’s one thing putting a new mobo into an existing Win 7 machine which will still need reactivation and you could persuade MS that is all you are doing – but you may have to purchase a new product key for the Win 7.

    • #1476398

      I think the whole idea is a non-starter as Win 7 would need to be booted to be reactivated and that’s not going to happen when it’s plugged into a Win 8 machine.

      Even a Repair Install is done from within Windows, although it may work by booting up with a Win 7 install disk and going the Install/Upgrade route ?

      • #1476452

        I have edited my #6 post above to more accurately reflect my experience with replacing motherboards and subsequently re-activating Windows.

        Edit 22 November 2014: Rather than “I have several times fitted new motherboards…” I should have written “I have many times fitted new motherboards…” (I haven’t kept count, but it would be at least 100 times).

        In none of these cases (since 2002 after XP was released) did re-activation of Windows (XP, Vista, or Win7) fail (more on this below).

        Re Sudo15’s #11 and $13 posts:

        Booting up with the old Win 7 HDD in a Win 8 machine will probably result in a BSOD because that install is registered to the older machine’s hardware and won’t be transferable as Joe has said. It’s one thing putting a new mobo into an existing Win 7 machine which will still need reactivation and you could persuade MS that is all you are doing – but you may have to purchase a new product key for the Win 7.

        I think the whole idea is a non-starter as Win 7 would need to be booted to be reactivated and that’s not going to happen when it’s plugged into a Win 8 machine. Even a Repair Install is done from within Windows, although it may work by booting up with a Win 7 install disk and going the Install/Upgrade route ?

        And JoeP517’s #12 post:

        I should’ve said a different model motherboard = new PC in Microsoft terms. If you are using the same model motherboard you can sometimes get away with saying it is a repair and get Windows activated. A new PC means that if you had an OEM version of Windows from one of the big OEMs it is not transferable to a new PC. I’d be surprised if you can activate an OEM version of Windows on a new PC especially when Windows is tied to the BIOS. Joe

        Microsoft’s EULA for Windows does not and cannot prevent fitting replacement parts, or moving a Windows installation to a different PC provided that Windows installation is used on only one PC.

        In all cases when I have had to re-activate Windows after a hardware change automatic activation has failed with a message (from memory) “Due to a recent change to this computer’s hardware Windows must be re-activated…”. This requires activating by phone to one of the numbers listed in the message, entering a 48-digit code by pressing keys on the phone’s keypad, then entering a 48-digit “confirmation code” into the activation dialog.

        Also, Microsoft’s requirement for OEMs to hide the Win8 licence key by coding it into the UEFI applies to laptops and touchpads, not desktop PCs.

        Since Win8 was released I have supplied several new laptops to customers, which came with both Win8 and Win7 “recovery” disks. This alone shows that Windows activation will not prevent running Win7 (or earlier) on a computer that originally had Win8.

        There is at least one other thread in this forum in which a poster relates how his Win8 computer was downgraded to Win7, although he had a computer shop do the downgrade.

    • #1476466

      I take your point about changing MBs and even downgrading a Win 8 machine to Win 7 but the OP is attempting to install a HDD from another machine with what is probably an OEM install.

      How do you suggest this Win 7 HDD can be booted up in a Win 8 machine so that it can be reactivated – it would have to be a clean install.

      • #1476469

        I take your point about changing MBs and even downgrading a Win 8 machine to Win 7 but the OP is attempting to install a HDD from another machine with what is probably an OEM install.

        How do you suggest this Win 7 HDD can be booted up in a Win 8 machine so that it can be reactivated – it would have to be a clean install.

        Sorry Sudo15, but you are quite wrong in assuming that a Win7 installation from an earlier system cannot work with a newer computer’s hardware. Else where would we have been so many times in the past? Remember transition from Win98 or Win95 to XP? Probably not, it was so long ago.

        No, it does not have to be a clean install. It should be simply a matter of connecting the older Win7 HDD to the newer Win8 PC and booting as normal. If the older Win7 installation needs re-activation or different drivers then work through those issues. Don’t just assume “it is too hard so why try it” or “this is outside my understanding”.

    • #1476473

      I’m not assuming anything – this has already been tried and failed.

      It’s one thing upgrading or downgrading an existing system or even renewing MBs – it’s another trying to stick a non-transferable system into another PC, but let’s wait until the OP returns with their experience.

      • #1476494

        …this has already been tried and failed….

        Broad claim, but unsupported with facts.

        Please explain what leads you to state …this has already been tried and failed… in the present context (this thread).

    • #1476501

      “…non-transferable system…” sudo15, did you mean “…non-transferable OS…”
      If you meant OS, especially OEM OS, or upgrade OS, yeah, I’ve had to do some fancy work-arounds.

      "Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

    • #1476508

      First I would clone the hard drive. When your computer tries to start up, it is going to be trying to reconfigure your system, things are going to be, to say the least, confused, and it could do irreparable damage to the configuration.

      Second, as has been mentioned by others, you will be going through driver hell, and your computer may boot into a BSOD. If that is the case, you may not be able to work around it. Try to bring it up in Safe Mode without networking to update drivers. If that comes up in a BSOD, you’re probably screwed.

      Third, you have a video board. That’s great, at least you will have a usable Monitor, if you can boot up.

      And Fourth, as someone else pointed out, if you can get the computer booted up, and access the Device Manager, the first driver you want to install will be for a Network adapter, so that you can download the other drivers from the Dell Support Site. You will probably have to sneaker net the network driver from another computer.

      On the other hand I updated my wife’s laptop from Vista to Windows 7 Pro, and was going through driver hell, so I took it up to my office, connected it to the router with a LAN Cable, went to my other computer to start looking for drivers, and by the time I looked back at my wife’s laptop, Windows 7 had found all the drivers it needed online and loaded them.

    • #1481174

      OK, here is a status report. As noted, this project has taken a while, I work on a help desk for NY City. I prefer not to come home and work on another PC.

      I have some hardware issues that are stopping me now in my tracks. The SS hard drive that came with my PC works but the hard drive from my old PC does not boot as a primary drive. And when I try to use it as a secondary drive, it seems to always want to be the boot drive. This is getting posted in another forum.

      Acronis makes a product that migrates apps from one PC to another. is it any good?

    • #1481177

      Acronis True Image has a cloning module. Now, because I have never tried cloning from one different “hardware’d” computer to another different “hardware’d” computer, I can’t asnwer that part of the question. I do know that cloning from drive to drive within the same computer was a snap.

      "Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

    • #1481193

      Macrium Reflect will also clone / image and restore. The paid versions usually do a better job with more options than the free versions, but I have successfully migrated a laptop to a new SSD using the free version of Macrium.

      cheers, Paul

    • #1481199

      I haven’t even got there yet. I first have to be able to boot up with the hard drive from the old PC, which I have not been able to do yet. Tomorrow at work, I will test my old drive on other PCs to see if it will boot. I do have Acronis, but I have not gotten to the point where I can use it yet.

    • #1481203

      You don’t need to boot from the old disk, make a recovery CD/USB with the backup / image program of choice, then boot from that and backup, swap disks, boot and restore.

      cheers, Paul

    • #1481208

      wexmary, you stated you are wanting to migrate from an old Dell Windows 7 OEM installation to a new Dell. Did the new Dell come pre-installed with Windows 7 or Windows 8? If Windows 7, is it the same version of Windows 7?

      I ask this for two reasons: 1. If the new Dell came with Windows 7 pre-installed, what you want to do is feasible, and within the EULA if the versions of Windows 7 are the same (Windows 7 Home Premium — Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional — Windows 7 Professional, etc.) and can be accomplished.

      2. Microsoft requires of all OEM installations of Windows 8 that Secure Boot must be activated, which adds a layer of complexity as well as EULA issues. I would suggest a call to Dell Support to inquire whether your particular machine is eligible for “Downgrade” to Windows 7 (which will alleviate the EULA issues), and particulars on how that downgrade is to be accomplished on your particular hardware.

      As for migrating an OS from one machine to another, I’ve been doing it for years using drive imaging (my Windows is retail, not OEM). It can indeed be done, and the hardware does not have to match. This works equally well with OEM Windows so long as the machine from which the OS is being migrated is licensed for the same version of Windows as the machine to which it is being migrated; it’s no different from using a vanilla OEM Windows installation disc to do a reinstall on an OEM machine of the same licensing version (Home Premium for Home Premium, Pro for Pro, etc.). The Product Key will work.

      Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
      We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
      We were all once "Average Users".

      • #1481317

        Paul T (from Oz?), BBearren:

        Thank you both for your help. You have brought up some interesting questions.

        1. Both drives are Win 7, but my old drive is Win7 Home Premium, new drive is Win7 Professional. Both have OEM versions (Dell) of Win7.

        Interestingly enough, I just booted my old hard drive on an Optiplex 990, a sole hard drive. Outside some driver issues, I have a working PC. Again, the idea is to get the old hard drive to boot up on the new PC, install any drivers I need, then migrate (using Acronis Disc Clone) to the solid state drive. Version of Windows should not be a factor as I am wiping the solid state drive that came with Win7 Professional installed and replacing it with Win7 Home Premium.

