This Changed The Way I do Repairs....Must Read

[SprinterTech-WI]

yep we use the whole paragon suite quite frequently

[PCX]

Originally Posted by SprinterTech-WI

http://www.paragon-software.com/busi...ore/index.html

I do not see a download link or a way to purchase the software. Is the is the Drive Copy Pro the same thing? And just for clarification, this will allow us to take a hard drive from one system and migrate it to a completely different system regardless of hardware?

[SprinterTech-WI]

Originally Posted by PCX

I do not see a download link or a way to purchase the software. Is the is the Drive Copy Pro the same thing? And just for clarification, this will allow us to take a hard drive from one system and migrate it to a completely different system regardless of hardware?

http://www.paragon-software.com/home.../features.html
$49.95 - technically the home version - won't work on servers

http://www.paragon-software.com/business/hdm-server/
$799 - Server version - more features but not needed for just the basics.


The latest Adaptive Restore helps you restore your system backup onto completely different hardware from which the backup was made, or migrate your operating system from your old to your new computer. P2P Adjust OS Wizard will add all required drivers smoothly and easily, making your operating system bootable on your new machine or on the altered hardware



pdf of features:
http://download.paragon-software.com...tures_List.pdf

[Trusted IT Solutions]

Originally Posted by PCX

I do not see a download link or a way to purchase the software. Is the is the Drive Copy Pro the same thing? And just for clarification, this will allow us to take a hard drive from one system and migrate it to a completely different system regardless of hardware?

I use Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 w/ universal restore. It will allow you to copy an image to a drive that is in a machine that has completely different hardware than the machine that the image (drive) originally came from.

http://www.acronis.com/backup-recove...iaapg#overview

[andcorptech]

It is technically legit if its an XP professional or Vista Business and you have a Win 7 Pro licence on the new PC. You are essentially excersising downgrade rights.

[frase]

definatly does not qualify as a must read, same as trusted I use Acronis. Awesome piece of software which backs up Outlook .pst as well.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Problem is.....couple of things...and if I spend a few more minutes thinking about it I could add a ton more problems to the list.

10 year old computer means 10 year old OS....at the newest, that will be Windows XP. All effort should be made to put that OS out to pasture for retirement.

Moving a retired OS to most of the new hardware platforms out there...it's likely unsupported by the hardware vendor. New motherboards, new graphics, new sound, new NICs....you go to the hardware vendor support/downloads/drivers sections and you usually won't find drivers for XP..because it's retired and no longer supported.

Most business computers come with an "OEM" license..it lives and dies with the hardware it originally came on..and goes no further for its life.

This is assuming the client/potential client is running legacy software that is no longer supported....as in they dropped paying for their yearly support contract, or they're still running a version that the software vendor stopped supporting years or decades ago and the client failed to renew/upgrade to the current version to remain within support. I tell my clients...or potential clients...if they want me, and my support...they are to remain within full support of their LOB apps and keep current with them. I've been in those situations in the past where I've agreed to take on supporting some legacy app they have. I started my career working with DOS and old pre-Windows networks...I know my way around those well, but as hardware changed, and OS's updated...it becomes a huge burden. You'll waste incredible amounts of time trying to get their old stuff running with certain obstacles. Suddenly that 2 or 3 thousand dollar a year support contract for their LOB app becomes more attractive than your time and bills spent from working on ancient cr@p.

I used to work with a guy that did the above thing....simply moved a drive from an old computer to the new one....booted up....deal with hardware/driver issues for the first few reboots and he shoehorned in new drivers to beat the square peg into a round hole (best analogy for this). I always laughed at that and his butchery hack attempts at doing jobs like this. I took over lots of this guys clients after we both left that company we worked for, and lots of end users of computers he did that to complained how it would lock up now and then, or go into "not responding", issues like that.

I'll take the clean approach any day...nice clean computer with latest OS and drivers, install the app(s), migrate the data...nice and clean and reliable.

[PCX]

Originally Posted by YeOldeStonecat

Problem is.....couple of things...and if I spend a few more minutes thinking about it I could add a ton more problems to the list.

10 year old computer means 10 year old OS....at the newest, that will be Windows XP. All effort should be made to put that OS out to pasture for retirement.

Moving a retired OS to most of the new hardware platforms out there...it's likely unsupported by the hardware vendor. New motherboards, new graphics, new sound, new NICs....you go to the hardware vendor support/downloads/drivers sections and you usually won't find drivers for XP..because it's retired and no longer supported.

Most business computers come with an "OEM" license..it lives and dies with the hardware it originally came on..and goes no further for its life.

This is assuming the client/potential client is running legacy software that is no longer supported....as in they dropped paying for their yearly support contract, or they're still running a version that the software vendor stopped supporting years or decades ago and the client failed to renew/upgrade to the current version to remain within support. I tell my clients...or potential clients...if they want me, and my support...they are to remain within full support of their LOB apps and keep current with them. I've been in those situations in the past where I've agreed to take on supporting some legacy app they have. I started my career working with DOS and old pre-Windows networks...I know my way around those well, but as hardware changed, and OS's updated...it becomes a huge burden. You'll waste incredible amounts of time trying to get their old stuff running with certain obstacles. Suddenly that 2 or 3 thousand dollar a year support contract for their LOB app becomes more attractive than your time and bills spent from working on ancient cr@p.

I used to work with a guy that did the above thing....simply moved a drive from an old computer to the new one....booted up....deal with hardware/driver issues for the first few reboots and he shoehorned in new drivers to beat the square peg into a round hole (best analogy for this). I always laughed at that and his butchery hack attempts at doing jobs like this. I took over lots of this guys clients after we both left that company we worked for, and lots of end users of computers he did that to complained how it would lock up now and then, or go into "not responding", issues like that.

I'll take the clean approach any day...nice clean computer with latest OS and drivers, install the app(s), migrate the data...nice and clean and reliable.

I 100% agree with what you are saying. XP needs to go and if you are able to convince the customer to upgrade, you need to do so. Where I see this all being feasible is for Vista and 7 Systems that need to be migrated to a new machine or that needs to have a crappy motherboard replaced or upgraded with a much better one. I know its not 100% legit, but I see it like most everyone else. MS got their money and as long as you got your COA, your good to go. That said, if the customer has Vista, its a good opportunity to just upgrade them to 7 and avoid the EULA issue altogether.

[frase]

I still think WinXp has much life in it xp does not 'NEED TO GO' as you state PCX. Since MS are going to support until 2014 Xp is still a valid O/S if users currently own the OEM for this. Hardware is another cost factor for some users as some do not need the newest fandangled hardware or O/s. This may or may not make it more difficult for you to support the client, though if you are knowledgable in the process Im sure you will find it easy enough.

just some info for you PCX
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecyc...=en-gb&c2=1173

[andcorptech]

Originally Posted by YeOldeStonecat

10 year old computer means 10 year old OS....at the newest, that will be Windows XP. All effort should be made to put that OS out to pasture for retirement.

I'll take the clean approach any day...nice clean computer with latest OS and drivers, install the app(s), migrate the data...nice and clean and reliable.

The problem I am having at the moment is that I support quite a few businesses whose software providers insist XP is installed instead of Windows 7. Its not as easy just to "change software" as these are specialized, proprietary applications. These customers are where I use the Clone XP Method and sell a Win7 Pro license with the machine.
I do wish developers would be more proactive in updating software for new OS's, but many just do not. I have noticed that many of them require USB protection dongles so maybe that's got some bearing on it.

I also use this method where the PC has many specialized programs, with customised preferences which isn't easily replicated. I'm actually doing one for a Gym right now using this method as the PC runs in-house music and membership database with secondary screens. They don't want the hassle of reconfiguring the machine ( or paying me to do it) so we are cloning the OS to the new PC

As for most other PC's I sell, its Windows 7 all the way, you are right in the fact that its an old OS and its not going to be long before hardware doesn't support XP anyhow. Software is beginning to go this way already.