Windows allows us to make backup copies of all the data that is stored inside it, copies that we can only restore on the same device, we cannot transfer that backup to other computers.
The simplest and fastest solution is to use an external hard drive, an external hard drive where we are going to copy all the files that we want to keep. If your organization is based on the structure that Windows offers us (Documents, Images, Videos) we just have to select the files and drag them to the external hard drive.
Another option, if you use a cloud storage platform, is to sync all the documents with the platform and wait until all the files have been uploaded to the cloud. To restore your files back to your new computer, just install the app and wait for the files to sync. The solution that Mega offers us with 20 GB of space is, currently, one of the best available on the market, if the 15 GB of Google Drive falls short (when sharing space with Google Photos and Gmail) or if with We don’t even have the sad 5 GB of OneDrive to begin with.
Backups in Linux
The process to make backup copies in Linux is exactly the same as in Windows, relying on an external hard drive that we will connect to the USB port of the computer and where we will copy all the files that we want to keep.
Create installation media for the operating system
In order to install any operating system, it is necessary to create an installation media through an ISO image of the operating system, installation media that will perform all the steps to install the selected operating system on the new computer.
Windows 11 installation support
The first thing we are going to do, from the old computer (it does not matter if the license is not activated) is to download the Microsoft application to create windows 11 installation media through this to the Microsoft website (MediaCreationToolW11.exe).
We run the application, accept the use license and automatically, based on the version of Windows 10 that we have installed, the recommended options will be displayed. If they are not to our liking, we uncheck the Use the recommended options for this computer box and select both the language and the edition that we want to install.
Next, we introduce a flash drive of at least 8 GB and click on next. In the menu Choose which medium to use, select Flash Drive and click on Next. Now we must select the flash drive that we have connected to our computer and finally, click on Next so that the application Download Windows 11 and create the installation media that we need to install Windows 11 on our new computer.
Windows 10 installation support
If we do not want to install Windows 11 or it is not compatible with Windows 10, the remaining solution is to install Windows 10. The method to create the installation media is the same as with Windows 11, but using this one from Microsoft. We run the application, select the version of Windows we want to install (32 or 64 bits, the latter being recommended), insert a USB with a capacity of at least 8 GB, click Next and wait for the creation of the medium to complete.
Installation USB for Linux
As with Windows 11, we must create installation media on a USB flash drive. One of the best applications to create installation media through any ISO, be it Windows or any Linux distro is , although we can also use other applications such as , or .
Once we have created the installation media, we connect the USB flash drive to the computer where we want to install ubuntupress the button to turn on and when an image of the manufacturer of the motherboard is displayed, press F12 to select from which unit we want to start the equipment.
Modify the boot order of drives
The first time we start our new computer, the system will search the hard drive for an operating system with which to boot. Not having installed it, it will inform us that it has not found any operating system and it will let us go past that screen, so we must change the order of the boot drives to use the USB drive where we have created the operating system installation media that we are going to use in the equipment.
The first thing we must do before installing the operating system, whether it is Windows or Linux, is to modify the boot order so that, first of all, it reads the optical drive or USB device that we are going to use to install the operating system. This option is found in the section Boot Options, Boots or, if the BIOS / UEFI in Spanish is found in the section Boot options either boot drives.
TPM and Secure Boot from BIOS
If you do not plan to install Windows 11, you can skip this step, since it is the only operating system that if you want to activate the TPM and Secure Boot to allow you to install the operating system.
Being a new computer, it is foolish to install Windows 10 with Windows 11 available. Each motherboard manufacturer uses a different method to access the BIOS (you can check it in your manufacturer’s manual) and it is usually: F2, Del, Esc, F8 or F12.
Enable TPM 2.0 in BIOS
For activate the tpm, within the BIOS, we access the Security section. Within Security, we look for the option Trusted Computing > and click on Security Device Support activating the service as enable. If we cannot find the option to activate the TPM on our motherboard and we know for sure that it is compatible with this technology, we will have to consult the manufacturer’s motherboard manual, which will indicate the steps to follow to find the option.
