Ok, I am setting up multiple computers with Windows 10 on them. Before when I did something like this, I could install Windows 7 on one computer and then use Acronis to create a backup or image which I could then install on other (exactly the same hardware) computers. Reading about Windows 10, it seems the license key is tied to the hardware of each system, so I'm wondering if the Acronis back/imaging is going to work. I need these computers to be exactly identical, same settings, same programs installed, everything. I really don't want to have to go through and set up 12 computers by hand, especially since I'm planning to set up the initial computer with the Win7/DAZ method. That would take hours, or even days, to do that across 12 computers one-by-one, and it would be nerve-wracking to make sure I do exactly the same tweaks and install the same programs on each one. Does anyone have any experience/suggestions what to do? Thanks!
The activation is tied to the HW so cloning a disk to a different machine should affect only the activation. So I can't see any problem on cloning an image over many machines other than the activation itself.
You can deploy syspreped images to OEM computers. 1 Create your image by uninstalling the bloatware off an OEM computer eg a Lenovo and installing your software 2 Run Sysprep and select audit mode and reboot 3 In the Admin profile make all your customisations, accept eulas etc etc 4 follow the "Customize the Default User Profile by Using CopyProfile" guide on TechNet to sysprep the image ensureing you chose to shutdown the computer not reboot 5 Use dism /capture-image to create the final wim file 6 Add the wim file to WDS or use the command prompt to deploy it manually see "Apply Images Using DISM" for the commands As long as the device has a Pro sticker on it the image will activate.
Sounds like You're working with XP machines since the OP mentions installing Win 7 to start with Starting with one machine install win 7 Ultimate on the HDD and Daz load it. Install Win 10 Pro Build 14388 (or wait for new build ?) in a Native VHD on the drive. Move the HDD from PC to PC doing the gatherosstate method to activate the Win 10 build on each. Install a Fresh Win 10 Pro OS copy on the "Master" PC and program everything You want. Image the drive with the cloning software of choice, (most people use Acronis, Bat uses Casper), to the drives going in the other PCs and they "Should" activate automatically. If not, use the activation trouble shooter. Do the cloning offline and remember that once a clone is made it can also be used to make a clone so the more copies you make, the more copies can be made at one time.
That's a more elegant solution than the plain partition cloning. But overall the Acronis/Paragon path is probably faster on most scenarios
I can't agree there. There isn't actually a free solution on par with Acronis, Paragon and even Easus solutions.
Maybe WinToHDD from the maker of WinToUSB could be a workable solution. Personally, I haven't try WinToHDD yet, just WinToUSB and that works excellent! In case of WinToUSB an Re-Activation isn't needed!
If the OP wants a KMS activated system then using Win2USB to create the master then using AOEMI Backupper to "restore" the master OS to each new HDD is also an option I was going by the assumption (possibly wrong) He'd want a Digital License on each PC
Only solution for digitally signed activation ("legit) from DAZ "OEM" is to upgrade to Windows 10 after installation every PC. So You need to setup one main PC whit Windows 7 and do all you stuff, including DAZ and just unpack correct Windows 10 iso to Desktop for easy access, so You don't need to copy it afterwards. (Yes, Windows 10 upgrade works even unpacked from iso straight to desktop) Clone it how do You want to, a sysprep option is a good option as You can install multiple PC from network at the time. (Assuming that You have Windows server somewhere) I haven't tested other third party solutions, so correct Me if, for example Acronis can do network deployment too. After installation upgrade every PC to Windows 10 and they should be activated by digital signature. Upgrade will be one more step, but I don't see any other way. But test if DAZ loader works that way first, it should, but You never know. I havent tested like this, so test it for yourself.