        Yesterday at home, on my T5610 with UEFI, I could not use the old hard drive. It was not bootable as a sole hard drive and as a 2nd hard drive, it insisted that it had to be the bootable hard drive and would not boot.

        But I have proven today, that the hard drive is physically and logically good. It is a 1TB Seagate Barracuda. This model is SATA with no jumpers on it.

        Now in the BIOS/UEFI of the new T5610, there are settings for legacy boot and for UEFI. If I try legacy boot, I get told the solid state drive is non-bootable. Only in UEFI mode, does the ss drive boot. Both drives are recognized physically. I do not care how I boot, just as long as I can see ss drive as the 1st choice of booting, with the 2nd drive either being 2nd choice or it being seen, but non-bootable. With a BIOS, I could do it, with UEFI, I seem unable to. I need to know why the SS drive does not boot as a legacy device. If that is a fact of life, how do I manipulate the boot order via the UEFI

        Finally, I have a USB docking port that can see the old hard drive.

        Maybe booting up on the Optiplex today straightened whatever booting issues I had with the old hard drive and it will boot OK on my T5610. Or, thinking out loud, I can boot up with new hard drive, have old hard drive on my USB dock, use Acronis to migrate to SS drive.

        Complicating this is that I do not have my OEM Win 7 Home Premium disk, it is buried somewhere.

        Thoughts??? And a huge thank you in advance.

        • #1481347

          1. Both drives are Win 7, but my old drive is Win7 Home Premium, new drive is Win7 Professional. Both have OEM versions (Dell) of Win7.[/quote]
          The OS versions have to match, not just the fact that they are OEM (no matter who). Home Premium is not a match for Professional. I think the simplest and most straightforward way of getting around this issue is to boot the old drive in the OptiPlex 990, go online and use Anytime Upgrade to get the Home Premium upgraded to Professional (this is actually pretty quick and painless—the necessary files are already there, just inactive; the process just sort of “turns the requisite parts on”). This is the link. I don’t have information on the pricing, but it should be less than the full price of a Windows 7 Pro license straight up. In order to get your migrated Windows activated after all is said and done, you’ll have to be activating Windows 7 Pro on the new machine, since that is the license version for that machine.

          Interestingly enough, I just booted my old hard drive on an Optiplex 990, a sole hard drive. Outside some driver issues, I have a working PC. Again, the idea is to get the old hard drive to boot up on the new PC, install any drivers I need, then migrate (using Acronis Disc Clone) to the solid state drive. Version of Windows should not be a factor as I am wiping the solid state drive that came with Win7 Professional installed and replacing it with Win7 Home Premium.

          Yesterday at home, on my T5610 with UEFI, I could not use the old hard drive. It was not bootable as a sole hard drive and as a 2nd hard drive, it insisted that it had to be the bootable hard drive and would not boot.

          The old hard drive is MBR, and the implementation of UEFI on an OEM Windows machine requires GPT for a boot drive, with an EFI partition at the beginning of the drive.

          But I have proven today, that the hard drive is physically and logically good. It is a 1TB Seagate Barracuda. This model is SATA with no jumpers on it.

          Now in the BIOS/UEFI of the new T5610, there are settings for legacy boot and for UEFI. If I try legacy boot, I get told the solid state drive is non-bootable. Only in UEFI mode, does the ss drive boot. Both drives are recognized physically. I do not care how I boot, just as long as I can see ss drive as the 1st choice of booting, with the 2nd drive either being 2nd choice or it being seen, but non-bootable. With a BIOS, I could do it, with UEFI, I seem unable to. I need to know why the SS drive does not boot as a legacy device. If that is a fact of life, how do I manipulate the boot order via the UEFI

          Again, this is the conundrum in UEFI. An MBR disk will not boot in UEFI, and a GPT disk will not boot in Legacy. There is no way to manipulate this in UEFI. There is a way to work around it, though. Make a full drive image of the HDD, then using DISKPART, CLEAN the old disk (this destroys all data, hence the need to make an image beforehand), then CONVERT the disk to GPT. Next, using DISKPART create a 40MB MSR partition (Microsoft System Reserved). Then, restore the drive image to the HDD. GPT accepts NTFS partitions, so that won’t be an issue. I’ve done this; I know it works.

          Finally, I have a USB docking port that can see the old hard drive.

          This will come in handy for jumping through the hoops necessary to make this transition.

          Maybe booting up on the Optiplex today straightened whatever booting issues I had with the old hard drive and it will boot OK on my T5610. Or, thinking out loud, I can boot up with new hard drive, have old hard drive on my USB dock, use Acronis to migrate to SS drive.

          It won’t be quite that simple (Home Premium will not activate on a Pro-licensed OEM machine), but not too much more complicated than that.

          Complicating this is that I do not have my OEM Win 7 Home Premium disk, it is buried somewhere.

          You can download an official 64-bit ISO from http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-58997.iso

          To sum up, my advice is to upgrade the Windows you want to migrate to Windows 7 Pro though Windows Anytime Upgrade, make a full drive image of the HDD, clean and convert the HDD to GPT (creating the requisite MSR partition), then restore the image. This will make the old HDD bootable in the new PC (you will probably have to reconfigure your BCD store, first).

          Next, if you want to use the SSD as your OS drive, restore your system partition (from the full drive image that you’ve already made) to the SSD, and make that the boot drive in the UEFI Setup (similar to the BIOS setup, but more stuff). Once on board with that, you can point Windows toward your old HDD data partition(s) to store all your data, using whatever routine you’re already familiar with.

          Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
          We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
          We were all once "Average Users".

        • #1481491

          Paul T (from Oz?)

          Someone who knows how to spell the abbreviation! 🙂

          cheers, Paul

    • #1481361

      Thanks for the help. One other wrinkle, I got home and tried booting the MBR drive as a boot drive with the BIOS set up to Legacy (or is it legacy compatibility). I get a brief BSOD (which I cannot do a freeze on to read), and then a reboot.

      Now if I am going to back up the MBR drive in the spare OptiPlex, what software do you suggest I use?

      But why do the upgrade? More of a curiosity question, if it does the job, I have no problem. I have nothing against Home Premium, and would have nothing against using it on the SS drive. I understand the incompatibility between MBR and GPT.

      Sorry if this is not well thought out, in time crunch. And as a computer tech, I REALLY admire your ability to explain these concepts to me. Thank you.

      • #1481371

        Thanks for the help. One other wrinkle, I got home and tried booting the MBR drive as a boot drive with the BIOS set up to Legacy (or is it legacy compatibility). I get a brief BSOD (which I cannot do a freeze on to read), and then a reboot.[/quote]
        Yes, it is legacy compatibility. The new PC might boot your old drive via the USB drive dock. My understanding is that legacy compatibility is targeted to CD/DVD drives and/or USB drives, but not SATA.

        Now if I am going to back up the MBR drive in the spare OptiPlex, what software do you suggest I use?

        I use TeraByte’s Image for Windows. The current price is $38.94, but there is a fully functional 30-day free trial. Many here at the Lounge use Macrium Reflect Free version. I’ve never used it, but I’m sure it’s a good imaging tool, based on what other loungers have said about it.

        But why do the upgrade? More of a curiosity question, if it does the job, I have no problem. I have nothing against Home Premium, and would have nothing against using it on the SS drive. I understand the incompatibility between MBR and GPT.

        My understanding from the OP is that you want to migrate your existing Windows 7 installation, apps and everything (lost installation CD/DVD’s, etc.) to the new PC. The new PC is licensed for Windows 7 Professional. There is no Product Key sticker on the box; the Product Key is in the UEFI firmware. That Product Key is only valid for Windows 7 Professional, on that machine. It will not activate a Windows 7 Home Premium installation. Since you want to migrate an existing installation, that will only activate if the existing installation is Windows 7 Professional. That’s the only reason you need to upgrade; new machine, new specific Windows 7 Professional Product Key. While it’s not a bad idea to make a full drive image before you do the upgrade, you want to make a full drive image after the upgrade before you make the conversion from MBR to GPT.

        Your SSD is going to be the default boot drive, but you can reconfigure your BCD store to be able to boot the old drive, once it’s converted to GPT. That will give you an opportunity to update drivers to suit the new machine before completing the migration of your Windows installation to the SSD. I would also suggest a full drive image of the SSD before you wipe it and put the old installation on it.

        Sorry if this is not well thought out, in time crunch. And as a computer tech, I REALLY admire your ability to explain these concepts to me. Thank you.

        Even without a time crunch, all the planning I can muster, I still run into gremlins when I do an upgrade. No sweat, glad to help.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

        • #1481376

          …The new PC is licensed for Windows 7 Professional. There is no Product Key sticker on the box; the Product Key is in the UEFI firmware. That Product Key is only valid for Windows 7 Professional, on that machine. It will not activate a Windows 7 Home Premium installation. Since you want to migrate an existing installation, that will only activate if the existing installation is Windows 7 Professional…

          As far as I know M$’s requirement for the Windows licence key to be encoded in the UEFI does not apply to Win7. Win7 can definitely be moved to a different computer whether the motherboard has a BIOS or UEFI. But Windows (whatever edition; makes no difference) will have to be re-activated. I have done exactly that many times with customers’ computers.

