Serious Discussion You need a new PC. But you don't want to spend days getting it set up the way you like it, so you do this instead.

[Kwan ST]

I still use sysprep in VM to prepare gold image with all the tweaks and programs. For drivers on different machines I'm using Drivers Cloud

 

[pxxb1]

It can take literally multiple hours, or even days to get your new install of Windows 11, just the way you like it, with all your software installed, and settings to your preference.

If I have a clean install, with everything just the way I want it, and I make a backup with Macrium Reflect. Can it be used in the following manner…

You have to buy a new PC.

You install just the basic Windows 11, and nothing else from a media creation tool. (This just contains basic Windows 11, and the drivers, Microsoft chooses for your new PC)

Then you reboot using your Macrium USB. You select the image from your external or internal data hard drive, and restore the image of Windows, that is setup just the way you like it, with all your software.

The redeploy feature will normally ask for a source for the new drivers, but they are already on the New PC, as you just did a basic Windows 11 install.

I would think that the image (that you spent days making) will overwrite the drivers, of the basic vanilla Windows 11 install.

But maybe there is a way to just have all the software ported over without the drivers. Surely this is feasible as all drivers are kept in one location in Windows.

This seems like an easy way to do this, and would literally take 30-45 Minutes vs days.


Just thinking, of ways to handle this situation if it ever occurs.

The problem with just moving an image from 1 Pc to another is driver compatibility. There can be problems going from, lets say Lenovo to HP. Thats why it is recommended to do a fresh install. But, the way around it is to fresh install, do a backup of all drivers, employ the former image to the Pc and then install the backed up drivers. This usually works, dependent on your softwares.

But actually i have had few problems when just employing the image and no more action. So i often find myself wondering why the recommendation to fresh install.

 

[roger_m]

The problem with just moving an image from 1 Pc to another is driver compatibility. There can be problems going from, lets say Lenovo to HP.

Only in exceptionally rare cases. For example my current install of Windows has been on about four PCs of varying brands. Ever since Vista, Windows has been smart enough to recognise when it's running on new hardware. On the first boot, it will remove any drivers for devices that do no exist in the new PC and where it has suitable drivers, it will install them for devices that weren't in the old PC and therefore that don't already have a driver installed. Once Windows has finished booting, there may be some devices with missing drivers, but these are often installed via Windows Update and it's no different to doing a clean install of Windows, where there also often will be devices with missing drivers.

I've done this countless times over the years and have only had issues once. That install of Windows was badly corrupted and it would seem that Windows was unable to remove the drivers for the old hardware and as a result, I'd get a BSOD when booting. I was able to eventually fix the issue, by backing up the SSD and doing a restore to dissimilar hardware, using the paid Pro version of AOMEI Backupper. I tried the same with Macrium Reflect before that with no success. However it is an extreme example and the most practical option would have been to do a clean install. But that's something I only do as an absolute last resort, if I can't fix an issue myself.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

I'll spend about 20 minutes installing software these days, a few tweaks with services (about 10 disabled) , a few firewall rules, install ESET or Avast/ then install AppGuard/OSArmor & one of Andy Ful's or danb's software depending on the day and then I'm done. I use spend hours tweaking this and that with new installs but now there isn't much point. BackUp with Hasleo or Macrium!

 

[Sorrento]

Only in exceptionally rare cases. For example my current install of Windows has been on about four PCs of varying brands. Ever since Vista, Windows has been smart enough to recognise when it's running on new hardware. On the first boot, it will remove any drivers for devices that do no exist in the new PC and where it has suitable drivers, it will install them for devices that weren't in the old PC and therefore that don't already have a driver installed. Once Windows has finished booting, there may be some devices with missing drivers, but these are often installed via Windows Update and it's no different to doing a clean install of Windows, where there also often will be devices with missing drivers.

I've done this countless times over the years and have only had issues once. That install of Windows was badly corrupted and it would seem that Windows was unable to remove the drivers for the old hardware and as a result, I'd get a BSOD when booting. I was able to eventually fix the issue, by backing up the SSD and doing a restore to dissimilar hardware, using the paid Pro version of AOMEI Backupper. I tried the same with Macrium Reflect before that with no success. However it is an extreme example and the most practical option would have been to do a clean install. But that's something I only do as an absolute last resort, if I can't fix an issue myself.

That is absolutely true, though if this has been done years ago all you would get was a blue screen but over recent times Windows does sort itself out, there is a difference between what happened historically & what happens now...

 

[roger_m]

That is absolutely true, though if this has been done years ago all you would get was a blue screen but over recent times Windows does sort itself out, there is a difference between what happened historically & what happens now...

With XP, Windows was not smart enough to recognise if it was running on different hardware. As a result, it would load the drivers for the hardware in the old PC, which would typically lead to a BSOD when booting. It could sometimes be fixed by booting from XP installation media and doing a Repair Install. A Repair Install is unrelated to the largely ineffective startup repair introduced with Vista. Running a Repair Install is the same as doing a In-Place Upgrade which you do by running the Windows setup from within Windows. But of course you can only do an In-Place Upgrade, if your PC is able to boot. With Vista, the option to do a repair install was sadly removed. But at least, the issue with the wrong drivers was fixed. However there were other causes of Windows not being able to boot, that could sometimes be fixed by running a Repair Install, so it's removal was a big loss in my opinion.

 

[lokamoka820]

Even though I store all my data on Microsoft OneDrive and there are websites like Ninite and winstall that make software installation a one-step process, I haven't done a clean installation in about 10 years now.

 

[annaegorov]

I still use sysprep in VM to prepare gold image with all the tweaks and programs. For drivers on different machines I'm using Drivers Cloud

I made this image per your reccommendation. If I ever need to use it. I will run it thru Macrium Redeploy, and get the drivers from the Manf, and AMD

TY

 

[Sorrento]

Even though I store all my data on Microsoft OneDrive and there are websites like Ninite and winstall that make software installation a one-step process, I haven't done a clean installation in about 10 years now.

I haven't done a clean install in One hundred Billion years

 

[piquiteco]

I haven't done a clean install in One hundred Billion years

I don't like formatting too much either. I install the basics and update Windows. Once everything is working perfectly, I create a backup image. After that, I do incremental backups. At this point, I decide whether to use third-party antivirus software. If any problems arise, I simply restore the backup image. BTW, is everything okay with you? Are you feeling better? Has your wife been discharged from the hospital? I hope you and your family are doing well. I wish you all a speedy recovery. I'm glad to see you here on MT chatting with people, and I'll be even happier to know that everything is okay with you?

 

[TairikuOkami]

I have perfected my clean setup script, but I actually have not done a clean install in 2 years, because I use Canary, so I get an upgrade each week. I should really try it.

The problem is, that my PC considers my secondary SSD as a primary, so I have to clean both SSDs, essentially remove all partitions, Windows, games, docs, backups. Start fresh.

 

[annaegorov]

I have perfected my clean setup script, but I actually have not done a clean install in 2 years, because I use Canary, so I get an upgrade each week. I should really try it.

The problem is, that my PC considers my secondary SSD as a primary, so I have to clean both SSDs, essentially remove all partitions, Windows, games, docs, backups. Start fresh.

Yikes