Windows 11 Upgrade?

[BrunoBæ]

Hey just a question that comes to my mind.
Will it be possible to mount my Win7 HD - with Win7 and all my utils and programs - on my next PC as an alternative to the new Win10/11 install.
I mean is there a way to have the possibility to boot the old Win7 system up on a new PC - without having to change anything on the Win7 HD?

BæTheWay: I guess not. But it would be a great way to slowly (step by step) to figure out to transfer some of the utils and progs from the old to the new PC.

 

[Neilski]

I think the main problem with upgrading OSes is people don't do proper backups.
You should be able to install either OS including all drivers, apps, shortcuts, registry
exactly how you have it in under a hour easy.

I'm one of the people that avoids doing reinstallations wherever possible. My go-to disaster recovery technique has for many years been RAID-1 + drive rotation. (Very occasional true backups as well, using a variety of tools.)

What software/tools do you use to make a complete bare-metal installation + reinstallation of drivers/apps (and presumably home spaces) possible within an hour? I doubt I've ever got within a factor of 5 of that.

 

[Neilski]

Hey just a question that comes to my mind.
Will it be possible to mount my Win7 HD - with Win7 and all my utils and programs - on my next PC as an alternative to the new Win10/11 install.
I mean is there a way to have the possibility to boot the old Win7 system up on a new PC - without having to change anything on the Win7 HD?

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: I guess not. But it would be a great way to slowly (step by step) to figure out to transfer some of the utils and progs from the old to the new PC.

In my experience, that'd be a "maybe". Sometimes the OS responds nicely to new/changed hardware and copes (finding new drivers as needed); other times you'll get a boot failure, boot loop, or hang. You will also have the Windows licence system complaining at you of course even if it does boot properly, but you might be able to get over that if at least some of the other hardware (other than the disk) has been carried over to the new system.

 

[BrunoBæ]

Thank you @Neilski .
That was what I feared.
Hehe nothing from my ooold system wil be mounted into the new PC.
Conserning the licence thing I could probably solve that - but my solution with the Win7 system/HD are probably going to be running 2 PCs for some time.
And then transfer some of the programs from the oldie from time to time.

BæTheWay: Conserning backups (as discussed above) I have allways(since 2010) been running Acronis True Image backup - from a bootable CD.
So the few times I have had a suspicion of something nasty entering my antivirus free system - I have just reloaded the last C:\ backup in about 5-9 min - and voila...

 

[Neilski]

Thank you @Neilski .
That was what I feared.
Hehe nothing from my ooold system wil be mounted into the new PC.
Conserning the licence thing I could probably solve that - but my solution with the Win7 system/HD are probably going to be running 2 PCs for some time.
And then transfer some of the programs from the oldie from time to time.

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: Conserning backups (as discussed above) I have allways(since 2010) been running Acronis True Image backup - from a bootable CD.
So the few times I have had a suspicion of something nasty entering my antivirus free system - I have just reloaded the last C:\ backup in about 5-9 min - and voila...

Well, you can always have a basically painless try at the "old disk in new PC" approach, either by just cloning the old disk onto another disk and plugging it in, or by restoring your backup onto a new disk and seeing if it even boots on the new hardware. If yes, you can then consider whether/how to solve the licence problem.

 

[BrunoBæ]

"old disk in new PC"

Will I try.
I mean nothing very fatal can happen

 

[Durge Driven]

What software/tools do you use to make a complete bare-metal installation + reinstallation of drivers/apps (and presumably home spaces) possible within an hour? I doubt I've ever got within a factor of 5 of that.

Since W7 I subscribed to TrueImage with images used to take minutes to restore.
Problem was you were always syncing and updating them.

