To switch from a computer to another...

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Limerick, May 29, 2004.

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  1. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Hello all,

    I'm sorry if my question seems to be a little bit stupid, but as I'm French, I'm not sure to well understand few things.

    My laptop works perfectly and I'd like to be able to keep all things (softwares, tweaks, etc...) as they are even if it fails someday, by switching immediatly to my wife's desktop for example (her computer is much less important than mine :p )

    I read here that it was possible to switch from a computer to another (is that right ? o_O ).

    But even if I read this, I can't succeed to restore such an image.

    There's maybe some confusion in how to proceed, so if someone managed to do this, and if it's not to boring to explain, I'd be very happy to have some kind of tutorial to reach my goal.

    Thank you very much.
     
  2. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Limerick --

    Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in Acronis
    True Image (http://www.acronis.com/products/trueimage/)!

    Please, can you tell me what problem exactly do you have in creating the image? Please give me a detailed sequence of your steps and what you get from it.

    Thank you.

    --
    Best regards,
    Anton Gromov

    Acronis, Inc.
    395 Oyster Point Blvd. Suite 213
    South San Francisco
    CA 94080 USA
    http://www.acronis.com/

    Acronis... Compute with confidence
     
  3. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Hello Anton,

    Thank you for your answer and sorry for the delay answering you, but my second son is born two nights ago and then life goes a bit faster :D

    So before explaining all what I did previously, I'll try once more after reading again the procedure and I'll come back to tell you the result, I hope next week-end.

    Just to confirm I'm right : it is possible to make a ready-to-use image of a laptop restored on an desktop (so totally different hardware), without "destroying" the one which the image is made of (...I want to use it untill it crashes, if it happens some day...).

    Regards, :)
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2004
  4. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Lim --

    Congrats on the birth of the son :)

    Yeah, if you restore an image of your laptop to your desktop it would be ready to work right after restoring. But as you say the hardware is different - you need to use a Sysprep prior to creating the image. More information on that matter is available here -

    http://www.acronis.com/products/trueimage/faq.html#17

    Thank you.

    --
    Best regards,
    Anton Gromov

    Acronis, Inc.
    395 Oyster Point Blvd. Suite 213
    South San Francisco
    CA 94080 USA
    http://www.acronis.com/

    Acronis... Compute with confidence
     
  5. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Anton Acronis Support

    Seeing as you here live a the moment. [If you know what I mean]

    Could Limerick not do a repair install to the OS, with his CD that would correct,
    hardware diffidence, then just do his Windows updates again.

    Just a thought.

    OH, you have gone. :eek:

    With regards,
    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:
     
  6. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello The Quest --

    Well... a Sysprep way is easier and more reliable I believe...

    It's been tested numerous times and there are very rare any problems when restoring to a different hardware after the Sysprep.

    Thank you.

    --
    Best regards,
    Anton Gromov

    Acronis, Inc.
    395 Oyster Point Blvd. Suite 213
    South San Francisco
    CA 94080 USA
    http://www.acronis.com/

    Acronis... Compute with confidence
     
  7. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Anton Acronis Support

    Thanks for your reply.

    I have read it as Limerick asked as he did not understand it. [Windows written talk :eek: ]

    Nor could I. o_O :oops:

    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:
     
  8. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Hello guys,

    So let me tell you what I did, because it's not successfull :doubt:

    1) First of all, I cleaned and defragged C:
    2) I made a normal Image of C: (in case of...)
    3) I ran setupcl.exe to create sysprep.inf
    4) Then I ran sysprep.exe and checked Pre-activated and Mini-Setup. I let Shutdown.
    5) As I didn't know if I had to choose Reseal or Factory (cause it's not clear for me), I just pressed enter.

    6) Then sysprep ran normally and my laptop shutdown.
    7) Here I might made a mistake : I boot the laptop on Acronis CD-Rom and directly made an Image stored on a network drive.

    8 ) I boot the laptop again and the "setup" changed my laptop as it was new (with all applications and tweaks, but with MSN and other icons on Windows Desktop, which had never been there).
    It's not what I wanted to happen to my laptop I restored it with the image made few minutes before.

    9) Then I boot my desktop with Acronis CD-Rom and restored the image stored on the network drive.

    10) After this, I re-boot my desktop which refused to go farther the Safe Mode screen which appears saying that a problem occured previously (for sure :D ). The desktop re-boot by itself what ever option I choose.

