Knowledge Base

Deploying the Image of a Windows System to Different Hardware

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Description

There are two ways of cloning a Windows system to deploy its image to a different computer:

1. Using Acronis Universal Restore:

Acronis Universal Restore technology provides an efficient solution for restoration of a hardware-independent system by replacing the crucial HAL and hard disk controller drivers. Acronis Universal Restore is an optional program feature. It should be purchased separately and installed from a separate .msi setup file. Acronis Universal Restore can only be installed on a computer where at least one of the following Acronis components is installed:

• Acronis True Image Echo Workstation (local version), Acronis True Image Echo Server for Windows (local version), Acronis True Image Echo Enterprise Server (local version)
• Acronis True Image Agent for Windows
• Acronis Bootable Media Builder

2. Using Microsoft System Preparation Tool (sysprep) to prepare Windows system for migrating it to different hardware:

According to Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 298491: "One problem from duplicating an installation of Windows 2000 is that each cloned computer has the same security identifier (SID) and computer name. This may prevent the cloned computers from functioning correctly in a workgroup or a domain. To work around this problem, administrators use the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep.exe) to remove configuration settings that are unique to the computer such as the computer name and SID. The resulting image archive can then be safely reused for installation on other computers." This issue also exists in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP, and thus computers running those operating systems must be prepared as well. To download Microsoft System Preparation tool, click on your operating system: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP. Microsoft System Preparation tool for Windows Server 2003 is available in the Deploy.cab archive that resides in the \Support\Tools\ folder of the Windows Server 2003 installation CD. In brief, here is how you prepare your disk drive to create a master clone image or to migrate data: Create Acronis standalone version with Rescue Media Builder available in the Tools menu of Acronis True Image. Run sysprep.exe. Microsoft provides you with the option to specify the following keys:

• nosidgen - If you plan to erase all data from the original hard disk and/or do not plan to use both the original and new hard disks in different computers simultaneously, use this option.
• mini - if you plan to migrate your operating system to a computer with different hardware.

Prepare to reboot the computer from Acronis True Image bootable rescue media. Now run the program and create an image of the prepared hard disk. Install a new hard drive into your computer or take the image archive you just made to your new computer. Boot into the Acronis standalone version and restore the image archive to the new hard drive or computer. Reboot the computer. We recommend you to read Microsoft articles regarding the use of sysprep on your operating system, available at the following links: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003.

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Please note that Acronis Universal Restore does not conflict with Microsoft System Preparation Tool (sysprep). If you got accustomed to using Sysprep, you can use both tools on the same system.

Article keywords:

Deploy     Difference     Hardware     AUR     Sysprep     Windows     ATI     Enterprise     Server     Workstation     Migrate     Echo