Question about transferring things to different PCs

[_James]

Hi there!
My mum is getting a new PC and I'm building it for her, I'm just wondering if when I backup all her data on her hard drive and I move it onto a new hard drive, will the operating system (windows 7) move with it?

 

Thanks

[comicsansms]

Most often than not NO!

But you can try.

If it doesn't work, you will have 1 month until you have to buy windows (after that, there is lots of windows popups)

or you could install Ubuntu, its FREE!!!! (Linux for life)

[Guest]

Time for Manjaro! Or:

Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Mate-Buntu...

Debian XFCE...

Sabayon XFCE, Sabayon Mate...

Linux Mint?

[Dautin]

You could use Macrium Reflect to clone the old HDD to the new one.  This will only work if the new one is bigger than the old one.

 

The cloning process would clone everything.

 

However Windows may fail to boot if they system is drastically different.

 

 

Your best option is to do a clean install of Windows 7 on the laptop and use the product key from the old one.  Then you should re-install all the program from there.  You can transfer documents and pictures VIA a USB.

[juretrn]

Unless the new PC is exactly the same as the old one, the answer is definitely NO. 

You will have to reinstall windows and all of the programs. Do a backup of your data and reinstall, it's the only real way. 

[_James]

Thank you all for the replies.

My mum does not wish to use Linux - so basically I just need to buy windows again?

[Dautin]

You don't need to buy windows again unless you would like Windows on both her new machine and her old one.  You can simply create or use Windows 7 Installation to install Windows 7 on the new machine.  Then you can use the old Windows 7 product key located somewhere on the old machine.   If it's not physically on the machine, you can use software to retrieve the key.