[How To] Keep your current Windows install with a new motherboard.

[iamdarkyoshi]

I have used this so much before, but never made a guide on it. It works wonders. Be sure to suggest it in the sticky guide list if it hasnt already.

[ttam]

Just an FYI but Paragon Active Restore no longer seems to work with Windows 10.  Or at least it told me it couldn't modify that OS.

If the backend of 10 runs anything like 8, you wouldn't need to run Paragon to get it bootable. Should be able to just plug everything in and Windows will do it's own thing and boot up

[MoonlightSylv]

So, majority of us have installed a new motherboard and run into having to just install our operating system to accommodate the new hardware.

Well, I'm going to share a little trick that I know on how to be able to use the same OS install on the new hardware problem free.

This is something that I use personally and very often in a computer shop environment.

It's much easier to just do this instead of having to backup someones data, move it here, install the os, move it back. That sucks. 

 

WARNING - WARNING

I only recommend this to users who are comfortable troubleshooting. 

I have never had an issue with the software itself. 

Used this hundreds of times.

Just better to be safe than sorry.

But problems can happen. I don't want to be responsible for someone messing something up.

So please, take caution when trying something like this.

It can always be fixed. Nothing a OS re-install can't repair haha.

WARNING - WARNING

 

It's a pretty simple .ISO called Paragon Adaptive Restore.

It was a free tool offered by the Paragon Software company up until about 2010 when they started to adapt it into their paid programs only.

I have contacted the company about distributing the software and they had no worries about it since they will offer a download to it if asked

 

Current Download Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3gyoaqlx29d6yxw/AADAYBACDOK0by5GVHaAMoJha/Paragon%20Adaptive%20Restore (Updated 7/30/14)

File Size: 154 MB

File Type: ISO Image

 

Start off by creating the bootable CD.

I personally use the program ImgBurn (http://www.imgburn.com) to create my cd's.

Once the CD is booted, restart the computer and boot to the CD.

 

Make sure your current motherboard has been REPLACED with the new motherboard.

These are the steps to follow once your new motherboard has been installed.

 

1. Accept the end user license agreement by checking the box and hitting Accept.

 

2. Select "Adjust OS"

 

3. Select the Operating System on the drive.

 

4. Select which option - I normally choose Adjust the OS automatically.

4.5. I rarely have the use the second option.

 

5. From here you will see the software injecting and editing the proper drivers.

 

6. Paragon hasn't changed anything yet. It needs your permission to apply the changes, click Yes, Apply the changes physically.

6.5 After this do not interrupt anything and just restart your computer normally and everything should boot into Windows.

 

You will need to remove older drivers once in Windows and install your new drivers.

Will this work with going from BIOS>UEFI?

[ttam]

Will this work with going from BIOS>UEFI?

UEFI is just a type of bios and doesn't have any affect on it. This removes drivers from the Windows install that otherwise would make it unbootable

[RecyclingBin]

Will this work going to an Asus H97M-E  from an Asus H81I-PLUS? Sorry for asking a question here but I plan on changing motherboards and I'm not so good with kinda stuff T_T

[paxtoncamaro91]

just used this the other day and it worked with no issues was a win 7 pc   thank you very much  

[ttam]

Just made sure the download link was still good and going.

On 2/26/2016 at 8:25 AM, paxtoncamaro91 said:

just used this the other day and it worked with no issues was a win 7 pc   thank you very much  

No problem

[thatguyb3rt]

I know that this thread is quite old but I just wanted to mention that the link is now dead for paragon. 

[Guest]

On 2/6/2017 at 0:09 AM, Cjwolfer said:

I know that this thread is quite old but I just wanted to mention that the link is now dead for paragon. 

Check page 5 for working links.

[FiveNine]

Can this method be done via USB on a new build? To transfer your OS from old pc to the new one?

[ttam]

I just noticed that Luke was attempting to use this software in the last episode of Scrapyard Wars.

Just want to let everyone know, this is for Windows 7 only. Windows 8 and 10 are great about just throwing the drive into use as it will find the drivers automatically.

[CarlBar]

On 9/19/2015 at 4:11 AM, ttam said:

If the backend of 10 runs anything like 8, you wouldn't need to run Paragon to get it bootable. Should be able to just plug everything in and Windows will do it's own thing and boot up

 

SO i can ignore this on Win 8.1/Win 10? Cool.

[374802]

tried it and it worked!