Upgrade: Windows 7 to Windows 10

Prep

  • 3-Day IT Edition ready to go (HIR)
  • USB-ethernet adapter (compatible with Shadow IT edition for network/internet access
  • Check SATA mode in BIOS of old machine (i.e. AHCI, RAID, etc)
  • Remove anti-virus and unwanted software from Windows 7 prior to upgrade
  • You should NOT need to use HIR (If you do use, ignore uefi.sys error)

Overview

  • Clone drive to SSD as precautionary measure, or to use larger/newer SSD (SATA/m2)
    • Cloned drive must be the same size or greater
    • For NVMe use USB adapters and Mini Tool Partition Wizard
  • Place cloned SSD into original machine
  • Remove anti-virus and unwanted software using original machine
  • Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 on original hardware
  • Install all Windows 10 updates
  • USB drive to separate machine and use Mini Tool Partition Wizard to convert MBR to GPT (Required on 3060/7060+ hardware as UEFI is required for internal drives)
    • Expand hard drive if using larger SSD
  • Install SSD in new machine (Ensure UEFI enabled)
  • (Optional) Plug in USB-to-ethernet adapter (may not be needed

Boot into Shadow Protect IT Edition

  • 1st partition needs to be EFI partition AND formatted as FAT32 (100 MB+)
  • If not, delete 1st partition - re-create as EFI - Format as FAT32 (100 MB+)
  • May need to reboot if Shadow says partition is 'inaccessible'
  • Use Boot Configuration Utility to 'auto repair' - May say 'bootable' but need to verify settings below.
  • Advanced Options > Manage > Should say Windows Vista (see below)

** IMPORTANT **

If the settings above do not match, keep using IT Edition until it does (Use Manage/Delete and install/fix BCD manually to get above settings) - recent versions of IT Edition have been erratic and need several reboots (i.e.new partition are inaccessible until reboot)

  • Boot Loader: BCD Store
  • Partition: Matches OS partition
  • Active: Yes
  • Manage Boot Entries: {default} {Microsoft Windows Vista}

On next boot, use F12 and force boot into SSD

  • May need to adjust BIOS and delete 'Windows Boot Manager' entries to finalize

Troubleshooting (IT Edition says bootable but BSOD INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE)

  • Make sure drive is bootable using IT Edition - see steps above
  • INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE - Driver issue - Try (a) Repairing Windows startup, (b) booting into safe mode (Refer to related documents above), (c) change BIOS setting AHCI vs RAID (blinking cursor), (d) booting externally using USB connector and Legacy options
  • iaStor.sys - Try changing BIOS from RAID to AHCI
  • Scan drive for viruses using separate computer
  • Try running HIR (ignore uefi.sys driver message)

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