    So now I'm sure there's something I don't understand :doubt:

    What I'd like to have is (if possible) :
    - no changement on my laptop after using Sysprep
    - absolutly same configuration on my desktop (applications, tweaks... etc, like a normal image) after restoring the laptop's image.

    I hope you could understand my english :oops:

    Thanks again
     
  9. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Lim --

    Hmm... it appears that you did everything right...

    If I got you right you did :

    1) Ran Sysprep on your laptop
    2) Rebooted Laptop and booted from Acronis bootable media
    3) Created an Image somewhere to your network
    4) Booted the desktop from Acronis bootable media
    5) Restored from the image stored on the network

    If it is as I described, please can you clarify, what error exactly are you getting when the desktop is booting?

    If you use a sysprep - then your initial OS gets changed a bit - but indeed - you can restore to the initial state just by restoring from an image made before Sysprep - as you did.

    Thank you.

    --
    Best regards,
    Anton Gromov

    Acronis, Inc.
    395 Oyster Point Blvd. Suite 213
    South San Francisco
    CA 94080 USA
    http://www.acronis.com/

    Acronis... Compute with confidence
     
  10. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Limerick

    Your English is perfect have no worries on that. [better than mine :D ]


    Not possible I believe as that is what it does, take away the Abstraction Layer of the present installation.


    Can be done as I described.

    Take care.
    TheQuest :cool:
     
  11. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Hello Anton,

    Yes but I'm not sure of what boxes I've to check :

    - Mini-Setup ? (I did)
    - Pre-activated ? (I did)
    - PnP ? (I did not)
    - NoSIDGen (I did not)

    And after, what button I've to click on to lanch the process :
    - Factory ?
    - Reseal ?
    (Audit remains not clickable)



    In fact I may have made a mistake here (beside my ignorance just above) : I did not made a complete reboot before booting on Acronis bootable media.
    Sysprep just shutdown the computer and then I booted directly on Acronis bootable media... :doubt:



    That is all right



    The desktop boots on the Safe Mode option screen, and what ever option I choose, it stops and boot again on that screen.



    Ok, it's exactly what I did, but I thought I Sysprep could prevent such a restore by letting the system exactly in the same configuration.
    But it's not the most important.



    Thanks again :cool:
     
  12. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    :D Hope it could be ;)



    Ok, understand. It's not the most important. I just need to make a "normal image" before.



    As I say about my english, I'm not sure of your idea... Is it different from the Sysprep procedure described here : http://www.acronis.com/products/trueimage/faq.html#17 ?
     
  13. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Limerick


    Yes.


    See post #5 above.

    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:
     
  14. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    I saw it, but as I told you, not sure of your meaning.

    Because, if I'm right, I could not even boot on a normal image installed on different hardware. So I could not use XP Pro SP1 CD-Rom to repair it, could I ?
     
  15. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Limerick

    This IS important as the Image you trying a put on the other PC, has all the hardware setting and any drivers you have install on the laptop.

    Which will not be on the PC. ie:- make of BIOS, CPU, MotherBoard, Ram, HDD, optical drives, and any updates to these devices.

    And they are the big problem. [yes big] but not biggest.

    The BIGGEST problem is having Ti on TWO computers when [or] you only the license for one, once you have restored the Image [one on laptop one on PC.]

    And WindowsXP license and any other License Software. [one per computer.]

    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2004
  16. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Limerick

    INCORRECT.

    It is possible.

    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:

    PS: I will be back later if you need any help, I need some some rest.
     
  17. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    I think there are some misunderstandings around here.

    Yes I know what you say is very important but it's not what I'm talking about.
    What is not important is to have to do an image before running sysprep in order to restore it just after running sysprep.

    And for the Acronis License you should go read my post n° 1 and 3 up there.
    This is in case of my laptop failure (I don't need two computers running at the same time). By the way, it would be the same for all other softwares ;)


    And you confirm I could reach my goal by making a "normal image" of my laptop, retore it on my desktop, and before booting on the drive, boot on the XP Pro Cd-Rom, make arepair, and then, boot on the drive as if it has always been there ? Everything will run smoothky ?

    If it is, it seems to be far simple then using sysprep. :eek:


    EDIT : I tried your method The Quest.... I failed :doubt:
    Exactly same result : a very fast BSOD, reboot, Safe Mode page, very fast BSOD, reboot... etc... Something I missed ?
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2004
  18. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Limerick

    YES! I believe.

