Machine upgrade project

[intranetmouse]

I took the plunge and purchased the bundle.

I have an old motherboard (FM2+ socket) that is not supported for Windows 11. Since Windows 10 is going off support next year, I'm looking at upgrading. Of course I don't want to have to reinstall, just migrate the current Windows installation, so I will have to upgrade the hardware first. So I am looking at a 2-step project:

1. Convert to a modern motherboard, which will mean new CPU, memory, and I may as well replace the disk at the same time. Maybe I'll need a new power supply and case, I don't know, just started researching. (I do have the RETAIL version of Windows, so I can legally transfer my Windows license.)
2. Upgrade to Windows 11.

Obviously, Image For Windows will play a major role in that. I am researching and focusing on step 1 right now.

For the new motherboard upgrade phase, I have taken a look at the "Example: Restoring to Dissimilar Hardware" video. It looks a bit old, and it's using the Linux version, but I presume the concepts are pretty much the same. The biggest bit of magic is the drivers. It's been 10 years since I installed Windows last, and I expect a lot has changed. I presume the motherboard will come with a DVD or a link to a website to download drivers.

Will the drivers be in the right form?
Will they be .inf and .dll files, or will they be locked away in .exe or .msi files?
If they are in .exe or .msi files, could I use something like 7-zip to extract them?

I've made a TBWinRE flash drive (hmm, the smallest flash drive you can get nowadays is 64GB). Will I have to make a new one that includes the drivers?

And finally, is there a text version of the instructions for going through this process?

Thanks in advance!

[Brian K]

intranetmouse,

This is my summary of the TeraByte Unlimited video. For a UEFI system...

Create an Entire Drive backup of your OS drive. Use IFW, IFL, etc. Let's assume the backup is on a USB external HD.
Create an IFL UFD.

With the new computer containing an empty new SSD. Boot the IFL UFD.
Restore the Entire Drive backup to the empty SSD.
DON'T RESTART. Remain in IFL.
Click OSDTool, Physical Drive, select the Windows Installation, Remove installed drivers, Remove all drivers, Continue, etc
(you probably won't need to install a specific driver)
Restart

When in Windows, uninstall drivers specific to your old computer. Install new drivers.
Let's hope it's that easy. My efforts have been easy.

[TeraByte Support]

you'll want to install all the "standard" storage drivers. In reality, the modern windows versions can just boot without needing to do anything, sometimes you have to add NVMe standard driver.

[intranetmouse]

Thank you both for the responses! Brian K - The assumption of a USB external HD was correct.

As per Brian K, it sounds like I should be able to restore and boot up to the new system, and then install the drivers. I presume Windows will auto-detect and install some of them, others I will need to download and run the installers.

As per TeraByte Support, I may (or may not) need to install additional NVMe drivers first, but otherwise it will likely boot up.

Can I install some of the drivers for the new motherboard while on my old machine (which I assume would ignore them), then make the backup image, and when I restore on the new system they are all already there?

Another question: Would there be any benefit to moving the existing SATA disk to the new motherboard (of course using IFW as insurance beforehand in case it goes wrong), and getting the new system up and running using that drive, then use IFW to migrate to the NVMe SSD?

Thanks again!

[kris455]

Below is the post I was going to make before I just read the above post.

Thoughts. Get all the driver downloads from the new mobo mfr before you move and have them sitting there at the ready in case you need to apply them - especially the NIC and USB drivers, but also latest BIOS.

Now, you probably want to totally ignore my post but I'll leave it there.





I think Brian's approach is a good one and should work. <------- (I do not know the BOOTIT stuff...)

so these are just my thoughts...
1. when did you last do a full windows install? 10 years ago?
2. Unless it was very recent, I would suggest build box and install windows 10 onto it - you can easily get the latest 10 iso direct from MS and you say you have a key so you should be just fine.
3. Install Terebyte 4.02 or latest to it and use that to create a USB stick of IFL. Back up what you have.
4. If you only had the C partition plus windows boot, EFI, and Recovery partitions, consider creating a new partition (I call mine E ) and put your downloaded apps and drivers on that before applying them to win10. That (at least for me) makes the next mobo shift easier.

@TeraByte "modern windows versions can just boot without needing to do anything"
Yes. The win10 I first used on this Z790 chipset was initially used on my Lenovo P15 laptop and worked just fine. I never removed the laptop drivers except a couple like trackpad that got in the way. I used IFL to back up from the 970 and restore to the 980 Pro - all 10 partitions. Your mobo mfr will have downloads that you should get for chipset, etc, etc, and put those on to allow for uniqueness-es in USB or NIC or whatever, but that should be very easy. Also of course assure the BIOS on that mobo is up to date. (yeah that reminds me of having no internet until I did that for this one - oops!)

You can go to win11 any time you wish. I did and am back to 10 and may well stay on it past Oct '25. But that is a LONG time away and so many things can happen. I mostly use Mint 22 and only rarely boot to win10 - for monthly updates (WuMgr), etc, and to sort Terabyte things. Easy.

As long as you have good backups, you should be fine. I'll push for IFL, but ....

[Brian K]

I forgot to ask, is your current system UEFI or MBR (Legacy).

[kris455]

I forgot to ask, is your current system UEFI or MBR (Legacy).

@intranetmouse which is it please? Thanks!

[intranetmouse]

Sorry for the delay. I need to figure out how to turn on email notifications.

No UEFI. MBR only.

[kris455]

... I need to figure out how to turn on email notifications.
...

Let me know if you succeed. I haven't. - wait, I got a notice for this one so maybe........................ yes, this thread is notifying me.

[Brian K]

Does your current computer support UEFI? Your new motherboard might not support MBR.