Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

Klaver7 · Mar 20, 2026

Open the Registry editor (regedit.exe), and...
Go here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\macrium\reflect\Settings
And set: PrefixWithUniqueSetID ...to "0" (zero)

Thank you for the Tip !

Try3 · Sep 22, 2026

Ghot said:
AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite

Mike,

I'm going to try, for the first time ever, setting up new computers by restoring the system image of an existing one.
I've found procedural guides for Aomei & Hasleo but haven't managed to find confirmation that the universal restore [restore to dissimilar hardware] capability exists in the Hasleo free version.
~~Do you know if their free versions can do this?~~
I've now found confirmation that Aomei Backupper [free] does not have the universal restore [restore to dissimilar hardware] capability.
Do you know if the free Hasleo version does have this?

Notes intended to avoid your having to waste your time writing about related topics for me:-
- I've been using a free sawn-off version of Acronis True Image for over fifteen years but it lacks this function so I know I have to try something new.
- I think that the version I use for this job will be my future 'routine' system imaging utility.
- I'll backup all drivers anyway but expect that I'll have a better chance of success with a utility that has the dissimilar hardware capability.
- All the computers are currently activated [pre-installed Windows Home 10/11]. I realise that I'll have to go through activation again so MS can detect their existing hardware signature & hence their existing activation and re-activate them after the restoration.
- I have some notes that I'll have to study about Windows 11 networking of computers derived from common system images [the notes are about direct clones but I assume that I'll need to make the same adjustments].

All the best,
Denis

Ghot · Sep 22, 2026

Try3 said:
Do you know if their free versions can do this?

Yes and no.

Most backup software, as far as I know, can restore to dissimilar hardware IF that hardware has nothing on it's drive.
Just use the bootable backup media and tell it to restore... whatever image.

I had a situation recently where I couldn't boot the computer OR the USB backup software.

So I did a clean install of Win 11, so I could boot the Macrium USB media.
Then from within Macrium bootable, I just deleted all the new Win 11 partitions, and restored from my latest backup.

I realize that this wasn't a restore to dissimilar hardware. But, I think the issue is pretty much the same.
It's not the drivers/hardware that are the issues, it's that the partition sizes on the dissimilar hardware machine, make it impossible to restore from a backup made on some other machine.

Macrium's bootable media, at least will allow you to delete existing partitions, so the restore (which probably has different "size" partitions, can restore properly.

tl:dr

I would do this...

1. Boot from your backup software's bootable media.
2. Delete any existing partitions on the drive (in the dissimilar hardware/partitions), you want to restore to.
3. Run the restore.

The only other problem I can think of is the MS certificate cr*p.
The Secure Boot on the dissimilar hardware machine, has to match the certs on the image you're restoring from.

Hasleo doesn't mention, dissimilar or bare metal...

Best Free Backup Software for Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista in 2026 - Hasleo Backup Suite

Hasleo Backup Suite Free is the best free backup software for Windows 11/10/8/7 in 2026. Back up and restore OS, disks, partitions and files. Download free.

www.easyuefi.com

AOMEI says the free version won't do restore to dissimilar. But I'm not sure that's true if you delete the partitions on the dissimilar...

Free Backup Software for Windows | AOMEI Backupper Standard

AOMEI Backupper Standard is the best free backup software and provides you easy backup & disaster recovery solutions for Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista and XP to protect your OS, hard drive and files.

www.aomeitech.com

Over the years, I've noticed that most backup software can restore to dissimilar, if you cheat, like I mentioned above,
when using their bootable media.
Norton Ghost 2003, WD's gimped Acronis, even the free Macrium 8.0

@garlin may have more or better info related to the following...
Old certs, need Secure Boot disabled.
Up-to-date certs needed if Secure Boot is enabled.

Try3 · Sep 22, 2026

Ghot said:
It's not the drivers that are the issues, it's that the partitions on the dissimilar hardware machine, make it
impossible to restore from a backup made on some other machine.

Mike,

This is news to me.
- I always thought [well, assumed] that it was drivers that complicated restoring to dissimilar hardware.
- But, from what you've said, I can't just restore the original C drive partition to the corresponding C drive partition on the target computers [all of which will be the same size & type].
- I had thought that I'd restore C drives [over the tops of vanilla Windows 11 installations] then restore each driver backup. Each target partition will be a C drive within a dual-boot arrangement.
I'll have to go back to the drawing board then.

@garlin
- None of them have Secure boot enabled so I can avoid that complication.
- I've already noted your networking-related SIDChg solution - garlin #4 - ElevenForum I'll be doing the changes on all target computers straightaway so, as you pointed out, I'll be able to take advantage of the SIDChg free trial period.

Denis

Ghot · Sep 22, 2026

Try3 said:
This is news to me.

Drivers can create complications, but not with the restore. [Unless there's an NVMe driver on one machine or the other]
The kind that must be installed when installing Windows.

