Hi, I want to make a copy of my hard drive. However, if my entire computer(motherboard, video card, power supply) was to somehow explode, and I only had the clone of the hard drive, would I be able to build a new computer, and use that clone to boot into the OS? And if it is OEM, would the qualities of being OEM affect the clone? Thanks in advance.
How to migrate OS
- Thread starter PowerReef
- Start date
Solution
yoji
Distinguished
- Jul 1, 2011
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Ill keep this short and sweet..
1. good chance your clone would not boot on new computer..if the new computer was different hardware.
2. You can get clone tools that can manage that, e.g. Acronis can restore clones to new hardware if you have correct version of the Acronis software.
3. Technically - the clone would be just that.. a clone - so windows would be registered/validated.. but if you change motherboard.. its a different computer and so according to terms of licence - you no longer licenced. If your old computer really did "explode" you may be able call MS and explain it replaced due to failure and at their discretion they may give you new key.
HTH
Cheers
1. good chance your clone would not boot on new computer..if the new computer was different hardware.
2. You can get clone tools that can manage that, e.g. Acronis can restore clones to new hardware if you have correct version of the Acronis software.
3. Technically - the clone would be just that.. a clone - so windows would be registered/validated.. but if you change motherboard.. its a different computer and so according to terms of licence - you no longer licenced. If your old computer really did "explode" you may be able call MS and explain it replaced due to failure and at their discretion they may give you new key.
HTH
Cheers
dodger46
Splendid
- Nov 19, 2011
- 4,837
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- 24,960
Much depends on your version of Windows, whether or not you purchased W8 OEM and installed it yourself, or was it pre-installed by a Manufacturer?
If it was pre-installed it's likely that your Product Key is embedded in your BIOS, and Windows will be tied inextricably to that Motherboard. You could, theoretically, clone your HDD and install the cloned OS on another machine, where it would probably run as W8 is good that way, but, it will fail to Activate, and there is no way round this.
If, however, you purchased an OEM version of W8, you could install it on as many PCs as you like, as long as only one at a time. You would need to Activate via telephone if you changed your Mobo as it would think you're trying to install on more than one machine...
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