Is it possible to transfer OS from laptop to desktop? What can you do to reach this goal? Is there a difference between moving a laptop to another laptop and a laptop to a desktop computer? Find answers in MiniTool Solution.
Can the OS Be Migrated from Laptop to Desktop?
In practice, whether it’s a laptop-to-laptop migration or a laptop-to-desktop migration, the core operational steps and technical principles are the same. The main difference lies in the type of target device and the different usage scenarios.
Therefore, it is possible to migrate OS from laptop to desktop, but some details and prerequisites need to be considered. It is necessary to ensure that both the laptop and desktop support the Windows system and that the hardware of the two systems is compatible.
To transfer laptop OS to desktop without reinstalling, there are two approaches that we would like to share with you, namely, system clone and backup & restore.
The system clone feature supports you to clone Windows PC to another. However, if you are using Windows 7/8/8.1, and considering the system hardware differences of the desktop, you could use the system backup and recovery way.
How to Transfer OS from Laptop to Desktop?
To implement the two ways, you should seek a powerful software with the clone, backup, and restore features. MiniTool ShadowMaker is all set and waiting for you, which actually is a professional backup software and a good cloner both.
The Backup feature is designed to keep your data safe, such as applications, system settings, disks, partitions, and so on. As for Clone Disk, it can help you clone a hard drive to other drives, or clone SSD to larger SSD.
Additionally, MiniTool ShadowMaker is supposed to contain a sea of functions and features, like bootable media creation, synchronization, recovery, universal restore, and more.
Option 1: Migrate OS from Laptop to Desktop – System Clone
Step 1: Download and install MiniTool ShadowMaker.
MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Step 2: Then connect the hard drive of desktop to your laptop, open the clone software, and click Keep Trial.
Step 3: Select the Tools tab from the left side and choose Clone Disk.
Step 4: Under the new interface, select the source disk as per your need and click Next to go on. Then choose the desktop’s hard drive as your destination. To perform the OS migration from laptop to desktop, please register this tool.
Step 5: When you finish the registration, click on the Start button to complete the system clone.
Step 6: Wait for the cloning process to finish. After the clone is complete, you will need to install the cloned hard drive onto your desktop computer and go to BIOS to change boot order. In the end, start the desktop computer using the cloned disk and check if it boots up successfully.
Related article: How to Migrate Windows 11 to New Hard Drive
Option 2: Transfer Laptop OS to Desktop – Backup & Restore
To transfer OS from laptop to desktop, you need to back up the operating system and save the image file on the external hard drive.
Step 1: Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker and click Keep Trial.
Step 2: Under Backup, you can see the SOURCE module has selected your Windows operating system on the laptop. Click on the DESTINATION module to choose your external drive as the destination. Then click OK.
Step 3: Click Back Up Now to start the system backup.
Step 4: Go to Tools > Media Builder, you need to create a bootable CD/DVD or USB drive since the media is used to boot the desktop and open MiniTool ShadowMaker to restore the system image to the desktop.
Step 5: Turn to your desktop computer and connect the external hard drive and bootable USB drive to your desktop.
Step 6: Boot the desktop from the bootable media. Shut down the desktop, restart it, hit the specific key (F10, Esc, Del, etc.), and boot into the BIOS menu. In BIOS, select the Boot tab and set the USB drive as the first boot order. Then press F10 to exit the BIOS interface and you will enter the MiniTool recovery environment.
Step 7: Choose the Restore section and find the system image backup. If you don’t see the it, click Add Backup and select the system backup file to restore.
Step 8: Click on Restore, tick MBR and Track 0, and choose a destination path. Then click Start to perform a recovery.
Step 9: If the two computers have different hardware, the desktop computer is unable to start after the system restore. That way, you need to use the Universal Restore feature under Tools to fix the incompatibility issue.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this guide shared two ways with you. We recommend you use a system clone to transfer OS from laptop to desktop due to the better compatibility in Windows 10/11. Taking into account the different hardware of the system, using backup & restore for Windows 7/8/8.1 is better. To achieve this goal, an all-in-one and reliable software – MiniTool ShadowMaker is necessary, which allows system backup, universal restore, disk clone, file sync, and more. With this tool, you can move OS from one computer to another without reinstalling as a clean install is more time-consuming.
Welcome to send your suggestions or problems about MiniTool ShadowMaker via [email protected]. We will get back to you as soon as we get it.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Nan is always interested in writing and exploring new things. Her enthusiasm for writing leads her to become an English editor. She likes to share helpful information about kinds of Android issues with readers and focuses on PC backup and restore. She also loves to read books and watch documentaries in her spare time.