Restore a Windows 7 image to a New Windows 8 Machine
I have a HP Windows 7 machine with Acronis 2011 + Plus Pack and have taken a full disc Image backup.
I have just purchased a new Dell I7 Windows 8 machine. Is it posible (even if I have to upgrade to Acronis 2013) to restore the windows 7 image to the Windows 8 machine.
I just do not want to have to install all the programs again on the new windows 8 machine don't know where to find some of the product keys.
Thank you

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Desmond Purcell wrote:Is it posible (even if I have to upgrade to Acronis 2013) to restore the windows 7 image to the Windows 8 machine.I just do not want to have to install all the programs again on the new windows 8 machine don't know where to find some of the product keys.
Thank you
Just to clarify: yes, you can restore the image of Computer A on Computer B. Of course, you will end up with Win7 on computer B. YOu will need to use the universal restore feature that is enabled on the Acronis recovery CD produced after you have installed the Plus Pack.
You will need the Windows 7 drivers for your Computer B, in uncompressed format, available on a disk (typically flash drive) during the restore operation.
http://kb.acronis.com/content/34283
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I'm in same boat. Hardest part is finding drivers for my target/new machine for different operating systems. I use "double drivers" tool, it's helpful, but doesn't solve all my problems .. I have not reach my destination yet...
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Net Lander wrote:I'm in same boat. Hardest part is finding drivers for my target/new machine for different operating systems.
It seems as though you do not understand our answers. You can not restore a Win7 image to a Win8 PC and have it run Win8. True Image can not restore working applications to a different operating system.
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Can you partition the hard drive on the new Windows 8 computer and make one to keep the Windows 8 operating system in and then restore your Windows 7 image to the partition without Windows 8?
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What is feasible is to turn your Windows 7 system into a virtual drive, and have Windows 8 add that virtual drive to the boot menu and then you have the option of booting into either W8 or W7.
The easy bit is that 2013 allows you to convert your tib file to a VHD, you can then check that this worked by getting Windows 7 or 8 to temporarily mount the resulting VHD via Windows Disk Management.
The hard bit is that once the VHD is copied ( that is you'd just drag the VHD file over to the W8 disk), you will probably find it has a booting problem due to new hardware. This could be got around by removing all the motherboard, video and network card drives, make the image, convert ot VHD, copy to new machine and then on first boot of the VHD install drivers as needed.
I suggest making a folder called VHD on the W8 machine and dragging the VHd into that folder, then download a free utility (donations can be offered) of EasyBCD, this will allow you to just add the VHD file to the Windows 8 boot manager. You can of course do it the harder way by playing with the command line.
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I am also trying to restore a windows 7 machine to a windows 8 machine. I would still like to keep it in windows 7 format due to licence key. etc. I am using Acronis true image 2014. Can I create a VMware drive from the acronis backup file?? I can always run VMware on windows 8 machine and run windows 7 virtual. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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You can convert a tib file to a VHD, however I have had difficulties getting that VHD to actually boot. That was using VirtualBox though.
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