Instant Recovery and w7 to w10 inplace upgrade.

Discussion in 'FirstDefense-ISR Forum' started by Longboard, Nov 30, 2019.

  1. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    'Lo all

    Have to move to w10.
    Looking for simple solutions and testing base.

    Just wanting to check in re doing a test inplace upgrade from w7 to w10 in an ISR snapshot.
    Any experience?
    Any insights?

    Thx, Longboard
     
  2. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Way back I did an FDISR recovery going back to XP from W7. But I no longer actively us FDISR. Reason. Huge use of diskspace and it's way so slow compared to a Macrium restore. My other concern was Raxco added protection for ransomware attacks on other snapshots to the business version, but not the personal version. That was a huge marketing error in my opinion.

    Pete
     
  3. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    OK
    I have the biz version :)
    I have had stable setup with FDIR/StorageCraft/VMWare/TeraByte for a while: could be a bit clunky. :doubt:
    I should probably check out

    Do you have a suggestion for an imager/recovery optiopn to set up a trial upgrade ??

    Could macrium do that.

    ( I guess I could do a VM ??)

    L'board
     
  4. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    When I've upgraded my system to Win 10, I always imaged win 7 first. Then I'd image the win 10 system. Can go back in forth but they are all full restores.
     
  5. pandlouk

    pandlouk Registered Member

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    Hi LongBoard,
    I haven't done any upgrade from 7 to 10 with IR installed.
    I suspect that windows will try to move the snapshots in the "windows.old" folder and the installation would take much longer to complete (could be the reason that raxco added the security driver).
     
  6. chrome_sturmen

    chrome_sturmen Registered Member

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    Longboard - did you work out a way to implement it to your satisfaction?
     
  7. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    Thankyou :)
    Sorry been away and busy:

    Yes; after scouring my usual help sites and seeking advice from Wilders inhouse expertise: with some planning and preparation; actually went very well.
    So many fail points: ocasional sweaty moments.

    As per original question re ISR and snapshots: checked with Raxco: advice was that due to the boot sequence changes, could possibly brick the PC if I tried to do the W10 upgrade in an ISR snapshot, so likely not worth it.
    Uninstalled ISR (and removed snapshots too) after advice from Raxco.

    Planned a strategy for possible failure/screwups & if required, BM recovery options
    Checked the Lenovo support for any known glitches.
    Dreaded the thought of having to reinstall and reregister my baseline apps.
    Put aside a full day :cautious:

    I probably made the process more complex than needed with extra layers of redundancy.
    ...bit of a plodder here :rolleyes:...but almost all my records, docs etc are now digital; and I have been burnt before !
    My layout of OS and data/program files on HD is now being reorganized and compartmentalised a bit better..

    Simplified:
    4 yo Lenovo PC with "special folders" and partitions, some boot time apps :
    - cleaned up any "trick apps" I had set up
    - suspended any boot and real time apps/antimalware etc.
    - updated all the Lenovo software, drivers, BIOS etc
    - updated W7.
    - no Bitlocker/encyrption
    - cleaned up any junk files & defragged

    - created RE rescue discs with IFW/Terabyte & Macrium: then backups with Terabyte and Macrium to ext HDD: whole disc and partitions

    Believe it or not: virtually trouble free in-place online upgrade via MS site and the upgrade tools
    (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10) from W7 to W10: registered 10 yo W7 license automatically (bonus!)

    Almost seamless: Couple of reboot problems: Had to do a couple of Dism.exe passes to clean up new install.
    Interesting tool and proved usefull.

    Subsequently:
    No personal files lost.
    No apps lost or rejected by W10.
    Restarted all my specific apps...couple of readjustments: W10 alters some defaults.
    Peripherals (printers, screens, Synolopgy NAS etc) all good.
    Local network up and running without a hitch.
    Email clients all good.
    No re-installs required!
    No re-registrations required.
    Confirmed all personal settings in place.
    Checked partitions.
    Updated Office and W10.
    Reinstalled ISR just for the sake of it (still one of the all time great apps: just not sure how I will use it now I have some xperience with Macrium and of course Terabyte apps)
    W10 auto updated a couple of older apps such as HP MFP drivers and GUI.

    Imaged new W10.
    Tested with a couple of imaging runs to NAS/HDD and restores with IFW and Macrium (knowing I had the W7 and W10 images on ext HDD): all good.

    With that experience and template for the process tested; went ahead and upgraded 3 other Desktops and 2 laptops without issue.
    Always knew the whole process would take a couple of hrs/PC; no shortcuts.
    All my HW is Lenovo so 'template' applicable across the household.

    So far all good.
    Not hating W10: pretty snappy so far.
    Dont really care about lots of the "features" of W10: turned lots of automatic options off.
    Some relearning of different GUI options.
    All my special apps working well.
    Resent the W10 SAS approach re updates and opt in "features" and defaults that need constant culling: I'm sure I'm not alone.
    Some loss of granular control that I was used to with W7.

    Have re-established backup/imaging routines to local NAS and failover HDD. (Heh, still have the W7 Images jic)
    Updated my expertise re RE and imaging apps !
    Just now experimenting with cloud based backups

    So, relatively seamless if somewhat time consuming experience.:geek:
    Cannot recommend strongly enough: Terabyte, &, as a new user,so far: Macrium.

    Hope that doesnt sound too ridiculous.:argh:
    Regards.

    Respect and thanks: Peter, Panagiotis, Brian.:thumb:
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2020
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