TeraByte Unlimited

Hi,

My main laptop is a Dell Vostro that still has Windows 10 Pro on it, and I am still "on-the-fence" about Win11 (I tried it on another laptop that I have, for awhile, and I really disliked it).

So, to avoid running into the Win10 EOL date with no option, I am thinking of using BIU to clone (copy-paste) the Windows 10 partition to make an identical partition, then boot to the cloned partition, and upgrade that cloned partition to Win 11 Pro.

As I mentioned, this is my main laptop, which I use for work, and has MS Outlook 365 (from work), etc., so I was wondering will there be any "gotchas" doing what I am thinking of doing?

Has anyone here done something similar, and how did it work out?

Thanks,
Jim

Jim,

I've done this many times. No problems.

Create Free Space the same size or larger than your Win10 partition.
In BIU PartWork, select the Win10 partition, Copy, select the Free Space, Paste.
Name it, Add to Boot Menu, leave tick in Data Only.
OK

Hi Brian,

Thanks!

Why do you set it for Data Only if it is going to be bootable (in the Boot Menu)?

Open Boot Edit. You will see your two Boot Items. Edit each to hide the non booting OS from the booting OS. You might have to rename the Identity of the Copy.

Click Resume and test each OS.

ohaya1000 wrote: Fri Aug 29, 2025 11:20 pm Why do you set it for Data Only if it is going to be bootable (in the Boot Menu)?

So you don't have to copy empty sectors. The copy is faster.

Ah.. ok, got it!

Thanks,
Jim

Hi,

So I've copied the partition to a new partition named "WILLBE_WIN11".

What parameters should I put into the new Boot item in Boot Edit?

The Boot Items should be identical apart from your Hides.
Leave the Microsoft.xxx alone.
There is nothing to change apart from the hides.

Hi Brian,

Can I ask a question: Shouldn't I be using a different Boot File for the new boot item? And if not, how come? I'm asking because as I mentioned in the original post, I want to upgrade the new WILLBE_WIN11 to Windows 11, and it seems like if I am going to do that the boot files for the 2 boot items should be distinct?

Jim, Copy/Paste has fixed that. You will see one Boot File is Microsoft.001 and the other is Microsoft.002. The GUIDs have been changed too.