Early in on W10 life I changed to manual installs.
I use 980 Pro as primary drive. Only 100GB is used for C:\SYSTEM
D:\SYSTEM

1. Disable internet.
2. Fresh USB media tool, delete the 4 partitions and let setup make the same ones ( click NEXT)
On USB this takes roughly 5-7 minutes.
3. Manual run Malicious Software Removal tool
4. Manual run of all Windows updates: windows 10.0-kb5023696, windows10.0-kb5022502, windows10.0-kb5012170 ( I never install previews )
5. Manual DirectX and Visual C++ Runtimes All in One
6. Copy over saved archive to C:\ includes Windows PC Health files and all files for standalone programs ( 50 ) including program data and appdata.
Standalone tools reside on 1TB external SSD that is shared between my 2 gaming towers through Orico 15 port hub.

​

 

[RCHeliguy]

Sadly the last time I did a fresh OS install on my development system, that was followed by 2 weeks of installing and setting up software, followed by a settling out period.

 

[Durge Driven]

What software/tools do you use to make a complete bare-metal installation + reinstallation of drivers/apps (and presumably home spaces) possible within an hour? I doubt I've ever got within a factor of 5 of that.

THIS IS HOW YOU CUT THOSE 5 HOURS TO 1 HOUR.

Since Windows 7 I had subscribed to Trueimage.
Pro: Took 5 minutes to restore OS.
Con: Sim Operating Systems go through changes everyday.

About 4 years ago I started doing manual installs again.
I have always liked doing fresh OS, finding the different ways it's affected depending on the exact order and method you install things and through that finding the best way.

Main Ingredients
===============
I run 2 towers main gaming and gaming/everyday tower. Both are X570 chipset which helps.
Gaming tower uses 1TB 980 Pro 100GB for Windows and the rest for 1st Steam drive
Other tower uses 256GB 960 60GB for Windows rest for Steam drive ( chess pinball pool etc. )
Orico 15 port hub shared between them, I only ever run 1 tower at a time.
So swapping from 1 PC to the other is 1 click on the display hub and swap 1 USB lead for hub
( no way around that ) so takes me 10 seconds to swap towers.
*** If anyone knows of a 15-20 port "dual input switchable" hub please let me know !

Archives
========
All archives are on a external 1TB SSD that plugs directly to Orico hub. Never ceases to amaze me how well this works.
$4 8GB USB2.0 for W10 media tool resides in hub 24/7. Also used for flashes and to save motherboard profiles.
I have 1 folder for each tower of following.
Copy anytime: this is archive with everything to dump on C:\ for edits to 60 standalone tools and other things like PC Health check, my theme, documents ( only sim files ) 100 things like that.
Copy Once all apps installed: Basically same contains all MS and OpenShell start menus and desktop items.
Manual Registry using Winareo to merge 60 in one click.
‌Winareo tweaks: Makes 80 changes to W10 OS in one click.
The last 2 would save in my estimate 4 hours of tweaking.

Drivers: this archive is extracted as far as possible to allow windows drivers updates manual install through device manager
Apps: I have 8 apps that can't be installed this way ( AVG tuneup, Chrome, Nero, Bandicam, Malwarebytes Pro, NordVPN, NordPass and Open Shell ) You can install both Chrome and Open Shell manually but fresh I found better )
Microsoft: this contains latest Malicious Software Tool, latest windows updates ( 3 at this time), Visual C++ Runtime pack and DirectX.

METHOD:
1. Disable internet
2. Run W10 media tool, delete the 4 partitions and click NEXT letting MS remake the same partitions. Click I don't have internet, etc. etc. 5-7 minutes depending on tower
3. Run Malicious tool before anything is added. 1 minute
4. Run windows updates ( 3 at this time ) I never install previews. Always reboot. 7 minutes
5. Run Runtimes and DirectX. 1 minute
6. Run manual driver installs in Device Manager these are updates windows will install
*** the AMD root complex update windows install can stuff things when it refreshes pcie
display K/B mouse go dead, this can lead to stuff up happening you get unsuccessful installs.
The update is in device manager at System\Root complex 7 minutes
7. Run main driver installs 5 minutes
8. Run all apps ( 8 ) 10 minutes
9. Copy over the Copy anytime archive 1 minute
10.Delete the entire MS start menu for all users including myself. ( Hide the admin folder don't hide files, this removes it from start menu but still available in control panel. 2 minutes
11. Copy over the Copy Once all apps installed archive 1 minute
12. Connect internet.
13. Run windows updates. ( 1 update 2 malware 1 anti virus ) 1 minute

Finished 45 minutes, say 1 hour making coffee.
At that stage OS is identical as I left it.