    But need to know if I can help further. :doubt:


    What you are trying to do is in essence the same as [but with one BIG DIFFERENCE]

    Moving a HDD with an operating system from computer A and putting it in computer B.


    Then you put another HHD in computer B and install a new system. [New CD and licence]

    Or sell it or give it away or dump it. [Your choice]


    That is I believe to be legal, BUT you still cannot do better then reinstall a new system because of the abstraction layer.


    But and this is the BIG DIFFERENCE


    Your way you have OS working in A and the same OS again in B with the same operating system Windows CD, and licensed software. [Two Computers]

    I do not believe this is legal even as a test. [I may be wrong.]

    And I do no wont to be accused of helping or conspiring to help break any licensing laws, either local or International.

    Or accused of helping or conspiring to help to defraud any persons, be the vendors Individuals or Company’s etc, [Countries] of monies or taxes.

    Other than that I will be very happy to give you all the help to accomplish what you are trying to.

    I will ask for some advice from Paul Wilders and his team of Moderators.

    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:
     
  19. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Ok I understand, but let me tell you again exactly what I want to do, and why.

    My laptop works perfectly. If someday it falls down on the ground, I want to be able to continue my work.

    My idea is to make an image which could work on another computer (desktop) only if necessary. This desktop is my wife's computer for the moment.

    You say you don't know if it's legal even for a test. OK.

    What I can do is to format the laptop during the test on the desktop (it would be 5 minutes long). Then format the desktop and re-install the image on the laptop.

    So there would be only one computer running at the same time during these 5 minutes of test. Could be all right ?


    But I hope Anton could help me when answering my question post n°11 ;)
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2004
  20. TheQuest

    TheQuest Registered Member

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    Hi, Limerick

    This is what I not understand.

    In this priviest thread you asked some questions.

    I said what could try and you said you had read it, but did not say you had tried it.

    Did not come back and say that is did not work, and was getting BSOD.

    If you had, no bother I would have said try the OS CD repair, and you would
    have said It is not working, and I would have asked what you were trying.

    You would have said what you was doing in the CD repair to get a very fast BSOD, reboot, Safe Mode page, very fast BSOD, reboot Loop.

    And you still have not said what you tried in the repair.

    WindowsXP CD BootDisk is a very Powerfull Disk Repair and Editing tool.

    But instead started this current thread here.

    This is the priviest thread over here and the part I am talking about is this:- #3

    Wonting to help,
    Take Care,
    TheQuest :cool:
     
  21. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Limerick --

    Regarding your question - as I mentioned above - please write the full sequence of your actions along with the results and configurations of yoru systems (OS, hardware) to Acronis Support - support@acronis.com, as it would be way faster to help you this way.

    Thank you.

    --
    Best regards,
    Anton Gromov

    Acronis, Inc.
    395 Oyster Point Blvd. Suite 213
    South San Francisco
    CA 94080 USA
    http://www.acronis.com/

    Acronis... Compute with confidence
     
  22. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    I said the 4th of June, at 4:57 PM (edited message) :

    You answered the same day at 11:10, so you may have read this above.


    Never mind ;)


    So what I did to try your method is :

    1) Restore a "Normal Image" (not Sysprep prepared)
    2) Boot on XP Pro SP1 CD-Rom.
    3a) Chose "Repair"
    3b) Chose "Install XP" then "Repair XP"
    3c) Pressed F2 for ASR with a floppy made previously

    Each time, after the reboot I have a so fast BSOD (like a flash) that I can't read. Then the computer reboots and goes to Safe Mode options page ( XP CD-Rom is removed).

    What else could I do ?

    I'll try also with Acronis Aupport ;)


    Thank's for all The Quest :)
     
  23. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Hello Anton,

    Did you receive my mail sent on Monday ?

    Was it clear enough ?

    Thanks again,
     
  24. sav

    sav Registered Member

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    I believe this is your problem. You need to activate PnP in sysprep for Windows to redetect your new desktop hardware on that first bootup on the desktop. If that still doesn't work, I suspect you are imaging across CPU makers, naming from a AMD machine to an Intel machine or vice versa.
     
  25. Limerick

    Limerick Registered Member

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    Hello sav,

    Thanks for your help.
    I tried with PnP checked, but no more success... :(

    There's maybe no solution for me o_O
     
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