Has anyone successfully cloned a drive /of windows 10 to another? solved!!

I have been trying to do the clone process with Acronis 2014 PREM boot medium....
 
When I do it to my ssd Adata sp600 250gb drive...when I boot into it, the desktop flashes, and is unusable.
I tried this a few times, undoing some setup tweaks also said to do, to stop intrusion of...data sharing....catrina or something like that turned off...So in one instance I did go back to a default before cloning again...Still did not work.
 
So...with OEM users or buyers...Beware...One machine , one install....if that is, and it seems to be...You will not be allowed to clone anymore...
 
If you buy the full version of OS...You can only install on one system at a time....one drive...it seems....
 
Now I tried to install it onto the ssd...win 8.1 on installation asks ,...Do you want to install win 10 upgrade for free.....If you say yes...it will ask for a key code....but it will not take win 8.1 key...and no other key is given for win 10.
 
So a reinstall is required from  the ground up, in my case...activation of win 8.1, put in all the drivers for, and setup...then when ready...perhaps win 10 might be able to be installed onto the SSD....(but he said if you already have it installed on another drive, it will be detected if connected to the internet, and might be shut down or caused to not work)...in my case flashing desktop with no control of anything to stop it , other than turn off PC or restart to other boot drive.
 
I was told by MS chat...if the system detection of more than one install is done with X key...win 10 may not be available again for that system.
 
As for cloning...they chat person said...It is a third party issue, and to call Arconis if something is not cloning correctly...
 
I never had a issues with cloning with Arconis 2014 until today!.
 
Wow.....Anyone chime in on this?

THANKS FIREBIRD...I seem to be out of luck with cloning...no way is now availible, as I have spoken to MS chat support on many levels....even buying win 10 pro, will not allow cloning!...As they keep saying to me it is not possible anymore.
 
So, I do not know if one can make a image of a working drives boot and setup, and all installed keys/licences/software and apps any more for fast backup/solutions...if anything goes belly up, on a working project/session....and being non reliant on internet.
 
the Acronis site is selling cloud backup....but MS says that does not work as cloning....So?...we are screwed on this it seems?
 
Again thanks...I will go read up as you say....I'm sure some kid, is working to undermine the undermining of this: sure fire way to get up and running in minutes...by doing a clone of a stable state of bliss.
 
cheers.
 

I swapped out a hard drive with a SSD the other day with an acronis clone no problems whatsoever (Win10,acronis 2015). Same PC.

In theory I could have done a clone transferring to another PC providing I have had performed at least one Win10 upgrade on the destination PC. I will try in the next few months.

Anyway whoever was on the MS helpdesk that particular day were clearly talking out of their behinds.

Here is another talking out of their behind?
 
we changed how Windows activation works, so making a copy of the operating system won't work anymore. You don't use a key to activate it. You use your Microsoft account. We changed it because people were cloning systems and using illegal extra copies on other computers without paying for the extra copies.
 
Now all suffer because of Pirates!...oh well.
 
 

I have both cloned Win10 to another drive, the installed to same PC, also restored a Win10 from a backup, both no issues, both Acronis TI 2016

Sir Les
OK..IF...I remove the HD drive with win 10...after a clone is done...then what happens?

Not clear what you are doing exactly can you give us a very basic summary? ie I am replacing a hard drive on the same PC?

So are you swapping out a hard drive with SSD or another hard drive on same PC then you must make sure you have had an activated Windows 10 OS at some stage on the before you did the clone on that very same PC. Also it must be at the same level (I.e. don't put Pro on it, when you registered home).

Cheers.

OK Les, if you got anyone to understand what you did I congratulate you. A new drive is not a new machine, but a new motherboard certainly is a new machine and would require another license. Uninstalling Win 10 from a machine on which it is activated would be expected to NOT free up the activation so that you can install it on a new machine if it was installed as a free upgrade in the first place. That upgrade is locked to the machine/motherboard it was installed on forever. If you uninstall it, you can only reinstall it on that same machine/motherboard. At any rate I am glad you are up and running. Just be sure your current running installation (is it Win 10 or Win 8 you lost me) is activated, or it will start to act up again.

I'll never buy oem licenses again. BTW I had no problem cloning a W10 drive but it was a sata drive and I used Acronis 2010.
 I've read where Acronis images from Sata to SSDs have problems and reset the need for activation.
 You also have to be careful from where you buy your licenses.  I bought 3 Windows anytime upgrades from a vendor and they turned out to be oem licenses. It was odd one machine where I replaced CPU, board and RAM activated online. The other two machines I will retire when a piece of the hardware goes bad. One of them is running Windows 10.  But the bad part of those oem licenses were from a vendor who is no longer around and sued by MS for most likely lifting key from oem machines.
 