          • #1481393

            As far as I know M$’s requirement for the Windows licence key to be encoded in the UEFI does not apply to Win7. Win7 can definitely be moved to a different computer whether the motherboard has a BIOS or UEFI. But Windows (whatever edition; makes no difference) will have to be re-activated. I have done exactly that many times with customers’ computers.

            A new Dell with Windows 7 Professional preinstalled is in all likelihood a Windows 8 license with downgrade rights to Windows 7 Professional. The downgrade rights (spelled out by Microsoft) make the Windows 8 license applicable to the Windows 7 Professional installation (as well as going back to installing Windows 8, should the owner so choose).

            Yes indeed, Windows 7 OEM can be moved to a different computer provided that it is the same version of Windows 7 OEM for which the receiving computer is licensed, which is what I have been saying all along.

            And of course, retail Windows can be moved anywhere, anytime, as long as it is installed on only one PC at any given time. Upgrade versions of Windows OS are all retail, per Microsoft licensing.

            Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
            We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
            We were all once "Average Users".

            • #1481433

              …Yes indeed, Windows 7 OEM can be moved to a different computer provided that it is the same version of Windows 7 OEM for which the receiving computer is licensed, which is what I have been saying all along…

              There seems to be some confusion remaining concerning “version” and “edition” of Windows.

              “Version” relates to the upgrade status of Windows, and to its “bitness”, i.e: Win7 X86, Win7 x64, Win7 x86 SP1, Win7 SP1 x64.

              “Edition” relates to the capabilities of the Windows installed, i.e.: “Home Premium” might lack certain features included in “Professional”, and in turn “Professional” might lack certain features included in “Ultimate”.

              Nevertheless, there is nothing in the M$ EULAs to prevent anyone from moving an existing Windows installation from an older computer to a new computer. As bbearran has stated “as long as it is installed on only one PC at any given time” but that applies whether OEM or retail.

            • #1481443

              There seems to be some confusion remaining concerning “version” and “edition” of Windows.

              “Version” relates to the upgrade status of Windows, and to its “bitness”, i.e: Win7 X86, Win7 x64, Win7 x86 SP1, Win7 SP1 x64.

              “Edition” relates to the capabilities of the Windows installed, i.e.: “Home Premium” might lack certain features included in “Professional”, and in turn “Professional” might lack certain features included in “Ultimate”.

              Nevertheless, there is nothing in the M$ EULAs to prevent anyone from moving an existing Windows installation from an older computer to a new computer. As bbearran has stated “as long as it is installed on only one PC at any given time” but that applies whether OEM or retail.

              Yes, there is a restriction. An OEM version from a computer manufacturer (i.e. not YOU) is tied to the original PC on which it was installed. You are NOT legally entitled to move it to a new PC. Sometimes there is some confusion about what Microsoft considers a new PC even among Microsoft support personnel.

              Joe

              --Joe

            • #1481446

              Yes, there is a restriction. An OEM version from a computer manufacturer (i.e. not YOU) is tied to the original PC on which it was installed. You are NOT legally entitled to move it to a new PC. Sometimes there is some confusion about what Microsoft considers a new PC even among Microsoft support personnel.

              Joe

              Joe,

              please explain exactly how an OEM version of Windows is somehow “tied to the original PC on which it was installed”?

              Sorry mate, but I am legally allowed to move it to another PC.

              So my motherboard dies making my PC unusable, so my tech installs a new motherboard and (legally) re-activates Windows with M$ via the M$-provided activation service – are you really asserting that my Windows is somehow no longer “legal” since it is no longer “tied to the original PC on which it was installed”?

              No, the M$ EULA specifies that the licence to use Windows covers use of one copy of Windows on one computer system at any one time. It does not limit use of that “one” (original) copy of Windows to any particular hardware setup.

    • #1481442

      To find specific version information on the Windows OS on your PC, in XP go to Start > Run and type (without the quotes) “winver.exe” and click OK. In Windows 7, click Start, and in the search box type (without the quotes) “winver”. This will bring winver.exe to the top of the search pane; click on it. On the Windows 8 StartScreen, begin typing (without the quotes) “winver”, and winver.exe will appear in the search box; click on it.

      You will then see a dialog box with everything you need to know (with the exception of 32-bit/64-bit) about the version of Windows installed on your PC, including a live link to the “End-User License Agreement/Microsoft Software License Terms”, which is stored locally on your PC. You can click on that link to read the licensing agreement specific to your installed version of Windows.

      38808-Windows-XP-version 38809-Windows-7-version 38810-Windows-8.1-version

      I will post this same procedure in the Maintenance Forum, for future reference.

      Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
      We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
      We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1481477

      Just speculatin’ here,

      ??Could there be a difference whether the OEM software was pre-installed by the computer manufacturer (e.g., Dell, ASUS) at the time of assembly or whether you home-built a computer, then installed an OEM version of the software yourself??

      Zig

    • #1481547

      I’m guessing that if I purchase a AardvarkBrand w/Windows X, I cannot “move” or “copy” that specific Windows X [regardless of USB, DVD, backup/restore media] from that specfic AardvarkB to another different [hardware-similar or nonhardware-similar] computer, AardvarkB or nonAardvark. If the specific Aardvark gets a replacement motherboard, that is not “moving” or “copying” Windows X to another computer. Guys, gals, did I understand that correctly?

      "Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

    • #1481571

      It seems to me to be a case of what is a new computer? There’s the story about the 300 year old axe, which has had 5 new handles and 3 new heads. Then there’s the real life example – during WW2 British railways weren’t allowed to build new locomotives due to resources limits. One company had new locos, calling them rebuilds. They kept a small part from an old loco and the rest was new. They got away with it as well.

      I suspect that MS will always say yes to reactivation – does anyone know if they have ever refused?

      Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

      • #1481576

        …I suspect that MS will always say yes to reactivation – does anyone know if they have ever refused?…

        I have never known M$ to refuse re-activation after fitting a new motherboard or moving Windows to another PC, but until a couple of years ago I would often have to speak to an M$ activation support person and explain that the customer’s motherboard had died or that the customer needed to use their Windows on a newer PC.

        However, another tech. I know did have M$ refuse to re-activate Windows after he moved a HDD to a different PC; the problem was that the same copy of Windows XP had been used on six different PCs over a period of about nine years, so M$ reckoned “enough is enough”. The tech’s customer was an engineering workshop, the PC was their “front counter” PC that was subject to significant build-ups of metallic dust from nearby abrasive cut-off machines. After a period of twelve months or a little more the build-up of metallic dust on the PC’s motherboard would begin to short-circuit the motherboard’s components.

      • #1481589

        I suspect that MS will always say yes to reactivation – does anyone know if they have ever refused?

        Yes, I have been refused, so far as OEM Windows is concerned. One could outright lie, and get past the Microsoft support tech, but I prefer not to do that.

        In dealing with Microsoft over the years, I have learned a couple of things about Authentication/Activation. The hardware hash that Windows generates is not necessarily decipherable on Microsoft’s end of things; they don’t know what hardware in particular has changed, only that there has been a significant change. A replacement hard drive is hardly enough to cause a new hash to be made by Windows (but it can). A replacement graphics card, likewise. But both a hard drive and a graphics card at the same time will likely generate a new hash; time to call Microsoft. This can be averted by installing and booting just one piece of hardware at a time; doesn’t always work, but often does.

        A replacement motherboard that is identical to the defective motherboard may not trigger de-activation, but if it does, the Microsoft Support tech will accept this as a repair, not a new computer, and provide re-activation code. The same goes for a replacement CPU; as long as it will fit the existing motherboard, it is a repair. On the other hand, a significantly different motherboard/CPU (different CPU socket) is a new computer.

        I have had identical motherboard replacements (on desktops and laptops) not even trigger de-activation; Windows booted and hummed merrily along. If an identical board is no longer available, but a newer board with the same CPU socket can be fitted, that has been considered a repair, not an upgrade. Same for a new CPU with the same pin-count going into the existing motherboard; repair, not upgrade.

        And yes, I have warned clients that a new Windows license might be necessary, and some have opted for a new PC rather that repair the old one, and some (with more expensive rigs) have opted for the repair and the new Windows license.

        A complete upgrade (as I recently went through) with retail Windows (not OEM) will trigger “This copy of Windows is not genuine”, but the call to automated Microsoft Support will provide the new activation code without ever having to speak to a Microsoft Support tech. I’ve gone through this with Windows 7 and Windows 8.

        A general rule of thumb for OEM Windows is that repair/replacement hardware is OK, upgrading motherboard/CPU is not.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1481599

      A general rule of thumb for OEM Windows is that repair/replacement hardware is OK, upgrading motherboard/CPU is not.