*** Install iRacing and Forza in background ( Forza special small partition just for it )
I only do them if I wanted to use which is not likely.

So you can see the registry tweaks are where I save your 4 hours
Along with having 60 standalone programs. You be surprised just how much you can do but again unless you test them all against a fresh OS you will never know.

Of course this takes many installs many tweaks to get just right and may need updating now and again but that takes no time really.
I am always fine tuning and tweaking little things but again seldom needed these days.


SO 6.5GB OF FILES CRAFTED OVER YEARS
3400G and 5600X are the 2 CPU of course, APPS ( 8) DRIVERS and MICROSOFT is it.

 

[Neilski]

This bit from your initial reply had me a little puzzled:

6. Copy over saved archive to C:\ includes Windows PC Health files and all files for standalone programs ( 50 ) including program data and appdata.

but then the second reply clarified it nicely with this:

Manual Registry using Winareo to merge 60 in one click.
‌Winareo tweaks: Makes 80 changes to W10 OS in one click.
The last 2 would save in my estimate 4 hours of tweaking.

and this:

So you can see the registry tweaks are where I save your 4 hours
Along with having 60 standalone programs ( you be surprised just how much you can do but again unless you test them all against a fresh OS you will never know.

I've occasionally contemplated using tools which capture the delta to the registry upon installation of a piece of software but I've never tried it yet. Sounds like that approach is working nicely for you.
Part of why I haven't attempted it though is that some apps are "clean" and only update the registry, while others dump varying amounts of crucial stuff in extra places like AppData and seem to be crippled without that stuff. How do you work around problems like that? (Maybe I just never gave it a chance.)

 

[Durge Driven]

Sorry I said 60 apps it's 50 apps.
The only ones I need to install of these is Bandicam and Motec.
Also PowerIso but I only ever use that on the 3400G to do a fresh Grand Prix Legends ( to mount CD image )
All the rest there run standalone, a few need credentials entered when first started is all.

Remember with apps on portable SSD run through the Orico hub so both towers get access
This negates having to alter 2 versions of everything again halving time needed to do stuff.
The registry tweaks differ for the 2 towers that is why they both have their own.
There are a few other apps need to be on C:\ drive to run .
These get copied over in the archive.

 

[Neilski]

Apps: I have 8 apps that can't be installed this way ( AVG tuneup, Chrome, Nero, Bandicam, Malwarebytes Pro, NordVPN, NordPass and Open Shell ) You can install both Chrome and Open Shell manually but fresh I foind better )

Yeah I just realised I also missed this ^^ bit in your description

 

[Durge Driven]

Another thing I have to do manually fits in the hour is to uninstall and delete everything Microsoft except Calculator and Onboard Keyboard anything else you can right click and uninstall goes, everything. lol

Where the time is taken is tweaking every app and then exporting that registry and naming it.
Then you take those say 60 registry items ( 100's of changes) and merge them into 1 registry with Winaero.
So that 4 hours of tweaking and setting up apps turns into 1 mouse click.

So to do the 60 tools you basically have to test them in a fresh OS, you can't do them all together well you could but you would never remember what you had to do and the registry would be a mess to wade through.
Better to start with making a text file list of all registry to begin.
So all that takes years but once done it is bullet proof.
Never have to reset a app again, this is what I think stops most from fresh OSes.

