Restore i5 SP3 image onto i7 SP3

[BillsCarnage]

I routinely make "clones" of my main PC to other PCs with different motherboards, processors, graphic cards, etc. Each new version of Windows is actually more tolerant of this type of procedure, and I have been 100% successful since the early Windows 7 days.

For example, I recently did a complete image backup of my existing Win 8.1 system (not a Surface) using Acronis. I then restored that image onto a new VirtualBox VM to make a virtual clone of my system.

Yeah, the first boot is rather lengthy... as it discovers and installs the new devices. But, you just have to be patient and wait for a few reboots.

And yes, it will detect enough changes in the hardware to ask you to re-register the OS. So you might need another registration key if you plan to keep both OS running.

This is exactly what I do too with Acronis. Win7 can be registered A LOT. You just have to know how to jump through the hoops.

As for the OP's question, I dont see why you couldn't, but you might need a 3rd party app to do it easier. Activating/registering Win might be the only prob.

 

[astondg]

I think this is what you are looking for? How to create and then restore from a File History System Image? http://h10010.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=au&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c03544793

An idea for the future?
I recently sold my Surface Pro 1 and moved to a Surface 2 until my SP3 arrives and I was very impressed with how easy it was to move across.
1. I use File History (with a shared FH drive in my homegroup on my home network)
2. Windows 8.1 syncs all your OS settings, WiFi/network/Internet passwords and Modern apps
3. I use OneDrive quite heavily now, saving most documents & things there instead of locally

With just those three things I was able to sign in with my MS account, wait 1/2 an hour or so and have my system looking identical to how it did before (including lock screen & desktop wallpaper, all the files in Document, Music, Pictures, etc.). No input from me. The only things missing are Win32 apps and I'm currently looking into BoxStarter to ease that pain too.