      I’ve found that to be true.
      In fact, if I ever found myself in a position to purchase an OEM brand computer, I would automatically factor in the cost for an OS disk
      of my preference that is independent of the purchasing vendor. It’s just not worth the hassle and the crapware that is so often associated
      with OEMs.

    • #1481652

      Great stuff.

      Bbearren, I am using Image For Windows now to back up my old C drive, Win Home off an Optiplex, MBR BIOS. Do I just back up the C partition or the 40 MB Dell partition or both. Can (after the backup is done), I boot the backup drive to test that it will work?

      • #1481657

        Great stuff.

        Bbearren, I am using Image For Windows now to back up my old C drive, Win Home off an Optiplex, MBR BIOS. Do I just back up the C partition or the 40 MB Dell partition or both. Can (after the backup is done), I boot the backup drive to test that it will work?

        Did you use Anytime Upgrade to upgrade from Home to Professional? The license on the new Dell is valid for Professional, not Home; it won’t activate as Home Premium.

        The 40MB Dell partition is Dell Diagnostics. You can leave that, then after you get migrated, you can download it from Dell (to suit the new Dell), and install it if you like.

        If C partition is the only other partition, then yes. You probably have a hidden Recovery partition, but it won’t be applicable to the new Dell, so don’t worry about it, either. When you’re setting up the backup, you’ll select what you want to backup, then click Next, and select where you want to save the backup, and you can enter a name for the backup. When you get to the next screen, put a check in “Validate Byte-for-Byte”, “Omit Page File Data”, “Omit Hibernation Data, and “Log Results to File”. Leave the rest unchecked. Leave Compression at Standard, and File Size at Max.

        You’ll be making a compressed drive image, not a clone, so it won’t boot, but validating Byte-for-Byte insures a viable image. If you installed TBI View, you can mount the image as a drive letter. This is another assurance that you have a good image; a bad image won’t mount. You can peruse the mounted image in Explorer.

        If the new Dell has a COA (Certificate Of Authenticity) sticker, you can get the Product Key from it. If it doesn’t have a sticker, you’ll need to use a utility like Magical Jelly Bean on the new Dell to retrieve your Product Key from the registry. You’ll need to do that before you restore the image to the SSD.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

        • #1481669

          I can’t order a license online at work. But in the meantime, I wanted to do something :). My original hard drive is partitioned as two 500MB drives. I backed up everything following program defaults but the 2nd partition, but I can always redo it Friday, now that you have been so patient.

          Just a bit more confusion here. My new Dell T5610 CPU with the ss drive does have a COA sticker, Is that the same thing as a license? Or are they two different animals? I did download the ISO you posted for me earlier onto a bootable DVD. I have been told I could also buy a retail license to Win7 Professional. But do I need a license in addition to the COA?

          Thank you again for your (and the others here) patience. Nothing like being made look like a complete neophyte 🙂

          Happy Holidays

          • #1481674

            I can’t order a license online at work. But in the meantime, I wanted to do something :). My original hard drive is partitioned as two 500MB drives. I backed up everything following program defaults but the 2nd partition, but I can always redo it Friday, now that you have been so patient.

            Just a bit more confusion here. My new Dell T5610 CPU with the ss drive does have a COA sticker, Is that the same thing as a license? Or are they two different animals? I did download the ISO you posted for me earlier onto a bootable DVD. I have been told I could also buy a retail license to Win7 Professional. But do I need a license in addition to the COA?[/quote]
            If the COA has a Product Key printed on it, it will be labeled “Product Key” and will consist of five alpha-numeric groups of five. If you have that, that’s fine.

            As for the license, your Dell T5610 is permanently assigned a license for Windows 7 Professional (it’s the license that’s assigned). Upgrading your Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional makes it the same software for which the T5610 is licensed. If you buy a retail Windows 7 Professional license, you can use that Product Key in the Anytime Upgrade. Early in the Anytime Upgrade process, you’re given the choice of entering a key you already own, or going online to purchase a key. The price differential may not be very significant.

            But the additional advantage of buying retail Windows 7 Professional is that it can be migrated to any machine without issue. The Anytime Upgrade license is a retail license, but it is a supplement to the license that is being upgraded, not a replacement. Using a “full package” retail Windows 7 Professional Product Key steps that up to be a replacement for the license being upgraded. That’s the method I used when I upgraded my Dell 580 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate. I had an unused retail license (lost the other PC in a house fire). I just finished a new build, and migrated my dual-boot Windows 7 Ultimate/Windows 8.1 Professional to it from the 580, using the drive image process I’m outlining for you. Both installations activated via the automated Microsoft Support phone call.

            Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
            We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
            We were all once "Average Users".

          • #1481819

            …My new Dell T5610 CPU with the ss drive does have a COA sticker, Is that the same thing as a license? Or are they two different animals? I did download the ISO you posted for me earlier onto a bootable DVD. I have been told I could also buy a retail license to Win7 Professional. But do I need a license in addition to the COA?…

            The COA (Certificate Of Authenticity) sticker on your new Dell will have a “Product Key” on it as described by bbearren in his #47 post.

            “Windows Product Key” and “Windows Licence Key” are the same thing.

    • #1481746

      OK, time to make a step-by-step plan. I am the kind of tech who needs to write down any install steps past double-clicking on setup.exe.

      You have had me learn an incredible amount, thank you for your patience. Two areas specifically, A, the differences between UEFI and MBR drives and how to get them to work. B is how and what to do to convert my existing Home Premium to Professional.

      Here is my tentative step by step, please correct and amend as I am sure to be wrong somewhere.

      1. Do a backup of my Windows Home Premium following directions on Post 45 on this thread. I will do this by booting up on an OptiPlex with my old HDD, backing up to another HDD connected via USB.

      2. Remove old HDD and connect it via USB to another PC. “Then using DISKPART, CLEAN the old disk (this destroys all data, hence the need to make an image beforehand), then CONVERT the disk to GPT. Next, using DISKPART create a 40MB MSR partition (Microsoft System Reserved). Then, restore the drive image to the HDD.”

      3. I do that with TBI. After that is done, I should be able to boot up my new PC with my old HDD. But I still have a problem because I have a Home Premium setup on a licensed Professional PC.

      On the case of that PC, I do have a Windows 7 Product Key, 5 sets of 5 numbers and letters. Which means I do have the wherewithal to convert that Win7 Home Premium install to Win Professional (although I can also buy a Win7 Professional disc/license). What do I need to do to make that conversion? I have a DVD with the ISO from post 28.

      Once I make that conversion, should I now be able to run Win7 Professional on my old hard drive on my new UEFI PC?

      If so, I let the dust settle for a few days. I have Acronis Backup and I believe that will allow me to copy my Win7 setup from my old HDD to my SS drive, at a great gain of speed?

      Like I said, if buying retail Win7 Professional makes this easier and more bulletproof, I am OK on it. Finally, just reading this over, I am just a bit leery of erasing my old HDD unless I am 1000% positive the backup image will work. I will do DISKPart and restore the image on a spare hard drive and make sure that works before I do it on my actual HDD from my old PC.

      To all in the lounge, a thousand thank yous!!!!

    • #1481759

      “…convert my existing Home Premium to Professional…” I see no problem at all as long as you hold a license on the Pro OS. I take it you are converting from nonOEM to nonOEM, correct? I ask because when I bought my older laptop, it came with OEM Windows 7 Home. I purchased a Microsoft Windows 7 Professional upgrade from Fry’s Electronics. By installing MS W7Pro, it converted my once OEM W7Home into MS [nonOEM] W7Pro.

      "Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

    • #1481774

      Actually one Dell OEM Home Premium to a Dell Professional. Steps 1 and 2, I get a bootable home premium on a Professional CPU/motherboard (or is the new PC with a UEFI saying Professional going to balk at a hard drive saying Home Premium). What initiates the conversion to Professional, do I insert a DVD then put in a license, or does Windows pick up the Professional license in the UEFI and convert itself?

      • #1481808

        Actually one Dell OEM Home Premium to a Dell Professional. Steps 1 and 2, I get a bootable home premium on a Professional CPU/motherboard (or is the new PC with a UEFI saying Professional going to balk at a hard drive saying Home Premium). What initiates the conversion to Professional, do I insert a DVD then put in a license, or does Windows pick up the Professional license in the UEFI and convert itself?

        If you can get your Home Premium from your old Dell to boot on your new Dell then you should not have to upgrade to Professional unless there is some feature of Professional you need that Home Premium doesn’t have. I.e.: I very much doubt if your new Dell’s UEFI has any restriction encoded to prevent Home Premium being used. But you will almost certainly have to re-activate Home Premium on the new Dell once you have managed to get it to boot to Windows (see my #31 post).

        In your #27 post you stated “…I just booted my old hard drive on an Optiplex 990, a sole hard drive…”. You might want to repeat that (but don’t try to re-activate Windows on that system) and uninstall any AV/AS programs (they are likely cause a BSOD when you try to boot on the new DELL). Also go into “Device Manager” and uninstall any “Graphics adapter”, “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers”, and “Network adapters” drivers. Don’t “Scan for hardware changes” or restart Windows, just shut it down after uninstalling the drivers. You want Windows to install drivers when you boot Home Premium on the new Dell – uninstalling the old drivers increases the chances Windows will be able to sort itself out.

