Need Windows 11 Migration Help in Server environment

[les_garten]

I have an office that needs to migrate 12 Workstations from 10 to 11 in 1 2019 Server Domain Controller network.

In the end the new PC needs to have the name as the old PC. I need ao install a bunch of SW needed for Surgical procedures and don't want to lost it with a name change anywhere.

I need local accounts and Domain accounts to be available for anytime the DC may hiccup.

How do you install Win 11 now without creating a MS account? Is that possible?

How does that work with MS Office serial numbers?

 

[MrGuvernment]

If you are on a domain, you should be using Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise.

When you install Windows, you just say "sign in aother way" and choose Domain.

Also, if a computer already exists with a name, do an inplace upgrade?

You can not have 2 computers with the same name domain joined.. you must either delete one, or inplace upgrade it.

 

[les_garten]

If you are on a domain, you should be using Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise.

When you install Windows, you just say "sign in aother way" and choose Domain.

Also, if a computer already exists with a name, do an inplace upgrade?

You can not have 2 computers with the same name domain joined.. you must either delete one, or inplace upgrade it.

All will be 11 Pro, and REQUIRE new hardware. Sorry, forgot to mention those two points.

Can I give them temp names, decomission the orig names and rename new PCs to original names?

 

[pendragon1]

transfer drives to new hardware, get them up and running.
upgrade to 11.
yes your last post would work too.

 

[bluestang]

Why wouldn't you just clone the drives from the old W10 to the new and then do in place upgrade to W11? Or in place upgrade the old W10 machines to W11 then clone drive to new machines.

 

[les_garten]

Why wouldn't you just clone the drives from the old W10 to the new and then do in place upgrade to W11? Or in place upgrade the old W10 machines to W11 then clone drive to new machines.

Thanks guys. Hadn't thought of some of these. Cannot do in place upgrades because of TPM. But cloning and upgrading in place might work. If the machines will boot.

 

[les_garten]

transfer drives to new hardware, get them up and running.
upgrade to 11.
yes your last post would work too.

Thanks, good idea. I usually like to do Fresh installs of everything, but that's a PITA.

 

[pendragon1]

If the machines will boot.

remove the chipset drivers before you shutdown to move the drive(or clone it over) to the new hardware. let windows fire up and do its reboot dance (3-6 reboots) and it then should load up fine*. install new chipset drivers. upgrade to 11.
*as long as these systems have all their efi info on the boot drive....

 

[les_garten]

remove the chipset drivers before you shutdown to move the drive(or clone it over) to the new hardware. let windows fire up and do its reboot dance (3-6 reboots) and it then should load up fine*. install new chipset drivers. upgrade to 11.
*as long as these systems have all their efi info on the boot drive....

These will be new Dell workstations with most likely some version of Core Ultra. The old are around 10th gen i7 and i5 vintage

 

[MrGuvernment]

Ya, cloning can work, Windows is pretty flexible now moving between hardware and so long as the new Dell systems come with Windows, they should activate fine also.

Redoing company apps can be a pain, and a clean install is always best...

Now you do note Surgical procedures, so these sound very critical, so, make sure you properly test on a single system first.

 

[les_garten]

Ya, cloning can work, Windows is pretty flexible now moving between hardware and so long as the new Dell systems come with Windows, they should activate fine also.

Redoing company apps can be a pain, and a clean install is always best...

Now you do note Surgical procedures, so these sound very critical, so, make sure you properly test on a single system first.

I'm thinking of just doing what I originally thought, total clean install. I don't want to drag around old problems.

So just call the new accounting pc >> accounting2, get it setup, then decommission accounting and rename accounting 2 >> accounting?

Any gotchas to watch out for?

 

[dbwillis]

Build the new machines, configure, etc, if your existing machines are 'OFFICEPC01' use a temp name on the new machine of 'OFFICEPC01R'
Before you shut down the old machine, rename it to OFFICEPC01X, shut down, then when the new one powers up, rename and remove the R
(this is a backup situation and lets you put the old one in place if the new ones encounter some hiccup)

 

[les_garten]

Build the new machines, configure, etc, if your existing machines are 'OFFICEPC01' use a temp name on the new machine of 'OFFICEPC01R'
Before you shut down the old machine, rename it to OFFICEPC01X, shut down, then when the new one powers up, rename and remove the R
(this is a backup situation and lets you put the old one in place if the new ones encounter some hiccup)

Thanks!

 

[MrGuvernment]

Do you use DHCP reservations, does everything work over DNS? Or does anything use IP's also, as you would need to add the new MAC addresses of the new machines to get the same IP also.

 

[les_garten]

Do you use DHCP reservations, does everything work over DNS? Or does anything use IP's also, as you would need to add the new MAC addresses of the new machines to get the same IP also.

Indeed, I will have DNS and dhcp editing to do