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Steps & Issues: Transfer Win7 Instance to New Win8.1(conserve) Laptop as a VHD?

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#1 crashnburn

crashnburn

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Posted 24 July 2014 - 08:10 AM

Steps & Issues: Transfer Win7 Instance to New Win8.1(conserve) Laptop as a VHD?
 
Posted here and was suggested to go VHD. What are the issues surrounding this and how must I go about creating, booting and maintaining native boot for the VHDs. 
 
PS - If licensing/activation issues are beyond whats allowed scope of the Forums then please help/guide the other steps and activities needed here.

CONCISE VERSION:
Let me BREAK it INTO STEPS of what needs to be done. Please guide on the steps that I am asking: 
 
1)
Existing Win7 SP1 on OLD Thinkpad Laptop - SLIC 2.1 Enabled
GENERALIZE and 
then IMPLANT TO 
New Toshiba Laptop (Win 8.1 Preinstalled) by Repartitioning and Creating space for Win7 SP1 partiation 
 
( I am guessing the above can be done using Acronis/ Paragon etc. How to ensure the following stuff works out)
 
2) THEN: 
- Enable Dual Boot (What would you use/ choose?)
- Activate/ Enable Win 7 Sp1 on new laptop (How?) (Since it was originally SLIC 2.1 enabled with Lenovo Cert/Key, would using same technique work for installed Toshiba OEM Cert/Keys?)
 
--------------------------------------------- LONGER VERBOSE VERSION --------------------------------------------- 
I have a Thinkpad Win7 SP1 Ultimate which has been enabled via SLIC 2.1 (from the tools on this forum). 
 
The Thinkpad needs to undergo some maintenance work so it may go out of commission for sometime or for a long time/ for good. 
 
So, in the meantime, I'd like to move this Active Instance of Win7 Partition to another laptop without messing with its Win 8.1 partition and licensing etc. 
 
I intend to first generalize the instance (using steps below) and then later "activate" it on top of the new Toshiba P55. Could I do that given that the new 4K laptop will be higher than SLIC 2.1 - and I am assuming downgrade rights would work? 
 
I am guessing Dual boot it? If possible? If not, I'd like to put this Win 7 instance on the new machine after finding some way to RESTORE it back to the same OEM Win 8.1 that it comes with. 
 
Partition copy should be standard using an Imaging tool like Acronis/ Paragon. Is there a better way to do this using a VHD ? 
 
What are your thoughts?
 
PS: Yes.. I can use the Win 8.1, but for now I am not keen on re-learning my OS. I'd rather just SIDE STREAM on the laptop and come back to slowly make win 8.1 more like Win 7 and then migrate my apps and data.

 

 

 


Edited by crashnburn, 24 July 2014 - 08:11 AM.


#2 crashnburn

crashnburn

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Posted 24 July 2014 - 09:20 PM

I am not asking you to 'crack' the license etc. I'll figure out licensing issues myself. 

I need help with the OTHER STEPS that are part of the PROCESS to go from

- OLD Machine Drive to NEW Machine Partition

OR

- Physical to Virtual - VHD

 

Tools, steps, ideas, best practices for the following issues and questions.  

 

Thanks a lot. I appreciate you all guys big time. 
 
I think your high level STEPS help very much and I can look up the "steps" individually. 
- Do I have to SHRINK IT? I will have enough space per se on new laptop so I am guessing not. 
- Am I correct in saying VHD/ VHDX expansion is not a concern if I do not SHRINK the VHD?? Right? 
- Would it make sense to defrag it (after formation as SSD's should be defragged)? (PS: Since going from SSD to HDD)
 
Plus: It seems easier than what was being tried here
 
Qs: 
- This VHD is copied to the NEW laptop - to where? - To a folder or root drive of Preinstalled Win 8.1 or it needs a separate partition/ empty space created first?
- This VHD when it boots will boot on NATIVE hardware or as a VM under Hyper-V ?
- Is a P2V converted VHD kind of a driver sanitized, driver agnostic generic Drive Image
- How do DRIVERS from OLD Laptop (to remove or auto removed from VHD?) and
- NEW Laptop drivers come into play (when executing) (if at all?) during Native Boot

 

If VHDs are so good & portable, why would we want to use PARTITIONS at all? (Assuming we had enough drive space). 
 
I will have to add drivers for sure. My question is does the VHD get CLEANED of the PREVIOUS DRIVER/ HARDWARE PROFILE on the HDD? And when it re configures with NEW HARDWARE does it clean the previous out and or has both included on it. 
 
I have Windows 7 Ultimate. I am assuming that would work as well (not only Pro/Entr).

 


Edited by crashnburn, 24 July 2014 - 09:21 PM.






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