P.S.
I forgot the big plus.
If you don't like doing OSes you are stuck upgrading a old one that eventually gets slower and any updated or new backup or image or anything else is contaminated with old files and registry.
My OSes runs as fast as a fresh OS, never have them slow down as I don't leave it too long before fresh ( like wait for a few major driver and Microsoft updates )
I know when I have waited too long to do a fresh OS because I can feel, sense, whatever you want to say, slow up.
If I put up with that for months it will have cost me that 1 hour fresh OS.

 

[blekenbleu]

I mean is there a way to have the possibility to boot the old Win7 system up on a new PC - without having to change anything on the Win7 HD?

Yes, by virtual machine, pretty much like this, using that separate drive instead of partition:
How to Create a Windows 7 Virtual Machine on Windows 10/11

 

[BrunoBæ]

Yes, by virtual machine, pretty much like this, using that separate drive instead of partition:

Thanks.
Yes I had a vague idea something like this should be possible - but have never researched it.
So I have saved your link to use the idea after I have got a new PC with newer OS.

BæTheWay: Oh man did I really say that?

 

[blekenbleu]

did I really say that

I resemble that; so traumatized by Windoze Me to not migrate from XP SP3
until getting a PC bundled with Windows 8, which instantly updated to 8.1.
Secure Boot made sense for anti-malware,
despite M$' classic embrace-and-extend Trusted Boot ploy to block Linux dual boot.

VMs can be configured for read-only boot ISO, effectively immune to exploits and bit rot.

 

[Durge Driven]

Speaking of malware.
Fresh OS yesterday, had a few drivers and updates to refresh.
Installed latest updates manually.
When I checked history I got this.
No malware or anti-virus def. updates ?
Never seen that before in 100's of fresh OS ?

OT: I have asked this before but I try again.
Does anyone have that Intel Bluetooth driver.
I can't figure it out installs old version over the top.
Searched and only find cab file that I can't work out how to install
Tried normal method and extracted manually.
No joy.

 

[Neilski]

When I checked history I got this.
No malware or anti-virus def. updates ?
Never seen that before in 100's of fresh OS ?

Windows Update history doesn't record shedloads of stuff that it updates, including apps and AV stuff. (I have a vague memory that it used to record AV updates but I suspect that was a long time ago now.)

Does anyone have that Intel Bluetooth driver.

Not here, sorry.

 

[blekenbleu]

Does anyone have that Intel Bluetooth driver.

Intel Wireless Bluetooth Driver 22.30.0.4 for Windows 10 Vibranium Update 64-bit

This appears to be the current version:

Intel® Wireless Bluetooth® for Windows® 10 and Windows 11*​

 

[Durge Driven]

Yes all malware and anti-virus def have always be in history.
I do fresh OSes all the time, there are always 2 malware and 1 virus def. after the 3rd update check.
On my setups anyways.
Windows 10 Home Retail on both towers both do the same.


Thanks that does not work as others I have downloaded.
Tried manual, tried command line, tried winaero cab tool right click.
No worries anyways, thanks again.

P.S. I think it's Gigabyte X570 bug, I have the latest bluetooth driver works 100% then windows updates overwrites it with one from 2021 ? Makes no sense.

As for drivers and apps background downloaded ?
You can block apps from downloading by blocking that in Chrome store.
If you set your PC like your phone it will download everything.
Never have W10 update any of my apps, pretty easy to see, check the versions.
Actually I don't use store front apps apart from Malwarebytes Pro, NordPass and NordVPN , Dark reader extensions. But with subscribed ( not free) Malwarebytes and Nord activates those at setup ( asks you yes/no )


P.S. 2 I think if you never open MS Store it won't download default windows apps updates. Once my extensions are set when doing fresh OS I won't open MS Store.
Well unless I want to install and run Forza which is very rare.
If I do install Forza say a month later all the windows apps updates are sitting there with ***19 updates needed, they then get downloaded whether you want or not.

I have only ***19 apps in updates because like I said I uninstall disable de-activate 90% of all windows apps, the lot.
Those ***19 are apps you can't uninstall.