Need help to "clone" an old computer into a new one

[Guidex]

Hey guys, so i'm building a new computer for my dad, and i need to have the exact same OS and program versions on the new computer. I was thinking of cloning the old hard drive, but it would not work since the new computer has different hardware right? Is there a way to get the exact versions of the software and os he uses or just copy his hdd, i dont know..

[Guest]

Sure ya can clone it. Just the drivers would be incorrect for the hardware you have in there currently.

[LogicalDrm]

Which OS? Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 can be tricky or impossible when switching motherboard. Windows10 should go just fine.

[Guidex]

29 minutes ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

Which OS? Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 can be tricky or impossible when switching motherboard. Windows10 should go just fine.

It's windows xp actually, i think that's bad right?

[LogicalDrm]

25 minutes ago, Guidex said:

It's windows xp actually, i think that's bad right?

Its super-tricky. It won't work if hardware is too new. VM might work, but that goes over my area of being helpful.

[Guidex]

2 minutes ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

Its super-tricky. It won't work if hardware is too new. VM might work, but that goes over my area of being helpful.

I know, i selected old and compatible hardware on the build specifically for that reason. If the hardware is compatible would there be any major problems? 

[LogicalDrm]

33 minutes ago, Guidex said:

I know, i selected old and compatible hardware on the build specifically for that reason. If the hardware is compatible would there be any major problems? 

There's always chance of BSOD because of driver conflicts. I haven't even tried change drive between systems with XP, and wasn't part of any forum back when it was mainstream OS. So I don't have any practical, or other, experience on how OS would react.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

Even with the POSready2009 registry tweak XP will not be supported anymore in 4.5 months.  As much as I like XP, nowadays I wouldn't install it on any PC anymore.

I'd suggest a clean install of an up-to-date OS and teaching your dad to use the new software.

 

EDIT : hmm, didn't see that this topic was that old already despite still being on page 1.  guess this subsection is a bit sloooooow. 

[LogicalDrm]

6 hours ago, Captain Chaos said:

EDIT : hmm, didn't see that this topic was that old already despite still being on page 1.  guess this subsection is a bit sloooooow. 

This is parent sub for OS things which do not fit under actual subforums. So dual booting, misc OS questions etc.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

I know, I just don't come here often.  Usually I go straight into the subsections.

[homeap5]

In my experience - I moved / cloned XP to different hardware and, surprisingly, it works in 80% cases. Like in Vista/7/8/10 it should boot and scan for hardware changes. I made it once even when moving from VIA chipset to Intel or sth like that. In worst case scenario, you can remove IDE/SATA driver and USB drivers before, but first just try. Anyway, XP sucks. BTW. Even funny story - long time ago I tested computer (in shop) for my friend, who made upgrade by ordering everything new (except pc case) - salesman and technician says that "it will not work, you'll see bluescreen" when I want connect friend's old HDD. I only answered "yeah, right" and after 20 seconds everyone saw nice XP desktop. It's cool to put together experience and common opinion and see the astonishment on the faces of "specialists".

 

@LoGiCalDrm: I know that you have different opinion, but I think (by reading your posts) that I have just bigger experience with moving/cloning systems ever since win98 era (of course with win98 it was completely different task and waste of time, also - have no sense if you changed hardware, but for simply hdd change it saves some time). Believe me - it works in more cases that you think.

[LogicalDrm]

20 hours ago, homeap5 said:

@LoGiCalDrm: I know that you have different opinion, but I think (by reading your posts) that I have just bigger experience with moving/cloning systems ever since win98 era (of course with win98 it was completely different task and waste of time, also - have no sense if you changed hardware, but for simply hdd change it saves some time). Believe me - it works in more cases that you think.

Which is why I say it straight when I have no experience. Not in cloning OS, nor moving existing HDD between system back with XP/Vista. I've tried it 3 times with Win7, all resulted in BSOD, once on same manufacturers same chipset.

 

Btw, tagging only works here when you select nick from list. Otherwise I don't get notif for it, and might not even see it if it happens to be outside of subforums I browse.

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

Btw, tagging only works here when you select nick from list. Otherwise I don't get notif for it, and might not even see it if it happens to be outside of subforums I browse.

Good to know, thx.

BTW. It's too late anyway (since we don't use win7 anymore), but bootable Paragon Adaptive Restore 2010 can fix your problem with bluescreen in win7 in few seconds. I only have bluescreen once when I clone system to much worse PC with old strange chipset and usb controller. And Paragon helps.