Here is another behind saying:
 
Brisbane K
Microsoft Answer Tech
    
              
            Hi, thanks for visiting Answer Desk! I'm Brisbane K.
9:10 am

        
                         Hi Brisbane
9:10 am

 
        
              
            Hello there.. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
9:10 am

        
                         I hope I can take some of your time to ask stupid questions on setup of x99 system , with oem win 8.1 pro, and then how to setup drives with it installed, and then upgrade to win 10 more than one drive...
9:11 am

 
        
                         Leslie Pugh.
9:12 am

 
        
                         I am logged in right now on said system
9:12 am

 
        
                         I have had issues with this process , and have had chats and help remote viewing over the past five or so days...
9:13 am

 
        
              
            x99 system? Did I get that right Leslie?
9:13 am

        
                         Yes Asus X99 Deluxe U3.1
9:13 am

 
        
              
            Alright.. Thank you for that information.. So you want to install Windows 10 in another drive? so basically you want to have a dual boot?
9:15 am

        
                         hold on...I did that, and removed it...I had great troubles, because I (cloned the drive with that installed)...I imaged my win 10 drive to another drive with all my installs for one product I wanted to test on ssd...the original setup  was on HD drive...it cause a complete lock up of my system...and the win 8.1 key was locked out ...
9:17 am

 
        
                         So we got that sorted yesterday...and wiped out all, and reinstalled and reactivated the ssd drive with win 8.1....all is ok right now as that install.
9:17 am

 
        
                         Now, if I want to put win 8.1 on same machine , on multiple drives for testing software ....how would I do that, and then upgrade to 10 on all drives?
9:18 am

 
        
              
            Oh alright.. Hmm.. let me check.. You only have one product key for your Windows 8.1 ?
9:20 am

        
              
            Leslie as I have checked you cannot install Windows 8.1 on multiple drive...
9:21 am

        
                         yes for one system machine id...one system, only..but many drives is possible?
9:21 am

 
        
                         Sorry I forgot to enter that.....I see,..we used to or I used to do that with OS 7, and xp, and I could make imaged backups of said system boot drives...Now It seems I cannot do that any more...if imaging a drive is going to cause me problems...How can I back up a stable working installed and all ilok and key codes and such put into a working bootable backing? and or test bed...yet keep my main drive working ....as it does happen a crash, or a unstable environment occurs/virus or such happens.
9:24 am

 
        
              
            Are you just simply making an image  back up for Windows 8 or trying to install Widows 8 on multiple drivers for back up?
9:27 am

        
                         It is like securing a backup of bootable state with a drive...or as a test bed...as not all things are working yet on win 10...so, I cannot clone/image that...I tried and had a nightmare just recently with that and key code lock out...and my system was not bootable anymore to win 10, due to a boot manager...and trying to remove the cloned image, and or reinstalling win 8.1, which was used in the win 10 setup....So I was told I cannot do imaging anymore of OS 10....but win 8.1 on one machine ID, I have done this on other system audio work station retail version....This test x99 might take its place...But I need multiple boot drives to put my software into...as I have many setup configs, and some software and drivers conflict ...So I have to separate, to test stability.
9:31 am

 
        
                         Once stablility is gained...I image one drive for backup, remove it, and store it in house for emergency status...If I cannot boot...because of X....I can bring out the backup and continue working....(safe reliable, and at hand)....does this make sense?....and how now can I do this?
9:34 am

 
        
                         I bought win 10 retail yesterday or before that day....so I have the retail...does that help?
9:35 am

 
        
              
            Alright.. That seems to be quite a problem right there.. If you have a retail version of Windows this basically is only good for one computer.. but if you boot this to multiple driver it could cause problems with the activation.. But let me check on my resources here for more info about your problem.. Hold on
9:36 am

        
                         Thank you Brisbane...
9:36 am

 
        
                         I have bought licenced products to image drives....and updated them...it was all ligitamate before....and they still update the product for new os...(arconis true image)..I just bought that...because of this issue with the recent image failure....waste of money?
9:38 am

 
        
              
            As I have checked on my resources Leslie you can clone your harddrive but for Windows 10, its no longer an option as of yet..
9:38 am

