Can you image one PC and install on another?

Question

first off: I DON'T CARE ABOUT DATA - this is about lots of software that's been installed and configured on XP Pro.

All the software I find (Symantec Ghost, Acronis True Image) talk about restoring on the same machine. Can I image my pc/laptop (operating system and all) and deploy it on another pc/laptop. If so, are there PC to laptop issues or vice versa?

here's the scenario: If my PC or laptop gets stolen I want to buy another one and re-image it from CD/DVD so it's exactly like my lost machine and I won't have to spend 50+ hours installing and configuring applications.

Thanks!

Answer 1

any program that can copy a drive can make a duplicate drive but when you use windows it will note the hardware change and will no longer be an authentic version recognized by Microsoft

Answer 2

You theoretically can, but in reality it's a pain and not as good as you might at first think.

If the new machine is identical then you are ok (that's why the software talks about reinstalling on the same machine). However, if it's a different machine then it will almost certainly have different drivers needed for the graphics, etc.

Also, you will never really be that sure that your backup is up to date and remember that a full software backup is often huge. You'll certainly struggle with DVDs to get a full image on a reasonable number and will have to use some form of removable hard drive backup probably.

That's why people back up data, not applications. The data is much harder to replace, the applications are better just being reinstalled from the original installation disks and at least that way you'll get a full new clean install without any concerns about motherboard conflicts, drivers, etc.

You can't just backup a copy of the apps and reinstall the apps on top of a clean OS either as most apps on windows will stick stuff all over the windows directories as well.

So, make sure you back up your apps on to installation disks first. That's why preloaded apps aren't as good as they sometimes seem when offered with a new computer. When you come to reinstall a crashed system you need the original installation disks or you're screwed.

Answer 3

You can, but if you restore the image on to a machine with different hardware inside it can cause problems, like failing to boot. In this case boot from your windows CD and instead of doing a fresh install, choose repair. You may also need drivers for the new machine. Doesn't always work but works a lot of the time.

Answer 4

you can indeed but if the hardware (mobo, vga card, etc) are not the same then you are lkely to have multiple driver problems. You should be able to resolve these but in order make that as painless as possible download all the necessary drivers beforehand and that way you can immediately respond to windows requests for drivers for new hardware.

Answer 5

unlikely. you may attempt to partition your disc right into a C and a D force. Then flow your archives to the D force and set up your o/s onto C. yet once you're restoring to production unit settings, there is not any assure. maximum of those in basic terms wipe your finished disc and start up up lower back. safer to get an exterior disc and backup that way. you additionally can seem at M$ who enable you save as much as 20Gb on line for loose.

Answer 6

Youll have alot of problems unless the Hardware in both machines is the same.

Answer 7

You should only us mirroring software on another computer if they share the exact hardware configuration.
This is how we fix corrupt systems at a large call center.

A better alternative would be creating a slipstream disc.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGIC,GGIC:2006-22,GGIC:en&q=creating+a+slipstream+cd

Answer 8

you can do it with Norton ghost, you will need to reinstall all the drivers if you don't use the same hardware in booth computers

Answer 9

yes, if it contains an identical hardware setup.