"Sometimes", restoring to similar size will work... depending on the backup software.
Some backup software won't let you pick and choose which partitions to restore.
Like... it may "want" to restore Windows and EFI partition, no matter what you tell it.

The best thing... is just test it. Preferably on a machine that has the Windows product key attached to the BIOS... like a laptop.
If the restore to dissimilar doesn't work, try deleting the partitions on the dissimilar.
And if that doesn't work...

Never forget your StackSocial lifeline... $9.97...

Windows 11 Pro: BitLocker, Hyper-V & Azure AD—Lifetime License, One-Time Purchase

<p>Microsoft-Verified Partner! Upgrade Your Windows OS and Enjoy Enhanced UI, Better Multitasking, and Improved Security</p>

www.stacksocial.com

I've been running a StackSocial key for just under a year now.
A BIOS update broke my activation.

You probably remember the incident...

Win 11 activated with digital license, but can't link to MS acct.

Pretty much what the title says. To link to MS account requires serial number, which I don't have. I've tried the powershell an command prompt commands for fining the serial, but get no results. I've also tried registering device with computer name. Doesn't work. My computer has only a Local...

www.elevenforum.com

itsme1 · Sep 22, 2026

No, this is not available for the free version of Hasleo, You need at least the paid "HOME" version.

Compare the license type of Hasleo Backup Suite

The license of Hasleo Backup Suite is divided as Free, Home, Professional, Server, and Technician License, this document provides a detailed comparison of these editions.

www.easyuefi.com

Ghot · Sep 22, 2026

@Try3

Here's Google AI, concerning MR v8.0 free...

Paid Feature Only: Macrium ReDeploy (which adapts Windows boot and storage drivers for new hardware) is restricted to paid editions of Macrium Reflect. [1]

The Free Workaround: Windows 10 and 11 can sometimes successfully boot an image restored to new hardware on their own without ReDeploy. You can restore the image using the free version's rescue media and then use the Fix Boot Problems wizard in Macrium, but success depends on how dissimilar the new hardware components are. [1]

Reflect Free v8.0 Download Agent

One of the old Black Isle Studios game's cheat codes comes to mind...

"CheatersDoProsper". (IWD 1)

Try3 · Sep 22, 2026

Ghot said:
Like... it may "want" to restore Windows and EFI partition, no matter what you tell it

Mike,

I know I will avoid that problem.
Even my free sawn-off version of Acronis True Image will let me restore individual partitions.
I only started considering Aomei & Hasleo because I thought my chances of success would be better with a utility that had the universal restore capability.
This is all part of my migration to Windows 11 & new computers ~~master~~plan.
- I intend to set up dual booting on every computer for the transition then do all the experimental restorations [followed by Windows 11 upgrades] on the secondary OS before, in the fullness of time, ditching the original OS on each one in favour of the experimental ones.
- I have 4 computers. Only my main one is fully set up. I stopped after the main applications were done on the others. It takes me a couple of weeks to work through setting each one up from scratch so taking a shortcut with universal restore would save me an awful lot of work.
- It sounds like I might as well try just using True Image on top of vanilla Windows installations then restore each computer's old drivers and then just see what the results are like.

Thanks for the advice,
Denis

And thanks for the Hasleo confirmation @itsme1 I had been searching their website badly - I had only been searching within their image restoration guidance pages. I shall punish myself for my idiocy by forcing myself to have several tins of Bitburger after my dinner.

Bree · Sep 22, 2026

Try3 said:
I'm going to try, for the first time ever, setting up new computers by restoring the system image of an existing one.

Ghot said:
@Try3

Here's Google AI, concerning MR v8.0 free...

...The Free Workaround: Windows 10 and 11 can sometimes successfully boot an image restored to new hardware on their own without ReDeploy. You can restore the image using the free version's rescue media and then use the Fix Boot Problems wizard in Macrium, but success depends on how dissimilar the new hardware components are.

In my experience Windows 10/11 can almost always successfully boot an image restored to new hardware on their own without ReDeploy. My System One below had its original Windows 10 migrated from an entirely Intel based machine to an entirely AMD based one without using ReDeploy, didn't have any problems. You really can't get more dissimilar than that....

Try3 said:
...from what you've said, I can't just restore the original C drive partition to the corresponding C drive partition on the target computers...

Oh yes you can. My System One was also migrated from being a Legacy BIOS/MBR install to a UEFI/GPT one by doing just that - a clean install of Windows 10 in UEFI, then restoring just the C: partition from the old machine's MBR image to replace the vanilla one created by the clean install. Now being on a supported device it got the Win11 upgrade through Windows Update.

Oh, and this year I had to replace my System One before it fell apart (broken hinges for the laptop's lid). So I migrated again, this time from AMD hardware back to the Intel hardware of my System Seven - again, without using ReDeploy.

