Migrating to a new PC with a Image from old PC?

I have an XP PC and want to buy a new XP computer that's faster. Am I able to simply Acronis copy the image of the disk from the old computer and clone it to the new PC's disk, and then let it search for the correct drivers when it boots, and be on my way?

Or is there some problem that stops me from doing this?

Thanks.

 

It is done and you may get away with it but you might have to do a repair from the XP disk. You can also look into things like Microsoft's Sysprep which makes migrating PCI devices a bit cleaner and you should set the video to generic VGA before cloning since the graphics cards are likely different. Windows activation will need to be done too.

I personally see a new machine as the time to do a fresh install and get rid of all the garbage I no longer use and to refresh my brain's RAM on how I set things up. Of course, it takes time but if it fails I know that it isn't because I tried to migrate the OS from a different PC.

 

Hello slobizman,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for delayed response.

If the new hardware is not too different from the original, such migration is definately possible (by using Acronis True Image 11 Home, for example). However, in case of significant hardware difference, the resulting system may fail to boot, since it lacks the crucial drivers installed. Acronis solution for transferring of a system to different hardware is Acronis Universal Restore. Acronis Universal Restore technology provides an efficient solution for hardware-independent system restoration by replacing the crucial Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) and mass storage device drivers.

Note that Acronis Universal Restore is a plug-in for corporate versions of Acronis True Image and in your case we would recommend that you use Acronis True Image Echo Workstation.

Acronis Universal Restore is used with image archives and you can find basic instructions on how to use it here. Detailed instructions can be found in the Acronis True Image Echo Workstation User's Guide.

We recommend you to download and install the free trial version of Acronis True Image Echo Workstation to see how the software works on your computer. With the trial version of the product you will be able to fully use the Windows version for 15 days. The bootable rescue media will be limited to restore function.

Please also be aware that the trial version of Acronis Universal Restore is not available on Acronis web site. In order to obtain the trial version of Acronis Universal Restore please contact Acronis Support Team. Explain your wish to obtain the free trial version of Acronis Universal Restore and provide your personal information (full name; phone number along with the area code; company name, if any) along with the link to this thread. We'll provide you with the free trial version of Acronis Universal Restore as soon as possible.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

There are a couple of ways to do this. One involves the use of Acronis Universal Restore which is an extra cost add-on to the Workstation versions of True Image.
Another way, which I used only yesterday, is to change the video display adapter on the old pc to the "Standard VGA Adapter" and then make the Backup Image of the system. Then with the bootable True Image Rescue Media cd, boot with it on the new computer and use the Recovery feature to restore the Image. After the restore is done and you boot the new system for the first time it will go through a whole host of "Found New Hardware" items. Let it finish - it will take some time. When that is done, look in Device Manager and see which items need drivers to be installed and instal those.

 

As I read the responses so far:

1. Try it, it may just work
2. Reinstall from scratch
3. DL Acronis TI Echo Workstation and use Universal Restore
4. Make another tib having changed the video driver to Std VGA and use *it*

I realize that ATI is meant only to recover from hard drive failures, not PC failures, and it's not intended to make "upgrades" easy, but one sure has to look past a load of marketing hype to ferret-out this simple fact. Indeed, the advertising for ATI11 includes something called "Migrate Easy" -- but there ain't nothing easy about it and Acronis has admitted here (and elsewhere) that it may not even work!

OK, flame-off: Dunno slobizman if you're an average user or a computer "expert" but here's the deal--your new computer comes pre-loaded with everything to allow it boot-up properly, including a specialized BIOS (firmware that communicates between your new hardware and the Operating System & applications) as well as drivers for your OS that work specifically with your display card/hardware and anything else that might be special about the new PC. The image you've made of your old PC's hard drive may have everything it needs, when plunked-in to your new PC, to work properly, and since you're migrating XP-to-XP there's some chance. But maybe not.

Here's what I'd do I think when I get the new computer:

1. Boot the new PC using ATI's boot disk, and make a good tib backup of the virginal/never-yet-booted drive therein (assuming you have a USB backup drive that you save your TIBs to).

2. Now boot the new PC normally, and verify that it comes-up and the new hardware seems A-OK and you haven't bought a dead computer.

3a. Making sure you have a backup of your old PC's drive, install the old drive into the new computer and see if you can get it to boot. If yes and you like how it works, there you are. You can make a tib of this old drive (that's now tweaked for the new computer) at a later time, and transfer that image into the new drive if you want.

OR

3b. Maybe the old drive's an IDE and the new doesn't have an IDE, or you just don't want to mess with hardware swaps. Try booting the new PC with ATI's boot disk and recovering your old .tib to it. If it boots, Ok, if not, recover to that virginal backup you made and start over.

If the above seems confusing to you, go with seekforever's suggestion of starting from scratch i.e. leaving the PC as-shipped and installing your apps & data to it. This assures you have the Manufacturer's Recommended OS setup & drivers in that PC, and you can use the .tib backup you made (mount-and-explore), or your old computer itself, to show/remind you what apps you have to re-install, and to retrieve all the data you had as well.