(Sorry, system won't let me correct typo in title...) Project: installing Win7-64bit OEM to a new HDD, from an image created in Win7-64it OEM I created the image saved to a USB HDD. I created a Win7 repair disk from within Win7, to a USB CDROM. The popup stated it could be used to restore (re-install?) Windows form an image. But instead, when I boot from the CD I created, it gives me a message that the restore software version is not the same as the OS version. Is this reinstall procedure, from a repair CD and an externally saved image, something that was possible before, and has since been deactivated by Windows? In that case, which 3rd party (hopefully free) software would do the job I need? I do not wish to have to do a clean install of Windows again, with all the drivers and all the software I took time to install and customize before, I would much refer to be able to reinstall the new HDD with the image of the one I want to replace...
What i understand is that you created Win 7 repair disk and image using windows backup .If you use another software , it will have to convert windows image in to it's own format. You might as well try to let windows restore the Image . if it can't then reinstall win , only problem is if you don't have all the software apps backed up . you can visit backup image web sites for accurate info and if the trial version will let you restore Image . download all trial wares Aomei back upper , terabyte , O&O disk image , install and make boot disks and try , if the software says it can restores on different hardware.
You're trying to restore an OEM version of Windows 7 to a HDD on a machine that has not previously had an OEM version installed? Is that correct? Whatever you problem is, the easiest route to me would be to get the latest version of Windows 7 via a link provided by this forum, use a method of activation suggested by this forum and then create a system image of that installation.
Not it did have OEM installed before. I have 2 identical laptops, both were manufactured with the same OEM version of Win7. But one no longer has a HDD. What I'm trying to do for the 2nd laptop would be the same if I want to upgrade my 1st laptop with a larger, blank HDD, or a blank SSD. The point is, how to install a blank SSD by applying an existing image. (Which is what the Win7 install disks do, they work from an image). What I want to do clearly here, is to re-install my own system image to my new HDD, rather than redo a Win7 install from scratch. I have already created the image of the 1st laptop in Win7. But how do I install it to the new HDD? I did create also the standard Win7 repair disc, on the 1st laptop, but it says the Restore program is not the same version as the OS version, as if Windows put on the repair disk non-compatible files of different dates maybe, etc. Since both the system image and the system disc were made from the same laptop, I can't understand why the repair disc does not work, isn't it supposed to allow you to re-install your laptop, for instance, to a new, BLANK, bigger replacement HDD you want to switch to? If so, it would also allow installation to a new HDD on another laptop, if it is an identical laptop. (The only difference for a 2nd laptop, is that you would have to activate with the COA of the 2nd laptop, if you put the new HDD in that one instead of the 1st laptop)
Yes, so why can't the Windows repair disk restore it to a new, blank HDD? Anyone else had that problem? Trying to find a user who's been there done that and can tell me which programs can restore an image to a different hardware, I don't have much time to reinvent the wheel, I'm posting my question on the forum hoping for solutions
It's always your choice. But by starting over with a clean installation disk and activation as per this forum seems to me to be a whole lot easier and more efficient than what you're attempting to do now. As to having to tweak a new system and install all your programs ... that's just part of getting a clean start. In my shop it's a regular occurance and is basically a no-brainer. The result, assuming it's done right, is almost invariably a better system that what was previously giving problems. But ... it's your machine and it's your choice.
I did the win image before activating Windows and using my laptop too much, precisely to get a good start to re-image my laptop if it gets into too much problem, malware that slows it down etc, so I can restart... but with drivers, programs and their settings; kind of like the vendor recovery CDs, same convenient unattended automatic full install, but without the bloatware, and especially, with the partitions I want. Also, I do want to have on hand a HDD that I can swipe in if the current one fails, without having to wait for a re-install to continue working! (I save all my work data externally) By the way, that is the way I have been doing it for years, but I recently bought a laptop and found out the HDD is underneath the keyboard, you can't access it as usual from a cover underneath the laptop...a real drag! wouldn't have bought it if I had suspected this! Just a warning for anyone who likes to tweak and swap HDD's on their laptops or change it to a SSD...
I'm interested in this for an older Win7 laptop which has a worn out COA that is no longer fully legible. Please give me the link? I do have installation media for Win7, what I need is a generic COA, or a method to activate. By the way I think it is a real pity that COA's are not plasticized, does anyone have a good tip for protecting/preserving the good COA's from abrasion etc.? I was wondering about using some acrylic or varnish but these products could dissolve the paper or the ink, lol.
For the last 20+ years I've kept ALL my keys and serials in a protected database that's backed up and properly secured. Just seemed like a good idea ... still seems like a good idea.
Up until 2009, I kept exactly what you're describing. Then I discovered how easy it is to make a system image and to restore one. I generally set a machine to make an image from the command line with a final command that shuts down the computer ... or I choose a batch file that lets it keep running. Either way, the image is made while I'm away from the computer: eating, sleeping, playing with wife and other hobbies and etc. Restoring an image takes from eight to twenty minutes for me usually depending on the size of the installation and I've never had anything but flawless restorations. All my "spare" hard drives are now truly spares. Except for the ones that went into USB enclosures specifically to hold backups and system images.
Having failed with AOMEI and also cloning software from the USB3 Apricorn SATA cable, I decided to try Windows again, and this time it succeeded: using the Repaid disc and the System image both created in Win7, I was able to clone the image to a new HDD and it ran on the laptop it was made from, so for that one I'm ready to setup a SSD that way, it's superfast compare to some other ways and you're back to where you were without having to reinstall anything, hardware and software customizations included. Since I had made the image prior to activation I hoped it could speed up install for the twin laptop but it did not boot on that one, so it is clear that when creating the original image, Windows recorded the motherboard ID, so even with a different COA, the image could not be used on a 2nd twin laptop, ...too bad but it cannot save time that way.
I just recently did this. Two identical brand new laptops. I set up one completely, and entered the serial from the COA sticker, then activated it. This was a unit from PC Specialist running Win7 SP1 x64 Ultimate. This is different from an OEM from a manufacturer like Dell or HP etc who all use the same SLP OEM serials. Thus in that situation it is fine to image at the end of the setup as the serial is already in an activated. Anyhow it was too late for that , and I really should have imaged before entering the serial. Well I thought I would save myself some time setting up the second laptop which was identical, and try anyway. I used Acronis (seagate version from Hirens CD), the drives were seagate so it was fine. An earlier version of the full acronis is on hirens 10.6 for any drive if needed. I restored the image from the 1st laptop to the 2nd having 1st taken a backup of the factory setup of the 2nd laptop. I had an error on boot re a hardware change, so it wouldn't boot. I was able to use the windows 7 disc and do a repair though (not reinstall) and then the machine booted perfectly. It then of course needed the 2nd machines licence entering and then activating. So Acronis will work. If you are using a machine with the same OEM SLP licence like a pre-activated machine from Dell or HP then you can just restore. But if its a different setup or hardware you might need to repair 1st with a windows disk.