system image vs backup?

Here is my understanding :-

System image is exact replica of any given system. It contains OS + Disc data stored under drives + Installed softwares + Registry entries. So If i have taken the image of say any run system_A(say on windows as OS). Now I am given any other machine_B without any software, I can make it up with image of A.

Backup :- It just contains Disc data stored under drives. No OS, no installed files, no Registry entries.

Is this correct ? If yes , anyone can create the image of existing windows machine and install it on any machine without purchasing the windows license for new machine. Is n't ? Probably when that user comes online, windows will check validity and invalidate it. Right ? But what if he does not come online ?

user3198603

Posted 2018-09-26T02:34:49.067

Reputation: 429

Is your question about backups or is it about windows licensing? Windows will immediately deactivate itself when restored to different hardware. – Appleoddity – 2018-09-26T04:40:07.933

As usual, make a system image still can be a way to backup your PC. – OOOO – 2018-09-26T04:55:30.310

Answers

Windows needs to connect to the Microsoft license servers in order to decide whether your hardware fingerprint is licensed and to disactivate if not.

So, if no Internet, then no disactivation.

But you will also not have updates, and if any device drivers are required on the new computer then you might be obliged to download them elsewhere and install manually.

harrymc

Posted 2018-09-26T02:34:49.067

Reputation: 306 093

There are places in world still internet has not reached. You mean windows can not be installed there legally even if you have purchased valid license ? – user3198603 – 2018-09-27T02:36:30.837

It can always be installed, the problem is activation, but this can be done manually by entering a serial number. Even after activation, Windows continues to check the hardware from time to time over the Internet (if there is one). – harrymc – 2018-09-27T06:26:08.117

Ok got it. You said Windows continues to check the hardware from time to time over the Internet (if there is one) Any idea what happens if it can never connect to internet. Will windows continue to work ? Just asking out of curiosity – user3198603 – 2018-09-27T10:41:30.607

I don't know from experience, but as you said, there are devices that never connect to the Internet, so I don't believe it will disactivate without a good reason. – harrymc – 2018-09-27T11:28:50.900

An image is a snapshot of something. You can take an image of a single partition, a disk, or an entire system. Generally an image will not exclude anything within the scope of an image.

So to answer your question, yes, you can image a system and restore it to another computer - or multiple computers. Assuming the hardware is compatible, you can create as many clones as you want. This is a common practice in the IT world. Say you ordered 100 PC's. It's far easier to set up one machine with all the software, then image 99 machines all at once.

Does this method mean you don't have to purchase Windows to have a working machine with software? Yes. Windows will connect to Microsoft over the internet and see that key has been used (assuming g it's a retail key) and deactivate. Also, if you disconnect it from the internet it will eventually deactivate. However, you do t need to activate Windows to use it. You can run it perpetually in deactivated state. That is against the EULA though and if caught, that is a hefty fine. As for the software, they might also have call home functionality, which may disable them.

The term "backup" that has a very broad definition. A backup can simply be a file copy, individual bytes, clusters, sectors, partitions, entire disks, or disk images. Depending on the type of backup and the operating system you can create a fully functional system when restored. Take Windows for example. It's built in backup will backup up the files and the registry. Depending on the state of the machine it be restored and make a fully functional machine.

Keltari

Posted 2018-09-26T02:34:49.067

Reputation: 57 019