- Jan 11, 2001
- 28,830
- 17
- 81
Migrating from one machine to another, the do's and dont's.
Since I see this question get asked multiple times a week, I thought i'd create a little thread with some info and answers.
First off, if you are switching from one piece of hardware to another, follow these steps:
1) BACKUP! I don't care how many times another user successfully swapped from one piece to another, things can and WILL happen so keep a backup! I don't care if you are simply swapping graphics cards, if your data is THAT important, BACKUP FIRST!
2) A fresh install on the new machine is ALWAYS the best option. If you choose not to do a fresh install, you are left with the following options:
Lets dive into Sysprep:
Basically, Sysprep is a Microsoft tool that "resets" the configuration data on the machine to allow OEM's and system manufacturers the ability to create a master image to be used on multiple similar machine configurations.
What does this mean for me?
Since it resets the configuration data, you can use it to migrate a hard drive from one machine to the next while keeping your data and programs intact. I am not going to go into a detailed "how-to" but I will point you to the Microsoft Sysprep support pages so you can equip yourself with knowledge and perform the functions you need to successfully migrate your data.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577
http://technet.microsoft.com/e.../library/bb457073.aspx
I have used sysprep successfully to migrate a hard drive from my old socket A system through about 12 hardware changes up to it's current home in an Intel socket 775 system. While the system is quite sluggish due to all the extra bloat it has carried from system to system, all data and programs are intact which is more important to me than overall system speed.
Lets touch on the "Plug-N-Pray" method:
I'm not going to cover this because there isn't a very good reason to use it with a proper tool like sysprep available. Basically you pull the drive from your old system, place it into the new system and let windows completely reconfigure itself. Some people go so far as to remove or uninstall the hardware in the device manager before migrating the drive over. Either way, it is risky especially without a backup and I don't recommend it.
The setup/Repair Method:
I'm not going to cover the Setup/Repair method as I have never gotten it to work properly. If anyone cares to add more info about this section, I'd be happy to add it in here. Basically, you place your old drive into the new system and boot from the install CD. Choose repair and use the repair console to fix your installation or you can also run setup over top of your existing install.
Thread unstuck due to age and dated material
AT Mod
Gillbot
Since I see this question get asked multiple times a week, I thought i'd create a little thread with some info and answers.
First off, if you are switching from one piece of hardware to another, follow these steps:
1) BACKUP! I don't care how many times another user successfully swapped from one piece to another, things can and WILL happen so keep a backup! I don't care if you are simply swapping graphics cards, if your data is THAT important, BACKUP FIRST!
2) A fresh install on the new machine is ALWAYS the best option. If you choose not to do a fresh install, you are left with the following options:
- A) Sysprep
- B) Plug-N-Pray
- C) Setup/Repair
Lets dive into Sysprep:
Basically, Sysprep is a Microsoft tool that "resets" the configuration data on the machine to allow OEM's and system manufacturers the ability to create a master image to be used on multiple similar machine configurations.
What does this mean for me?
Since it resets the configuration data, you can use it to migrate a hard drive from one machine to the next while keeping your data and programs intact. I am not going to go into a detailed "how-to" but I will point you to the Microsoft Sysprep support pages so you can equip yourself with knowledge and perform the functions you need to successfully migrate your data.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577
http://technet.microsoft.com/e.../library/bb457073.aspx
I have used sysprep successfully to migrate a hard drive from my old socket A system through about 12 hardware changes up to it's current home in an Intel socket 775 system. While the system is quite sluggish due to all the extra bloat it has carried from system to system, all data and programs are intact which is more important to me than overall system speed.
Lets touch on the "Plug-N-Pray" method:
I'm not going to cover this because there isn't a very good reason to use it with a proper tool like sysprep available. Basically you pull the drive from your old system, place it into the new system and let windows completely reconfigure itself. Some people go so far as to remove or uninstall the hardware in the device manager before migrating the drive over. Either way, it is risky especially without a backup and I don't recommend it.
The setup/Repair Method:
I'm not going to cover the Setup/Repair method as I have never gotten it to work properly. If anyone cares to add more info about this section, I'd be happy to add it in here. Basically, you place your old drive into the new system and boot from the install CD. Choose repair and use the repair console to fix your installation or you can also run setup over top of your existing install.
Thread unstuck due to age and dated material
AT Mod
Gillbot
Last edited: