Clone windows 8.1 to different manufacturer's computers

[froogle]

Hi

 

I have previously cloned windows vista and 7 onto different makes and types of laptops and computers. I followed the IT Bros sysprep v2 thread where I install windows, boot into audit mode, service the install (updates, desktop background, etc), then I put an unattended.xml file in the sysprep folder, pull up a cmd prompt and type sysprep /generalize /oobe /unattend:unattend.xml /shutdown.

 

Once this has finished I can take a clone of the hard drive and then clone this onto any other laptop or pc. Once the target computer boots up, I can install drivers, software and activate it using the machines product key.

 

I can't seem to get this working with windows 8.1. I did have it working with Windows 8, but I have been having no end of bother trying to get it to work on 8.1.

 

Using a uefi laptop, I install windows 8.1 using a generic product key (the laptop has an 8 serial built in to the bios so it does ask for the serial). I boot into audit mode, then service the install then type sysprep /generalize /oobe /unattend:unattend.xml /shutdown. Once the system has turned off I take an clone of the hard drive. I've tried to restore this clone back to 3 different machines. The first one booted up no problem, but I was unable to get the product key from the bios. RWEverything didn't give me any information. The other 2 machines wouldn't boot up. They crashed with the sad face and restarted several times before giving me a 0x0000001 error. 

 

Has anyone managed to get this working? The disk I am using is an oem 8.1 disk, but I've noticed depending on which serial you put in the finished installtion doesn't always have an OEM version installed. When you look at the installation ID it doesn't always have OEM in it, so I guess this means it is a retail version. If he laptop it is cloned to is a branded laptop, it would need to be an OEM version wouldn't it?

 

The last thing I can think of is, I am using a universal unattended.xml file for all my versions of windows. Has the format of this xml changed between windows 7 and 8.1?

 

thanks

nick

 

 

[gustavo21]

I never cloned a hard drive like you. I always take a image with imagex or DISM for windows 8.1. I naver had a problem with that.

 

All you are doing is ok, but when the sistem shuts down, you should start windows PE and take the image, then apply it in the target computer.

 

 

EDIT: Unattend file is not the same for windows 7 and 8! but i think that is not a problem, in worst scenario i think you have to complete the OOBE information in each PC.

Edited November 13, 2014 by gustavo21