      • #1481811

        Looking online, I’m seeing reports that Microsoft is no longer offering Anytime Upgrade keys for Windows 7. That would mean that you would have to use a key from a different source, such as retail Windows 7 Professional. You have indicated that you’re OK with going that route, and that appears to be the way to go, and that would be the initial step. After that purchase, this is my suggested step-by-step guide.

        1. Create a full drive image of your existing Windows 7 Home Premium installation. This is for archival purposes. If you have a spare hard drive (as indicated in post #48), put the spare hard drive in the “spare” PC that you’ve been using and restore that drive image to the spare hard drive. (This preserves the hard drive from your old PC)

        2. Boot the spare drive (with your existing Windows 7 Home Premium restored), and initiate the Windows Anytime Upgrade. Click Start, then in the search box type (without the quotes) “anytime upgrade”, and the Windows Anytime Upgrade Wizard should open. Click Next/OK to get to the screen that offers the options of going online for a Product Key or entering a Product Key you already own. Enter the Product Key for the retail Windows 7 Professional that you have purchased. Click through Next/OK until this process is complete. Then open System > Properties to verify that you have upgraded to Windows 7 Professional.

        3. Now you need another full drive image, this time of the upgraded Windows 7 Professional that you have just created. After this image has been created and validated, using DISKPART, CLEAN the spare hard drive, CONVERT to GPT, and create a 40MB Microsoft System Reserved partition. Then restore only the partitions from the full drive image of your upgraded Windows 7 Professional to the unallocated space on the spare drive (leaving the MSR partition intact).

        4. This drive will be bootable after you have edited your BCD store on the new Dell T5610. You can use Easy BCD (it’s freeware) to add the drive to your boot options.

        5. After editing the BCD store, boot to the spare drive and resolve any driver issues you may have. You will be able to download the drivers you might need from Dell Support. Once you get all the driver issues resolved, you’re ready for the next step.

        6. Yes, another drive image. This time of the upgraded Windows 7 Professional (with all your old programs/apps intact) with all the current drivers for the T5610 installed and successfully working. On this drive image, don’t include the MSR partition. This is the image you’re going to restore to the SSD, and you don’t need the MSR partition; the SSD will already have both an EFI partition and an MSR partition.

        7. Next, make a drive image of the SSD in the T5610. This is for archival purposes. Then, restore the drive image of your newly upgraded, GPT-converted Windows 7 Professional installation complete with up-to-date drivers for the T5610 to the SSD, but leave the EFI partition and the MSR partition on the SSD intact (you will be able to see these partitions in the Image for Windows GUI).

        8. Remove the spare drive from the T5610, and boot the SSD. Your old Windows 7 (now upgraded to Pro) complete with all the programs/apps should boot on the SSD.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

        • #1481812

          Looking online, I’m seeing reports that Microsoft is no longer offering Anytime Upgrade keys for Windows 7…

          A few minutes ago I ran Anytime Upgrade on this PC (Win7 Pro) and was offered Win7 Ultimate for AU$185

          I then ran Anytime Upgrade on a Win7 Home Premium PC and was offered Win7 Professional for AU$200 or Win7 Ultimate for AU$220

    • #1481861

      Cool. I am working on Step 1 in the wonderful bbearren #52 post. I did create a backup of my old HDD and it mounts beautifully. What a great feeling. I also copied the image to the 2nd partition on that disk.

      Now I am using an Optiplex at work today, old BIOS and it does not recognize a GPT disk to boot. I have two blank hard drives to use as targets. What should these drives be, MBR or GPT? Or do I worry about that afterwards. Just clean, copy the image and then convert. The only thing I am restoring is the OS partition, nothing else, right?

      Coochin, I have many mates in Australia, my wife and I were in Brissie last year on a business trip for her.

      Thank you again!!!!!!!

      • #1481874

        Cool. I am working on Step 1 in the wonderful bbearren #52 post. I did create a backup of my old HDD and it mounts beautifully. What a great feeling. I also copied the image to the 2nd partition on that disk.

        Now I am using an Optiplex at work today, old BIOS and it does not recognize a GPT disk to boot. I have two blank hard drives to use as targets. What should these drives be, MBR or GPT? Or do I worry about that afterwards. Just clean, copy the image and then convert. The only thing I am restoring is the OS partition, nothing else, right?

        Follow the steps. The initial work you’re doing on the OptiPlex requires MBR hard drive. After you have upgraded the Home Premium installation to Professional, make a new drive image. Then using a spare drive, open DISKPART, select the spare drive, CLEAN, then CONVERT to GPT. Create the MSR partition. Restore your upgraded Professional drive image to that GPT disk. Windows can recognize a GPT disk, and Image for Windows can recognize a GPT disk, even from a BIOS environment. Windows just can’t boot from GPT, but you’re going to boot that GPT drive in the T5610.

        Just follow the steps.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1481895

      Update:

      As I mentioned in the last paragraph of this post, resurrecting my Inspiron 580 was just a matter of installing leftover parts from my rebuild-turned-new build project, and I did that today. I’m still updating, but before I started that I tried the Windows Anytime Upgrade (find it by opening Windows Update, lower left corner) for my Home Premium to Professional. It was successful. The price was US$89.95, the upgrade took less than 10 minutes, by the time that finished, I got my new Product Key via email. I opened System > Properties and clicked on Change Product Key, put my new key in the field, and Windows Professional was authenticated and activated.

      So yes, it is available, or at least it was this evening.

      Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
      We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
      We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1483481

      Hi folks. A delay due to various issues.

      My boss (great man) said her heard of software that converts disks from MBR to GPT with no loss of data. I downloaded one of them, MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition and there are several others out there.

      I am going to clone my old hard drive tomorrow, then try booting drive on my new PC.

      Years ago, the only way to repartition a hard drive was destructively until software like Partition Manager came around. Now you can do it in Win7 and beyond.

    • #1483485

      I don’t think it’s going to be quite that simple, but good luck!

      Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
      We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
      We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1483831

      Question, I made a valid TBI image of the hard drive. It mounts OK and I can see it and access it. But following #56, it does not boot on the 5610. I did NOT get a Win7 Professional license for it. I did all the other steps. But hard drive does not boot.

      Do I need my original system repair DVD or upgrade disk to Professional in order to make the drive bootable?

      I am sure I could (via a lot of searching at home) find my original Dell Repair/System disk. If I cannot, I will get a win7 professional Upgrade DVD or a Home Premium DVD. Is the DVD a must-have in order to rebuild the boot sector, which I presume, is messed up or non-existent. If that is the case, I get a DVD. Once I do, what next?

      Do I boot from the DVD and follow the bouncing ball? I have a “How To Restore the Win7 MBR” document that says boot off the DVD, get to a command line and type from boot “bootsect /nt60 SYS /mbr”. Does that make the drive bootable now?

      Sorry to be such a nag, as a tech, I would call this a ticket from hell. My deepest gratitude to those who have shown such patience with me.

      • #1483862

        Question, I made a valid TBI image of the hard drive. It mounts OK and I can see it and access it. But following #56, it does not boot on the 5610. I did NOT get a Win7 Professional license for it. I did all the other steps. But hard drive does not boot.

        Do I need my original system repair DVD or upgrade disk to Professional in order to make the drive bootable?

        I am sure I could (via a lot of searching at home) find my original Dell Repair/System disk. If I cannot, I will get a win7 professional Upgrade DVD or a Home Premium DVD. Is the DVD a must-have in order to rebuild the boot sector, which I presume, is messed up or non-existent. If that is the case, I get a DVD. Once I do, what next?

        Do I boot from the DVD and follow the bouncing ball? I have a “How To Restore the Win7 MBR” document that says boot off the DVD, get to a command line and type from boot “bootsect /nt60 SYS /mbr”. Does that make the drive bootable now?

        Sorry to be such a nag, as a tech, I would call this a ticket from hell. My deepest gratitude to those who have shown such patience with me.

        Did you follow all the steps in post #52 in order? If so, you would be booting from the SSD, not the HDD.

        >>>Edit: It is important that none of the steps in post #52 are skipped. You may well find yourself in a place you do not wish to be.<<<

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

        • #1483890

          Cool. Thank you. I see what you are teaching me, but as you can see, I get lost on the details. Each of the steps you list consists of many steps and I miss the details.

          1. Right now, I have a 60GB TBI image of my original hard drive. I have to restore it to an MBR disk.

          Right now my spare hard drive is GPT. I need to clean it, create a system partition. Does cleaning it convert it back to MBR, or do I have to convert it manually. Then do I have to format that new Windows partition? I use Disk Management to mark the system partition active. Can I now restore the 60GB backup to the spare hard drive? And will that now boot on my spare old PC?