Enable secure boot
now we must enable secure boot, known as Secure Boot, an option that we are also going to activate from the BIOS. This option, depending on the manufacturer, we will find it in the menu Boots either Advanced.
Next, we click on Windows OS Configuration and in the section BIOS UEFI/CSM Modeselect UEFI and select Secure Boot. Next, we click on custom and a warning message about security keys will be displayed.
In that message, click on Yes and then on Enroll all Factory Default Keys so that the Secure Boot keys are set. Finally, we activate the option Secure Boot in enabled (activated).
Once we have activated both the TPM and the Secure Boot, we must save the changes we have made in the BIOS. If we do not save the changes, Windows 11 will detect that we do not have both functions activated and will not allow us to continue with the installation.
installing windows
If you just bought a new PC with no OS, and you still have your old Windows 10-managed PC, you can leverage the same license from your old PC with your new one so you don’t buy a new license, as long as you don’t intend to keep using it.
Digital licenses are associated with our Microsoft account and the hardware of the equipment. In this way, if we format our computer with Windows 10 or Windows 11, the system will automatically take care of activate windows licenseas long as we have not made any hardware changes.
Windows digital licenses are associated with specific hardware. If there are any changes to the hardware, the license will stop working. So that this does not happen and the license is lost, before replacing any component of the equipment, we must unlink the digital license.
Take advantage of the Windows 10 license on your new computer
The theory states that Microsoft only allows us to use a digital license on another computer as long as it is a retail license, that is, a license purchased directly from Microsoft or third parties. In addition to Retail licences, we also find the oem beadsaccounts that are associated with a single piece of hardware and that come pre-installed on the computer.
And when I say the theory it is because in all the years that I have been using Windows, I have never encountered this problem and, believe me, I have been passing OEM licenses from one computer to another without any problem or limitation.
Unlink Windows 10 license
If, as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, you want to take advantage of the Windows 10 license on your old computer to install Windows 11 on the new one, the first thing you should do is unlink the license from the computer and your account.
The first thing we must do to carry out this process is access the Windows configuration options (Windows key + i). Next, click on Accounts, and then on Your information. For unbind windows licenseclick on Sign in with a local account in your home and enter the PIN code to access our Windows account.
Once you have unlinked the Microsoft license from your computer, you can now sell your computer with Windows 10 installed, but not activated. The user who buys it will have to acquire an official license to be able to get the most out of it.
To make sure that the license has been unlinked correctly, we access the Windows configuration options (Windows key + i), click on Update and security and then on Activation.
If we have carried out the steps correctly, this section will inform us that it has not found a product key on the device.
Install Windows 11 with the Windows 10 license
Once the process has finished, we extract the USB flash drive and connect it to the new equipment. We press the power button and when the image of the motherboard manufacturer is displayed on the screen, we press F12 to select from which drive we want to start the computer.
As there is no operating system installed, we are going to use the installation medium that we have created to install, excuse the redundancy, Windows 11 on the new computer. The installation process is very simple and we just have to follow the steps that are shown on the screen.
When the installation process is finished, Windows 11 will invite us to enter the data of our Microsoft account, an account where we have a digital license available and that automatically team will join without us having to do anything else on our part.
Installing Linux
Linux, unlike Windows, is completely free (at least the most popular distros), so you don’t need any kind of license to install it on any computer, new or old. If you bought a new computer to play games or use specific applications that are only available for Windows, Linux is not a solution.
Ubuntu is the most complete version of Linux that we can currently find, making it one of the best options to install on any computer. To install Ubuntu on a new PC assembled by pieces, the first thing we must do is go to their website and download the latest ISO available.
Install Ubuntu on a new computer
When starting the computer using the installation USB drive that we have created, we select the first option Try or Install Ubuntu. The first screen…
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