        
                         I see, so if I install win 8.1 first on many drive on same machine using OEM...as still in legal agreements....I can then put win 10 on all?...once done in that format?
9:40 am

 
        
              
            As of the moment we do not have information as how the legal agreements is with cloning Windows 10.. might as well get in touch with our Professional Support Team..
9:43 am

        
              
            Pro Support 800-936-5800
9:43 am

        
                         Ok, I thought I was chatting on that line of tech support...sorry...
9:44 am

 
        
              
            Its okay : ) They only have phone support for our Pro Team...
9:45 am

        
                         Thanks Brisbane K...I will not tie you up any more...I just need understanding before I proceed.
9:45 am

 
        
                         I will copy this chat and use in forum on cake walk is that ok?
9:46 am

 
        
              
            You're welcome Leslie.. Sure.. No problem..
9:46 am

        
                         Thanks man...have a great day!
9:46 am
 
 
 
Not saying it is not possible ...I am having issues...and the horse is saying nah, nada, and no to 10....or it is not yet ...call this number....is the latest.
 

This is there first time you have mentioned dual boot.
 
I have no problems with that at least on one drive. In order to have three copies of win10 I had three partition of windows 8.1, all of which got upgraded to 10. I could then wipe and reinstall win10 on those partitions. I do use a technique whereby I also install Linux on another partition and use grub as a bootloader as the windows bootloader is a pos. That way whatever windows I boot it's always going to be a C drive and windows get hidden from other copies of windows.
 
Yup I used OEM copies originally.

http://www.howtogeek.com/226510/how-to-use-your-free-windows-10-license-after-changing-your-pc%E2%80%99s-hardware/
 
http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/sorting-through-the-changes-in-windows-licensing/
 
 

 I'm getting convinced more to stay with Windows 7 on my new builds.  I don't like the tiny quick launch icons in 10. Edge and Cortana have no use for me. Hate the icons.
  There's also articles that contradict about Windows 10. It's all starting to make my head hurt.  Maybe they will drop the upgrade price.  I bought my W8 Pro license from MS for $50. 

Doktor Avalanche
You can disable quick launch, edge and cortana if you so wish.....

Drop the upgrade price? You realise it is 'free' or do you want them to pay you money to use it?In all seriousness could happen, they did it with Bing!! ;)

It's not free after July 2016.  It's not free if your motherboard dies and it's out of warranty.  After the free period has ended and you are on 8 or 7 I would like an introductory upgrade price. There are still people on XP and 7.  I don't think the free W10 is the success MS thought it would be yet. 

kitekrazy1
If you have a retail version of Windows this basically is only good for one computer.
 
So what is the point of buying a retail license unless they are saying you can't install on more than one machine?

 
Retail versions of MS OS...This is able to be imaged to other dirves (now confirmed) and when your system/Machine it is installed on Goes belly up...You have the right to install on the new machine!...OEM does not..when the Machine of original install dies..so does that OEM os!..and you cannot use it on another machine id.
 
But in some cases...Like when first building...if a part fails within a time limite..You can replace the part.(motherboard) and call and explain the reason for the change...(they might check it out) but if it checks out...You may then be given the right to use it again on a new machine ID....Like I did do.
 
So buying a retail licence...is better in the case you need not buy another licence for a new machine past the limite of allowable setup and working on or with..it is then locked to that machine...Yes only one machine is true at a time.
 
But if as I said that machine ends its working state over 30 days...You can build another one...and use the retail...over and over...Like all retail versions...they do not get locked out...Only not supported by updates or support teams of MS.
 
I think  before the close out a version, they should make a iso of all update, and offer it as a add out upgrade, so one can continue to have it in full format on a dvd or cd of installed complete version...of which the buyer was suppose to get when buying the not updated and working product sold at first buy,...yet they do not do that.
 
So playing with iso hacking could make a completely updated and all drivers of a sort for X system...was a hastle for the user to do...And they tried to not support that...yet never offered me a XP fully update dvd...or any other....that would help, once the finalize support..They sold it as service pack version 1 or 2, and still never really finalized it, as more updates came well after that....if you do not have the right things installed or saved....internet will not work with explorerIE.and XP original release dvd..
 
And to get onto the internet and get to pages or sites with first renderings of retail version dvds, after many moons of change, if no longer supported...you have to do some magic tricks....
 
That is retail vs OEM..and a add on comment...in a nutshell....cheers!

Doubt it. Rolling back could take away product key. Maybe cloning and restoring with acronis will work but it's a risk.. Do it before August I suggest and stick with it.