Try3 · Sep 22, 2026

Bree,

Thanks for all that.
I'll go ahead using my existing imaging utility Seagate DiscWizard [=free version of Acronis True Image for computers with internal / USB-connected Seagate disks].
My main computer is Intel-based. One of the three target computers is AMD so that comment of yours was encouraging.

All this will keep me busy this Winter,
Denis

Bree · Sep 22, 2026

Try3 said:
Bree,

Thanks for all that.
I'll go ahead using my existing imaging utility Seagate DiscWizard [=free version of Acronis True Image for computers with internal / USB-connected Seagate disks].
My main computer is Intel-based. One of the three target computers is AMD so that comment of yours was encouraging.

All this will keep me busy this Winter,
Denis

Good luck.

After restoring just the C: partition I needed to use 'Fix Windows boot problems' from Reflect's recovery media. The alternative, if you don't have Reflect handy, is to boot to WinRE (for example, from a Windows install USB) and in a command prompt use the command:
bootrec /rebuildbcd

garlin · Sep 22, 2026

Try3 said:
@garlin
- None of them have Secure boot enabled so I can avoid that complication.
- I've already noted your networking-related SIDChg solution - garlin #4 - ElevenForum I'll be doing the changes on all target computers straightaway so, as you pointed out, I'll be able to take advantage of the SIDChg free trial period.

Secure Boot certs are installed in the UEFI's NVRAM, so they're persistent to the PC regardless of what OS is clean installed, upgraded, or restored from.

Once you have updated the PC's Secure Boot settings, only two factors remain which can block Windows from booting:

1. There are two identical versions of the Windows boot manager, but each is signed by a different certificate. If your install or restore image defaults to the "wrong" version, it may fail to boot with Secure Boot enabled. The workaround is to temporarily turn of Secure Boot, run Windows and then update the boot file by copying the expected version to the EFI volume.

For example, to manually copy the CA 20233 version:

Code:

mountvol S: /s
copy \Windows\Boot\EFI_EX/bootmgfw_EX.efi S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
mountvol S: /d

2. If you have performed a revoke of PCA 2011 (ironically it's still optional right now), there is a SVN version number which restricts the boot manager to only running a later/latest version. Typically it requires you check after a restore that Windows Update doesn't have anything new if the backup is more than a month old.

What dictates a backup image is portable (in regards to Secure Boot) is really what version of the boot manager is available (because of the last Monthly Update), and whether it's currently copied to the EFI volume. You can always disable Secure Boot, and run a check script to explain why you're getting a security violation error on boot.

KevTech · Sep 22, 2026

garlin said:
If you have performed a revoke of PCA 2011 (ironically it's still optional right now)

I was reading the plan now is to just let the 2011 expire.

Secure Boot Certificate Refresh: Update 2011 Roots Before 2026

Microsoft has issued a coordinated warning: the original Secure Boot certificates that have underpinned Windows platform integrity since 2011 are reaching the end of their lifecycle, and a deliberate, ecosystem-wide refresh is required before mid‑2026 to avoid a progressive loss of...

windowsforum.com

garlin · Sep 22, 2026

But that doesn't block older boot managers from running, which was the whole point of banning PCA 2011. While the cert is expired, and no longer valid for signing new boot files, if you don't ban PCA 2011 then I can still run older Windows or unpatched W10 22H2/W11 boot files and get hacked.

To say we hope the problem goes away because users stop using an unpatched PC simply because it got retired from being too old isn't a strategy.

I don't really like WindowsForum.com. Their AI repackages authentic details (usually pulled from real MS announcement or guide), but it often scrambles it up in a confusing fashion that you can't tell how it sometimes draws a conclusion. Is the conclusion something the AI derived, or was that actually stated by MS in some official statement?

glasskuter · Sep 22, 2026

@Try3 Denis see if this helps

How to Restore a Windows System Image to a Different Computer? (Dissimilar Hardware Restore)

Try3 · Sep 22, 2026

glasskuter said:
see if this helps

Linda,

Thanks but I have decided that I might as well do the whole job using my existing Acronis/Seagate imaging utility.
I'm going to set up dual boots on all four computers and do all the work in those. If I make a mess of anything then it won't be the end of the world.

All the best,
Denis

KevTech · Sep 22, 2026

garlin said:
Is the conclusion something the AI derived, or was that actually stated by MS in some official statement?

Not sure but I read Microsoft plans to update the DBX through Windows Update which goes against what that site is saying.

garlin · Sep 22, 2026

I read a previous rumor that MS was considering forcing DBX updates during OOBE on a clean install. But I imagine that would be something that would have been tested in an Insider build instead of rolling out for the first time in production.

The one thing that might be holding MS back is the reports of problem BIOS'es where adding the full DBX list overflows the assigned storage space and ends up bricking the PC (at worst) or breaking Secure Boot validation. They may be trying gather more data on which BIOS'es are affected.

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