          2. Must I upgrade to Win Professional or can I keep my existing and licensed Win Home Premium?. Windows Anytime does not find me anything. Will my new box with UEFI run Win Home Premium? I am looking for my Home Premium DVD. If I do not find it, and have to buy a retail Windows Professional Version, I will. I presume I just boot from the DVD and follow the prompts if I do.

          I am out of time for now, but again, I thank you profusely. I will review the rest of it later with more questions. As you said, do not skip a step. But these steps consist of multiple parts.

    • #1483911

      I have edited post #52 in view of the current situation.

      Licensing issues: The Windows 7 Home Premium installation with all the programs and apps that you want to keep is not where the license resides. The license that you own for Windows 7 Home Premium is permanently attached to the machine with the dead motherboard. Your Windows 7 Home Premium installation can be moved to any machine that you own that is also permanently attached to a Windows 7 Home Premium license, so long as you remove that machines existing installation of Windows 7 Home Premium.

      It is the software that Microsoft is licensing to you, but the OEM license is permanently attached to the OEM machine, not to any particular copy of that same version/issue of software. Many people get rid of OEM crapware by doing a clean install of the Windows version/issue that came installed on the machine, installing all the pertinent drivers for the hardware and giving them a fresh, clean start.

      The only problem you have is that the machine that you own and want to receive this installation taken from the machine with the dead motherboard, is not licensed for Windows 7 Home Premium—it is licensed for Windows 7 Professional. To rectify this problem, you need to upgrade the installation to Windows 7 Professional before you put it in the new machine that holds the Windows 7 Professional license. To do that, you need to use Windows Anytime Upgrade. To use Windows Anytime Upgrade, the installation must be Activated. This can only be accomplished in a machine that holds a license for Windows 7 Home Premium.

      This requires a number of steps. You must follow all the steps, and you must follow them in the order they are written. Skipping a step, or doing things out of order, may well take you some place you don’t want to go. It might be a good idea to print this out for handy reference.

      If you haven’t done so already, create a Windows Repair Disk using the wizard on the T5610. This might come in handy before everything gets finally sorted out, and it’s a good idea to have one available, regardless. Make this disk before you go any farther.

      1. Create a full drive image of your existing Windows 7 Home Premium installation. This is for archival purposes. If you have a spare hard drive (as indicated in post #48), put the spare hard drive in the “spare” PC that you’ve been using and restore that full drive image to the spare hard drive. (This preserves the hard drive from your old PC)

      2. Boot the spare drive (with your existing Windows 7 Home Premium restored), and go through the activation process found on the System Properties page. This may require a call to the automated Microsoft support number. Once Windows is activated, initiate Windows Anytime Upgrade. Open Windows Update from the Control Panel (or Start Menu, if it is also there), and the Windows Anytime Upgrade option is on the bottom left of that Windows Update screen. Click on that and the wizard should open. Click Next/OK to get to the screen that offers the options of going online for a Product Key, or entering a Product Key you already own, but you’ll have to have a Product Key to complete this screen. Click through Next/OK until this process is complete. Then open System > Properties to verify that you have upgraded to Windows 7 Professional.

      3. Now you need another full drive image, this time of the upgraded Windows 7 Professional that you have just created. After this image has been created and validated by Image for Windows, using DISKPART, CLEAN the spare hard drive, CONVERT to GPT, and create a 40MB Microsoft System Reserved partition. Then restore the partitions from the full drive image of your upgraded Windows 7 Professional to the unallocated space on the spare drive (leaving the MSR partition intact).

      4. This drive will be bootable after you have edited your BCD store on the new Dell T5610. You can use Easy BCD (it’s freeware) to add the drive to your boot options. This is still within the EULA, because the T5610 is licensed for Windows 7 Professional through its own key, and your upgraded Windows 7 Professional is licensed through the Windows Anytime Upgrade Product Key. There may be a tinge of gray here, but there is a 30 day window for activation, so you have some leeway.

      5. After editing the BCD store, boot to the spare drive and resolve any driver issues you may have. You will be able to download the drivers you might need from Dell Support. You need the drivers already installed in your upgraded installation, because you are going to use that installation to replace the installation on the T5610 SSD. Once you get all the driver issues resolved, you’re ready for the next step.

      6. Yes, another drive image. This time of the upgraded Windows 7 Professional (with all your old programs/apps intact) with all the current drivers for the T5610 installed and successfully working. On this drive image, don’t include the MSR partition. This is the image you’re going to restore to the SSD, and you don’t need the MSR partition; the SSD will already have both an EFI partition and an MSR partition.

      7. Next, make a full drive image of the SSD in the T5610. This is for archival purposes. Then, restore the drive image of your newly upgraded, GPT-converted Windows 7 Professional installation complete with up-to-date drivers for the T5610 to the SSD, but leave the EFI partition and the MSR partition on the SSD intact (you will be able to see these partitions in the Image for Windows GUI).

      8. Remove the spare drive from the T5610, and boot the SSD. Your old Windows 7 (now upgraded to Pro) complete with all the programs/apps should boot on the SSD. If you have boot issues, you can use the Windows Repair Disk that you made in the beginning to resolve them—it will have all the necessary tools on it.

      Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
      We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
      We were all once "Average Users".

      • #1483967

        Thank you!!!

        Licensing issues: The Windows 7 Home Premium installation with all the programs and apps that you want to keep is not where the license resides. The license that you own for Windows 7 Home Premium is permanently attached to the machine with the dead motherboard. Your Windows 7 Home Premium installation can be moved to any machine that you own that is also permanently attached to a Windows 7 Home Premium license, so long as you remove that machines existing installation of Windows 7 Home Premium.

        It is the software that Microsoft is licensing to you, but the OEM license is permanently attached to the OEM machine, not to any particular copy of that same version/issue of software. Many people get rid of OEM crapware by doing a clean install of the Windows version/issue that came installed on the machine, installing all the pertinent drivers for the hardware and giving them a fresh, clean start.

        1. Create a drive image of your existing Windows 7 Home Premium installation. This is for archival purposes. If you have a spare hard drive (as indicated in post #48), put the spare hard drive in the “spare” PC that you’ve been using and restore that drive image to the spare hard drive. (This preserves the hard drive from your old PC)

        WEXMARY: My spare PC in my Office is an OptiPlex 990 from 2011. It runs Win Professional via a house image we install. Yet when I originally plugged my old Home Premium hard drive into it, it did boot up.

        1. Are these steps from my previous post correct for Step 1? Right now my spare hard drive is GPT. I need to clean it, create a system partition. Does cleaning it convert it back to MBR, or do I have to convert it manually. Then do I have to format that new Windows partition? I use Disk Management to mark the system partition active. Can I now restore the 60GB backup to the spare hard drive? And will that now boot on my spare old PC?

        2. Boot the spare drive (with your existing Windows 7 Home Premium restored), and go through the activation process found on the System Properties page. This may require a call to the automated Microsoft support number. Once Windows is activated, initiate Windows Anytime Upgrade. Open Windows Update from the Control Panel (or Start Menu, if it is also there), and the Windows Anytime Upgrade option is on the bottom left of that Windows Update screen. Click on that and the wizard should open. Click Next/OK to get to the screen that offers the options of going online for a Product Key, or entering a Product Key you already own, but you’ll have to have a Product Key to complete this screen. Click through Next/OK until this process is complete. Then open System > Properties to verify that you have upgraded to Windows 7 Professional.

        WEXMARY: When I tried Windows Anytime, I was told there were no upgrades available. As others have said, it changes day to day. Should I find that Anytime does not have upgrades, do I buy a retail version via Amazon or other vendors? I see versions for new OEM and for refurbished. What is my choice? And if I have to buy the DVD, I presume I boot up from it and follow the prompts

        Again, a zillion thank yous for your massive amounts of patience. I am your ticket from purgatory and I appreciate all your help. There will be more 🙂

        • #1483970

          WEXMARY: My spare PC in my Office is an OptiPlex 990 from 2011. It runs Win Professional via a house image we install. Yet when I originally plugged my old Home Premium hard drive into it, it did boot up.[/font][/b][/quote]
          That is normal. But booting up does not mean Activation.

          1. Are these steps from my previous post correct for Step 1? Right now my spare hard drive is GPT. I need to clean it, create a system partition. Does cleaning it convert it back to MBR, or do I have to convert it manually. Then do I have to format that new Windows partition? I use Disk Management to mark the system partition active. Can I now restore the 60GB backup to the spare hard drive? And will that now boot on my spare old PC?[/B][/FONT]

          In DISKPART, the CLEAN command makes the disk RAW, with no formatting information on it whatsoever. To get it back to MBR, use CONVERT MBR.

          Once you have the disk back to MBR, all you need to do is restore the drive image. It will take care of formatting, marking the partition Active, etc.

