Restore or clone to new hardware

Hello,

I've had Acronis True Image for 1-2 months. I have used the software for the disk clone feature when using the same hardware, and for creating back up images. Seems to work okay for these purposes. The primary image and subsequent images that I have verified have tested okay, thus far.

My concern is that in the event of hardware failure requiring a new system (hardware), is True Image the best best solution? My understanding is that when restoring/cloning a hard drive in a new system, you either need to do a disk repair after the restore/clone or need to run the Sysprep feature prior to the image creation/clone.

I am running Win2000 and the repair feature was not accessible when booting from the Win2000 install disc. The OS "could not be found" and I was instructed to repair from a bootable floppy. I didn't have my repair floppy and gave up at this point. I did not run Sysprep on my "old" machine prior to the cloning.

What does everyone else use TI for? Simply precaution for hard drive ONLY failure? Or are people using TI for installation of new hardware, with the Sysprep preparation? Can I get some opinions of using the Sysprep feature and does it really work when restore/cloning to new hardware? Will the Sysprep feature do any damage to the "old" machine? Thank you!

 

Personally, I would never use an image that was created for different hardware. However, that's just me. I don't upgrade operating systems either. New hardware = new install for me. New OS = new install for me. Call me simple, but I never have the issues others seem to have.

 

Hi Simple

I agree 100%. Trying to move an operating system and applications to a new computer with very different hardware is just asking for life or Bill Gates to kick you in the... pick a place that is very painful.

New hardware = new install for me. New OS = new install for me, too.

 

Thanks for the responses. So you use TI simply for cloning/restoring to a present/"old" system? I agree that for this purpose TI is great. But what if the hardware "breaks"? What do you do?

But I'm looking for something that could image/back up everything (assuming all is working well) and restore to old or new hardware. I'm lazy and want something fast/easy and works. I don't want to reinstall everything, configure network settings, map drives, etc.

Any other solutions or ideas? Thank you.

 

Hire a consultant to set up your new hardware. That's fast, easy and works.

The Settings Transfer Wizard in Windows XP can move many of the settings. There are application movers such as Aloha Bob which work on standard software but not everything. But, the operating system needs to be cleanly installed along with the necessary drivers for the new hardware.

 

If the hardware breaks...

Typically, I would replace the component. Honestly, it's rare that my hardware breaks. If it did however, I'd do a reinstall if I had to replace the motherboard, and probably just new drivers (if necessary) for most anything else.

A new machine would still be a new OS install. I might mount a backup of my most recent image so I could extract files from it (emails, favorites, etc.) but I'd still install a clean version of the OS.

Saving a couple of hours by doing a restore doesn't make up the difference of having invalid video card, sound card, motherboard chipset, network card, etc. drivers loaded for hardware I no longer have. Also, will you go into the settings of every necessary application and redo any items that differed from your original setup? For instance, you have a sound blaster 16 today, and your new machine has 7.1 sound. You need to go into each of your games and change the sound type (assuming your restore changed the necessary settings within Windows itself).

Way too many things to consider, and infinite difficulty to straighten out when (not if) things start not working as they should. You'll always be wondering if it's a driver problem, hardware problem, or a problem because you restored an image that was based on different hardware.

Not trying to paint a totally ugly picture, but these are the reasons for my conclusion.

 

Points taken. Has anyone even tried the Sysprep utility and able to offer some opinion on the process and/or effectiveness? Thank you.

 

Sysprep is not the solution in case of hardware failure and restore to new hardware. With XP, just do an in place upgrade installation (repair install) of Windows XP using your non-OEM windows XP boot CD:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341
(method 2)

also:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/repaxp.htm

If you can't do a repair install with your win2000 disk, then there's really not much else you can do but a clean install.

Good luck

 

Thanks all.

 

~Mod Note....Edited out personal attacks....Bubba~

"New hardware = new install for me. New OS = new install for me, too."

What if new installs are TOO lenghthy, or you have to install 50 new computers...what'd you do, huh?

Here's my 2 cents: Use sysprep prior to creating the image. The only way you'd get this image to load in the new computer is if you have the same motheboard chipset, otherwise you are out of luck. You can try different approaches like removing the ENUM keys from the registry, or creating an image from a VMWare virtual machine. If your motherboards are both Intel you might get lucky and they'll work, but if they are different vendors or different chipsets you'll have to reinstall from scratch.

 

Gee, another dumb answer that new hardware means you should do a clean install. I'm glad we are in agreement.

If I had 50 computers of the same model with the same motherboard and video card, I'd use Sysprep. That's what it's for. But the question was what to do if I buy a NEW computer. That certainly implies that the hardware will be very different, probably next generation with a different chipset and video, etc. So, time for a clean install. If you buy 49 more just like it, use Sysprep and clone the others. OK?

 

@ Just a visitor,

In the future....Please be a little more respectful in adding your 2 cents. There is no need for personal attacks on your perceived opinion concerning other members\guests posts.

 

I will reply in my 2 cents ...
0) Backup ALL
1) Run the windows reinstall ...wait for the frist reboot, shutdown the computer
2) Run Acronis TI from CD or some other imaging software BUT not from the HD
3) Take image from HD

4) Deploy it on new hardware, (thats all folks)