So if I do Win 7 Ultimate/DAZ loader on the main computer, upgrade to Windows 10 Professional, install all the software/make all the tweaks/change all the settings in Windows 10, then clone that image using Acronis to all the other computers, it should still work? If all the computers are online at the same time, it won't cause them to get blacklisted or anything? And it will still work even though Windows 10 is supposed to be tied to the hardware? Sorry if these are stupid questions, I never used DAZ before, and I'm still relatively new to Windows 10. I've been using Windows 7 since it came out, skipped Windows 8 in all versions. I've done this deployment several times before by using Windows 7 and RemoveWAT (ugh, but it was all I knew about for a long time) which worked fine. Since from what I heard DAZ actually injects a license of some kind into the computer, I'm just concerned about that messing things up somehow if cloned across multiple computers, either because: A. Windows 10's licenses are tied to the hardware (correct?) and B. The licenses will be the same and online at the same time, so could get blacklisted/unverified These are my main questions. I do plan to completely format the main computer and fresh install Windows 7 Ultimate/DAZ. (By the way, if I do Windows 7 Pro/DAZ, will it still upgrade to Windows 10 Pro? I always see people say use Windows 7 Ultimate. Is there a reason for this?) Thanks for all the suggestions! Lots of great ideas here that I'll have to look into some more, but I hope since I explained the situation we can arrive at a definitive solution. Cheers!
If he like to have that, he'll need to activate any single copy/install/clone! The Digital License for each PC means, single Activation for ant PC! In that case, WinToHDD should work well! Just to mention, I also used WinToUSB with Pro (even on 8.1) and the activation were kept!
Franky I'm starting to be dobius about what's your goal. Do you want to distribute w10, w7 or what? If you want to distribute on identichal machines (say HP machines) you can use the daz loader to install the correct certificate and serial on w7. That image will work on any HP notebook/PC and will be preactivated. If you want to distribute the image across several heterogeneous PCs you must install the daz loader AFTER you deploy the image. In thhat case the preactivation would be pointless. Back to w10 you can't preactivate it unless you use a KMS solution and the related service that reactivates it on each boot. That works but won't give a "legit" permanent activation as the W7 ---> W10 upgrade or ticket path. So explain clearly what you want to do, what's your final scope and we can suggest the smartes way to do so.
Ok, sorry if I'm still not clear. I've read many times the best way to install/activate Windows 10 is to go the Win7/DAZ route, then upgrade to W10 from there. As you said yourself, using something like KMSPico: "That works but won't give a "legit" permanent activation as the W7 ---> W10 upgrade or ticket path.” My final goal is to have W10 machines with the exact same setup/software/tweaks applied on 12 completely identical hardware systems. I would like to setup W10 on one system (Using the W7/DAZ path), set it up completely how I need, then copy this setup to the other 11 computers with minimal hassle. I did this before with Windows 7 using Acronis/RemoveWAT and it worked fine. How can I accomplish a similar thing with Windows 10? Thanks for the help, hope I'm clear now with what I'm trying to do!
If the final goal is not the the W7 use, the best way for your needs would be the following: Install w10 on a machine, install w7 pro (not ultimate) or w8.1 in a native VHD and put it on dualboot, boot to w7/8.1 and install the MS toolkit and service, activate the OS, and put gatherosstate.exe on the desktop. Image this (the whole phisical partition/hdd) with acronis and distribute over the other machines Once you have a dual boot on each machine boot to w7/8.1 (it will be activated via the KMS service), generate the ticket and copy it on the right W10 folder. Reboot to w10, check for the activation, delete the w7/8.1 vhd. That's the quickest way.
Yes, Windows 10 is the final goal. Ok, so if I'm understanding you, what I should do is install a fresh copy of Windows 10 (don't activate it), set that up the way I need, then install a fresh copy of Windows 7 Pro set to Dual boot, activate Windows 7 via MSTooolkit, put gatherosstate.exe on the Windows 7 desktop, then image the entire setup to all the other computers? I got kind of confused when you got to the "generate the ticket and copy it on the right W10 folder.“ What do you mean by this? Again, thanks so much for the help!
Ah, ok, I did some research and I figured out what you meant. I have to copy the gatherosstate.exe from the Windows 10 ISO to the Windows 7 desktop. After activating Windows 7, you run that and it will generat the GenuineTicket.xml file, which I then copy to %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\GenuineTicket in the Windows 10 installation. Ok, I'll give this a shot and report back on the results. Thanks! P.S. Can I ask why you suggest MS Toolkit to activate instead of Daz?
because DAZ is dependent on the machine, as I wrote twice would be quick if all your machine were the same model. On heterogeneous scenario a kms solution would do some work for you and would spare you a reboot per installation, something relevant on a multiple machine scenario And also because what's written on the previous message.