          WEXMARY: When I tried Windows Anytime, I was told there were no upgrades available. As others have said, it changes day to day. Should I find that Anytime does not have upgrades, do I buy a retail version via Amazon or other vendors? I see versions for new OEM and for refurbished. What is my choice? And if I have to buy the DVD, I presume I boot up from it and follow the prompts[/font]

          Anytime Upgrade may have failed because the installation (on the spare booted-up hard drive) was not activated. As I reported in post #57, Windows Anytime Upgrade does work. I used it on an activated Home Premium installation, and was offered Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise.

          If you do have to go the route of buying a Professional DVD, get a new OEM Windows 7 Professional with SP1 DVD. The method then would be to boot the spare drive in the OptiPlex (don’t boot from the DVD), insert the DVD and launch setup from within Windows. This will perform an in-place upgrade. You’ll likely lose some Windows settings customizations, but it “will not damage files and applications that are currently installed on your computer.” Also bear in mind that this procedure (in-place upgrade) will take just as long as an installation. Windows Anytime Upgrade is much quicker.

          Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
          We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
          We were all once "Average Users".

        • #1484040

          …if I have to buy the DVD, I presume I boot up from it and follow the prompts…

          You don’t need to buy a DVD. You only need to activate your Win7 Home Premium on the new Dell, contrary to the nonsense in bbearren’s posts about Windows being somehow “locked” to any particular hardware (bbearren does not seem to correctly understand what “permanent” means).

      • #1484038

        …Licensing issues: The Windows 7 Home Premium installation with all the programs and apps that you want to keep is not where the license resides. The license that you own for Windows 7 Home Premium is permanently attached to the machine with the dead motherboard. Your Windows 7 Home Premium installation can be moved to any machine that you own that is also permanently attached to a Windows 7 Home Premium license, so long as you remove that machines existing installation of Windows 7 Home Premium.

        It is the software that Microsoft is licensing to you, but the OEM license is permanently attached to the OEM machine, not to any particular copy of that same version/issue of software. Many people get rid of OEM crapware by doing a clean install of the Windows version/issue that came installed on the machine, installing all the pertinent drivers for the hardware and giving them a fresh, clean start.

        The only problem you have is that the machine that you own and want to receive this installation taken from the machine with the dead motherboard, is not licensed for Windows 7 Home Premium—it is licensed for Windows 7 Professional. To rectify this problem, you need to upgrade the installation to Windows 7 Professional before you put it in the new machine that holds the Windows 7 Professional license. To do that, you need to use Windows Anytime Upgrade. To use Windows Anytime Upgrade, the installation must be Activated. This can only be accomplished in a machine that holds a license for Windows 7 Home Premium…

        So we again have this nonsense claim that Windows is somehow “locked” to particular hardware (see my #6, #10, #14, #31, and #36 posts). If you are so sure as to continue to make this claim then you must be able to provide some evidence in support of it, namely a direct quote from Microsoft’s EULA for Windows 7.

    • #1484047

      38934-Win7Version

      English US License:

      If you comply with these license terms, you have the rights below for each license you acquire.
      1. OVERVIEW.
      a. Software. The software includes desktop operating system software. This software does not include Windows Live services. Windows Live services are available from Microsoft under a separate agreement.
      b. License Model. The software is licensed on a per copy per computer basis. A computer is a physical hardware system with an internal storage device capable of running the software. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a separate computer.
      2. INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.
      a. One Copy per Computer. The software license is permanently assigned to the computer with which the software is distributed. That computer is the “licensed computer.”
      b. Licensed Computer. You may use the software on up to two processors on the licensed computer at one time. Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, you may not use the software on any other computer.
      c. Number of Users. Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, only one user may use the software at a time on the licensed computer.
      d. Alternative Versions. The software may include more than one version, such as 32-bit and 64-bit. You may use only one version at one time. If the manufacturer or installer provides you with a one-time selection between language versions, you may use only the one language version you select.

      ——————————————————————————–

      MANDATORY ACTIVATION.
      Activation associates the use of the software with a specific computer. During activation, the software will send information about the software and the computer to Microsoft. This information includes the version, language and product key of the software, the Internet protocol address of the computer, and information derived from the hardware configuration of the computer. For more information, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104609. By using the software, you consent to the transmission of this information. If properly licensed, you have the right to use the version of the software installed during the installation process up to the time permitted for activation. Unless the software is activated, you have no right to use the software after the time permitted for activation. This is to prevent its unlicensed use. You are not permitted to bypass or circumvent activation. If the computer is connected to the Internet, the software may automatically connect to Microsoft for activation. You can also activate the software manually by Internet or telephone. If you do so, Internet and telephone service charges may apply. Some changes to your computer components or the software may require you to reactivate the software. The software will remind you to activate it until you do.
      5. VALIDATION.
      a. Validation verifies that the software has been activated and is properly licensed. It also verifies that no unauthorized changes have been made to the validation, licensing, or activation functions of the software. Validation may also check for certain malicious or unauthorized software related to such unauthorized changes. A validation check confirming that you are properly licensed permits you to continue to use the software, certain features of the software or to obtain additional benefits. You are not permitted to circumvent validation. This is to prevent unlicensed use of the software. For more information, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104610.
      b. The software will from time to time perform a validation check of the software. The check may be initiated by the software or Microsoft. To enable the activation function and validation checks, the software may from time to time require updates or additional downloads of the validation, licensing or activation functions of the software. The updates or downloads are required for the proper functioning of the software and may be downloaded and installed without further notice to you. During or after a validation check, the software may send information about the software, the computer and the results of the validation check to Microsoft. This information includes, for example, the version and product key of the software, any unauthorized changes made to the validation, licensing or activation functions of the software, any related malicious or unauthorized software found and the Internet protocol address of the computer. Microsoft does not use the information to identify or contact you. By using the software, you consent to the transmission of this information. For more information about validation and what is sent during or after a validation check, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104611.
      c. If, after a validation check, the software is found to be counterfeit, improperly licensed, or a non-genuine Windows product, or if it includes unauthorized changes, then the functionality and experience of using the software will be affected. For example:
      Microsoft may
      · repair the software, and remove, quarantine or disable any unauthorized changes that may interfere with the proper use of the software, including circumvention of the activation or validation functions of the software; or
      · check and remove malicious or unauthorized software known to be related to such unauthorized changes; or
      · provide notice that the software is improperly licensed or a non-genuine Windows product;
      and you may
      · receive reminders to obtain a properly licensed copy of the software; or
      · need to follow Microsoft’s instructions to be licensed to use the software and reactivate;
      and you may not be able to
      · use or continue to use the software or some of the features of the software; or
      · obtain certain updates or upgrades from Microsoft.
      d. You may only obtain updates or upgrades for the software from Microsoft or authorized sources. For more information on obtaining updates from authorized sources see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104612.”

      Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
      We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
      We were all once "Average Users".

      • #1484052

        bbearren,

        Note carefully: “…Some changes to your computer components or the software may require you to reactivate the software. The software will remind you to activate it until you do…”.

        Also, you might want to look up “permanent” in a good dictionary.

      • #1484286

        38934-Win7Version

        English US License:

        If you comply with these license terms, you have the rights below for each license you acquire.
        1. OVERVIEW.
        a. Software. The software includes desktop operating system software. This software does not include Windows Live services. Windows Live services are available from Microsoft under a separate agreement.
        b. License Model. The software is licensed on a per copy per computer basis. A computer is a physical hardware system with an internal storage device capable of running the software. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a separate computer.
        2. INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.
        a. One Copy per Computer. The software license is permanently assigned to the computer with which the software is distributed. That computer is the “licensed computer.”
        b. Licensed Computer. You may use the software on up to two processors on the licensed computer at one time. Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, you may not use the software on any other computer.
        c. Number of Users. Unless otherwise provided in these license terms, only one user may use the software at a time on the licensed computer.
        d. Alternative Versions. The software may include more than one version, such as 32-bit and 64-bit. You may use only one version at one time. If the manufacturer or installer provides you with a one-time selection between language versions, you may use only the one language version you select.

