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Using Universal Restore - Does the hard drive already need the data on it or can Universal Restore be used to restore a backup?

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When you use the Universal Restore feature of Acronis 2017, does the hard drive already need the data from another machine already on it?  I will be using a new machine with a new hard drive.  I need to restore the data from a backup on the new drive.  This backup contains the OS (Windows 7).  Do I first need to do a separate restore using Acronis to get the data from the old hard drive onto the new hard drive and then go through the steps for Universal Restore or will that be part of the process?  I am unclear about this from reading the Universal Restore documentation.

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You can create Universal Restore media that includes the standard Acronis Rescue Media applications, so that when you boot from the media you are offered the choice of which application to use.

You must restore your backup from the first machine to the disk drive in the second machine before you can use AUR to prepare that restored Windows installation to work with the new hardware found in the second machine.

Note: If you are migrating an OEM version of Windows 7, then this will need to be activated with Microsoft when it is restored on different hardware, as OEM versions of Windows are not licensed to be used on any hardware than the one they were first installed and activated on.  If you have a full retail version of Windows 7 then you can transfer the license to the new system.

I am changing to a different machine due to the other machine dying, including the hard drive.  The old hard drive will not be used again.  When I restore onto the new drive, shouldn't I be including the MBR and Track 0 information?  I would also think I would include the "Recover Signature" as well?  Wouldn't that take care of the Windows Activation issue?  I get confused about when to recover the MBR and when to select the Signature option.

I would normally restore the MBR and track 0 data, and you can also recover the disk signature, as this may be needed for any applications which require that for validation / activation.

Windows activation does not rely on the disk signature, it uses the hardware signature of the system it is activated on, this includes the motherboard, CPU and perhaps some of the integrated peripheral devices.

 

Ditto Steve's advice.  Adding a new disk does require the MBR and Track 0 be restored.  A good number of third party applications also store activation info in the Disk Signature.