Question Cloning windows 10?

[Arron356]

Is it possible to clone windows 10 from a laptop to my new pc system?

The computer I'm cloning the copy from is not mine, so will to still have a copy. I believe if possible both computers just can't be used at the same time.

Also, if possible, how will I do this?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[USAFRet]

Is it possible to clone windows 10 from a laptop to my new pc system?

The computer I'm cloning the copy from is not mine, so will to still have a copy. I believe if possible both computers just can't be used at the same time.

Also, if possible, how will I do this?

Thanks for any advice!

Unless the two systems are absolutely identical, no.
A Windows install really balks at seeing different hardware. Especially going from a laptop to a desktop.

What are you actually trying to do?
Why not just a regular OS install on the new system?

 

[Arron356]

Building first pc, and was curious about this. It's for gaming/music, but system requirements ask for windows 10. Just wondering about the process of how to install windows on a pc for the first time?

 

[USAFRet]

Building first pc, and was curious about this. It's for gaming/music, but system requirements ask for windows 10. Just wondering about the process of how to install windows on a pc for the first time?

MUCH MUCH easier than trying to clone from a laptop...

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Arron356]

Firstly, thank you for this. Secondly, according to this does installing the windows 10 onto the usb from the laptop and using it for the new set-up have a negative implication on the laptop with windows or will windows 10 run as normal?

 

[USAFRet]

Firstly, thank you for this. Secondly, according to this does installing the windows 10 onto the usb from the laptop and using it for the new set-up have a negative implication on the laptop with windows or will windows 10 run as normal?

You're using the laptop simply to create the bootable USB thing.
You are not "installing" the OS on the flash drive.

On the laptop, or any other working PC, download the MediaCreation tool.
Run that MCT on the laptop, and point it at a blank flash drive of 8GB or larger.
Blank, because whatever is on it WILL be wiped out.
It will create what is needed to boot from.

It does not affect the laptop OS in any way.

Then take that flash drive to your new PC, boot from it, and off you go.

 

[Arron356]

Perfect, thank you for educating me on this.

 

[USAFRet]

Perfect, thank you for educating me on this.

Everyone has a first time.

Good luck!

 

[TerryLaze]

I believe if possible both computers just can't be used at the same time.

The license/activation DOES NOT carry over, if it finds different hardware it will ask you to activate windows again. It doesn't matter if one is online and the other is not.

But the good news is that you can do a clean install of windows from an USB you can create right at the microsoft site and it will not need a serial key, you can run windows un activated and it will not stop working after 30 days as it did in previous versions.

It's not exactly legal to do this but it is also not illegal.