        ——————————————————————————–

        MANDATORY ACTIVATION.
        Activation associates the use of the software with a specific computer. During activation, the software will send information about the software and the computer to Microsoft. This information includes the version, language and product key of the software, the Internet protocol address of the computer, and information derived from the hardware configuration of the computer. For more information, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104609. By using the software, you consent to the transmission of this information. If properly licensed, you have the right to use the version of the software installed during the installation process up to the time permitted for activation. Unless the software is activated, you have no right to use the software after the time permitted for activation. This is to prevent its unlicensed use. You are not permitted to bypass or circumvent activation. If the computer is connected to the Internet, the software may automatically connect to Microsoft for activation. You can also activate the software manually by Internet or telephone. If you do so, Internet and telephone service charges may apply. Some changes to your computer components or the software may require you to reactivate the software. The software will remind you to activate it until you do.
        5. VALIDATION.
        a. Validation verifies that the software has been activated and is properly licensed. It also verifies that no unauthorized changes have been made to the validation, licensing, or activation functions of the software. Validation may also check for certain malicious or unauthorized software related to such unauthorized changes. A validation check confirming that you are properly licensed permits you to continue to use the software, certain features of the software or to obtain additional benefits. You are not permitted to circumvent validation. This is to prevent unlicensed use of the software. For more information, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104610.
        b. The software will from time to time perform a validation check of the software. The check may be initiated by the software or Microsoft. To enable the activation function and validation checks, the software may from time to time require updates or additional downloads of the validation, licensing or activation functions of the software. The updates or downloads are required for the proper functioning of the software and may be downloaded and installed without further notice to you. During or after a validation check, the software may send information about the software, the computer and the results of the validation check to Microsoft. This information includes, for example, the version and product key of the software, any unauthorized changes made to the validation, licensing or activation functions of the software, any related malicious or unauthorized software found and the Internet protocol address of the computer. Microsoft does not use the information to identify or contact you. By using the software, you consent to the transmission of this information. For more information about validation and what is sent during or after a validation check, see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104611.
        c. If, after a validation check, the software is found to be counterfeit, improperly licensed, or a non-genuine Windows product, or if it includes unauthorized changes, then the functionality and experience of using the software will be affected. For example:
        Microsoft may
        · repair the software, and remove, quarantine or disable any unauthorized changes that may interfere with the proper use of the software, including circumvention of the activation or validation functions of the software; or
        · check and remove malicious or unauthorized software known to be related to such unauthorized changes; or
        · provide notice that the software is improperly licensed or a non-genuine Windows product;
        and you may
        · receive reminders to obtain a properly licensed copy of the software; or
        · need to follow Microsoft’s instructions to be licensed to use the software and reactivate;
        and you may not be able to
        · use or continue to use the software or some of the features of the software; or
        · obtain certain updates or upgrades from Microsoft.
        d. You may only obtain updates or upgrades for the software from Microsoft or authorized sources. For more information on obtaining updates from authorized sources see go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=104612.”

        Have been going through this thread, and learning a lot, thanks! I have a Dell Optiplex 780 running Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. I bought the chassis/mobo/memory (with Win7Pro COA attached) cheap on Craigslist. Swapped the Core2 Duo CPU for a Core2 Quad Q9550, added a video card and hard drives, and installed Windows 7 Pro 64 bit from scratch, using an image downloaded from online, and the COA from the computer. I had to call Microsoft and do the activation, but all went smoothly without having to speak to anyone.

        Now, when I look at my license agreement using WinVer, instead of the phrase you highlighted, I have the following:

        “a. One Copy per Computer. You may install one copy of the software on one computer. That computer is the “licensed computer.”

        So, I gather that when I did the clean install, I have ended up with a “retail” version of Win7, instead of an OEM version, even though I used the original OEM license key?

        • #1484306

          So, I gather that when I did the clean install, I have ended up with a “retail” version of Win7, instead of an OEM version, even though I used the original OEM license key?

          No, it just means that Winver pulled up the wrong “license.rtf” from C:WindowsSystem32en-USLicenses (which, in Windows 7, contains copies of “License.rtf” for every possible version of Windows 7). Here’s another section:

          “16. PROOF OF LICENSE.
          a. Genuine Proof of License. If you acquired the software on a disc or other media, your proof of license is the genuine Microsoft certificate of authenticity label with the accompanying genuine product key, and your proof of purchase. If you purchased and downloaded the software online, your proof of license is the genuine Microsoft product key for the software which you received with your purchase, and your proof of purchase from an authorized electronic supplier of genuine Microsoft software. Proof of purchase may be subject to verification by your merchant’s records.”

          “Proof of License” is not a copy of “license.rtf”, but an actual COA and Product Key.

          The “Proof of License” you used is the COA on your box, and that is OEM, so your license is still OEM, not retail. The only way to acquire a retail license is to buy a retail license, or to have a retail license legally transferred to you, along with the “Proof of License”.

          For more information visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/default.aspx

          Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
          We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
          We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1484049

      Re: Post #65

      Coochin, BBearren:

      My wife has an old laptop that had Vista installed on it. She works for a large University (not QIT or LaTrobe, Coochin) and they offered to upgrade it for her to WIN 7. She did that six months ago. But she keeps getting told it is not activated. I agree, booting and being activated are not the same.

      But when I was running the old hard drive on the OptiPlex, I was not getting those messages. So to me, it appears as if the old hard drive Home Premium is activated.

      • #1484051

        But when I was running the old hard drive on the OptiPlex, I was not getting those messages. So to me, it appears as if the old hard drive Home Premium is activated.

        Check System > Properties for verification.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1484053

      Will do. Let’s see what happens on Monday. Sure hope I don’t have much “work” work to do :). Actually, I have another hurdle. Presuming I can get the old PC booting on my old hard drive, it will not have internet. I have a workaround, which will be a pain, but will give me access.

      • #1484057

        Will do. Let’s see what happens on Monday. Sure hope I don’t have much “work” work to do :). Actually, I have another hurdle. Presuming I can get the old PC booting on my old hard drive, it will not have internet. I have a workaround, which will be a pain, but will give me access.

        If it was not online when you had it booting in the OptiPlex, that is the reason Windows Anytime Upgrade did not offer anything. It goes online to validate the installation to see if it is eligible for upgrade. If it can’t check validation, it can’t offer any upgrade.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1484073

      OK, that explains it. Thank you again. Let me pack my bag for Monday.

    • #1484305

      OK, I am still having problems getting the original hard drive bootable. I believe I have followed the steps to a tee.

      I booted up on an old computer using a standard hard drive that boots up on the CPU.

      Disk Management shows Disk 0 with System Partition at 499 MB NTFS, saying System, Active and Primary Partition. Then there is OS Disk C at 232.4 GB NTFS, saying Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary.

      I followed the instructions on the spare (3TB) drive. I went into Disk Manager, selected it, cleaned it, converted it to MBR. I restored image and the 3 TB drive is still unbootable.

      Maybe I am doing something wrong (HA!!!) when I try to restore the image via TBI. I select Restore (Automatic). I choose the folder on the hard drive where I keep the image. Then I am asked to choose the partition to restore.

      What do I choose? I can choose the whole drive, I can select either the MSR partition, the OS partition or both. Which do I choose?

      I tried various options and all I got was a drive that could be seen in the BIOS but could not boot. The BIOS saw the drive but I would get a black screen, no boot device.

      I burned a DVD with Windows Home Premium on it.

      • #1484318

        OK, I am still having problems getting the original hard drive bootable. I believe I have followed the steps to a tee.

        I booted up on an old computer using a standard hard drive that boots up on the CPU.

        Disk Management shows Disk 0 with System Partition at 499 MB NTFS, saying System, Active and Primary Partition. Then there is OS Disk C at 232.4 GB NTFS, saying Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary.

        I followed the instructions on the spare (3TB) drive. I went into Disk Manager, selected it, cleaned it, converted it to MBR. I restored image and the 3 TB drive is still unbootable.

        Maybe I am doing something wrong (HA!!!) when I try to restore the image via TBI. I select Restore (Automatic). I choose the folder on the hard drive where I keep the image. Then I am asked to choose the partition to restore.

        What do I choose? I can choose the whole drive, I can select either the MSR partition, the OS partition or both. Which do I choose?

        I tried various options and all I got was a drive that could be seen in the BIOS but could not boot. The BIOS saw the drive but I would get a black screen, no boot device.

        I burned a DVD with Windows Home Premium on it.

        Back in post #28, I said this:

        Make a full drive image of the HDD

        It appears that I should have kept emphasizing “full” in subsequent posts. I’ll edit my posts where applicable. Following are instructions for a full drive image.

        In Image for Windows, in order to make a full drive image, on the initial launch screen, select “Backup (Full)” and click Next. On the next screen, put a check by the hard drive from which you wish to create a full image (“HD 0”, for example), and a check will appear for every partition on the hard drive; click Next. Select where you want to store the image, and click Next. On the next screen, you can use the default image file name or change it to suit, and click Next. Put a check by “Omit Page File Data”, “Omit Hibernation Data”, and “Log Results to File”, leave Compression at Standard and File Size at Max, and click Next. Click Start, and the imaging process will begin.

        When Restoring the full drive image to the spare drive, select Normal, not Automatic. Automatic assumes restoring to the same physical hard drive from which the image was created, which is not what you’ll be doing. On the next screen you’ll select the location of the image file you want to restore, then you’ll select the image file itself. Click Next, and for your target, put a check by the drive (“HD 0” for example) and a check will appear for every partition in the image file. This will restore the complete drive geometry to the drive you targeted, making it a bootable clone of the drive from which you created the image.

        Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!
        We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.
        We were all once "Average Users".

    • #1484316

      Still stuck. My last effort went nowhere.

      I just cleaned the spare drive. Disk Management says I have 746.52 GB unallocated. How do I create and format partitions to get a bootable hard drive.

      Does TBI make my old hard drive bootable? If not, does the Windows Home Premium DVD I created from step 28 (You can download an official 64-bit ISO from http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-58997.iso) have what I need to get my old drive bootable?

      If not, how do I make my old hard drive bootable?

      Thank you. Just very frustrated.

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    Reply To: Moving To New CPU, Need To Keep Old Windows Install

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