Easiest way to transfer SSD with Win 7 install to new PC?

theurbanclown

theurbanclown

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I have just bought a NUC (the one with 2.5" support). I currently have a computer running Windows 7 on an SSD; I'd like to transfer the SSD to the NUC and carry on my way.

I'm assuming it's not just a case of taking it out of the old system and plonking the SSD into the NUC due to driver issues etc. Or is it that simple? If my assumptions are correct, what is the easiest way to make the transfer? Needs to be as painless as possible.
 
If the NUC has a UEFI bios( I suspect it will have), then even getting Win 7 on to it will be a challenge. You might have to take the unpleasant option of trying to live with Windows 8 (I have:(). Watch out if it does, because it will mess up partitions on any existing discs you try to install.
 
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theurbanclown said:
II'm assuming it's not just a case of taking it out of the old system and plonking the SSD into the NUC due to driver issues etc.
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It should be according to Microsoft.... Worked for me, but make sure the HDD controller is set the same on the old machine (IDE vs ACPI vs RAID).

I have done it around 9 months ago. Had to get Windows re verified and install the few missing drivers, but I've been very happy with it since.
 
neil_g said:
chances are youll need to reinstall the OS.
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I can live with that.


Sonyguy said:
If the NUC has a UEFI bios( I suspect it will have), then even getting Win 7 on to it will be a challenge. You might have to take the unpleasant option of trying to live with Windows 8 (I have:(). Watch out if it does, because it will mess up partitions on any existing discs you try to install.
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I can't live with that. UEFI bios? What's that?
 
The chances of it booting are very, very slim TBH - no harm in trying though, but just make sure you back up the drive first..... UEFI is just a pain in the ass. Probably the most pointless thing I've seen in all my years working with PCs.....
 
Watch out if it does, because it will mess up partitions on any existing discs you try to install.
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It only messes up the partitions if you do not know what your doing.
 
Seriously people.. Microsoft themselves claim it should be possible. Vista onwards has been able to do this [caveat]most of the time[/caveat].

To short circuit the process, I would download the chipset and ethernet controller drivers as these are key when searching to populate the board with new software.

UEFI is a little new at the moment so will undoubtedly have issues, but you need it for the fast boot stuff on Win 8.
 
UEFI machines can usually have legacy BIOS mode turned on. You may get lucky just swapping the drives after this, depending on the architecture differences. Risk is reduced if you sysprep it first. To be honest though I'd just do a clean install, it'll only take an hour or so.
I'd run windows 8.1 too, obviously :)
 
..because it's great. Disclaimer: I work for MSFT and I've been on it since beta. Faster and better power efficiency on the same hardware are the main reasons.
 
I too like 8.1.. But only with a programme that allows booting to the desktop directly installed
 
New
I too like 8.1.. But only with a programme that allows booting to the desktop directly installed
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Windows 8.1 does not need 3rd party software to allow for booting straight to the desktop, that functionality is prebuilt into Windows 8.1
 
redsnappa said:
Windows 8.1 does not need 3rd party software to allow for booting straight to the desktop, that functionality is prebuilt into Windows 8.1
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You are right... What I meant was Win 7 desktop functionality.

I haven't seen the Win 8 start screen for a looooonnnnnng time :)
 
offtopic, but I'm stubbornly staying on 8, 8.1 can get chuffed as far as I'm concerned.

& no one in their right mind spends more time than they have to on the Start screen, I find it positively barf inducing.
 
I assume you've got a Retail/NFR/VL/TechNet/MSDN license and not OEM? Otherwise the plan is technically illegal... Not wishing to be the big-bad, but thought it had better be mentioned!
 
Whether they seem to allow it or not isn't really the issue, the OP should be aware that they are breaching the EULA, which is all I was trying to inform him of. There's lots of people that do it, but that still doesn't mean it's legit, especially if your business is run off of the PC.
 
Neilc28 said:
Whether they seem to allow it or not isn't really the issue, the OP should be aware that they are breaching the EULA, which is all I was trying to inform him of. There's lots of people that do it, but that still doesn't mean it's legit, especially if your business is run off of the PC.
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We've had this debate many times. Yes technically it's against the "rules" however.. The automated process allows it even when you call ms to reactivate they let you. They seem to just be happy that you're not pirating their software.
 
Aye good old Mrs Microsoft. "Is this product only installed on one computer" - yes, yes it is...
 
Neilc28 said:
Whether they seem to allow it or not isn't really the issue, the OP should be aware that they are breaching the EULA, which is all I was trying to inform him of.
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It depends. Retail and you get to move as Microsoft is the support route. With OEM, the OEM decides as it is the OEM who have to support the PC that the license moves to. It depends on who the OEM is of his PC. I OEM my PCs, so I can decide which PCs I run my copy of Windows on..... The OP hasn't given enough details to know whether he can legitimately move the license or not.
 
Right, bit of a problem.

Backed everything up.
Ran Sysprep.
Put SSD into the NUC and it wouldn't boot.
Changed BIOS to legacy boot and still nothing.

Best off doing a clean install? If so, what's the easiest way to creat a bootable USB working from a Mac.
 
you could muck with the boot sector using partition magic or hiren's boot cd perhaps?
but I know nothing about these latest BIOS options.

I would have personally just backed everything up and started from scratch. transferring HDDs to a new PC is a difficult task I think when you're talking about partition tables and boot sectors.
for improved stability I just bite the bullet and start again. The number of times Iv'e seen or have personally taken a short cut which hasn't paid off is quite high.
Either it works but you have stability niggles or it's not as fast as advertised due to driver/format issues....or it works and you're s genius! woohoo! but it's taken twice as much faffing to do so than it would have taken to just put in the DVD again and reinstall windows!
 
Yep, I cloned the drive and backed up.

Currently getting a black screen saying "initializing and establishing link ..."

then followed by PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel boot agent.

Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press any key.
 
The manual for Acronis True Image Premium says Microsoft's Sysprep won't work when trying to restore the original hardware image to new hardware because it only allows you to replace the plug & play drivers and not the others - hence the new system won't boot. They say use Acronis Universal Restore (part of the True Image Premium version) to get round the problem.

Pdf manual - see page 122, section 7.1.7 onwards: link
 
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