Imaging a Surface Pro 3

gpmic

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Sep 5, 2013
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Does anyone have experiece applying an existing Windows 8.1 (desktop) image to a Surface device? If so, what program did you use?

I don't necessarily want to do this because I love starting with a fresh install. However, I am already imagining the nightmare it will be to transfer my MS Office and VS licenses from my desktop to the SP3. Thanks.
 

astondg

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The Surface line will have a custom Windows 8.1 image that includes all the necessary drivers so I think it would be less hassle to stick with that and figure out how to transfer licences across. BUT in saying that when the SP1 was released I found some information on people who had created their own Windows 8 image from the default Windows 8 (non-Surface) install and their own set of drivers (by getting the latest drivers from the manufacturer of each piece of hardware in the SP1); they said this worked well for them. Installing an existing desktop image would be a bit different though, if it's a full image then the drivers will be wrong, drives and other hardware will be missing (and new). It seems like it would be a world of hurt.

Are you using VS 2013? If so, and you're signed in with your MS account, then transition that should be as simple as installing again and signing in. I think your licence stays with your MS account. I'm signed in on my SP1 and my work desktop machine with the same account and the licencing seems fine. MS has been doing some work in this area recently to link your MSDN benefits between accounts (work & personal for example) too.

I'm using Office 365 and that was also a simple experience moving between devices (sign in to the installer and the applications download and install in the background) and it works across 5 at once I think. 'Traditional' Office would no doubt be different but should just be a matter of entering the key on installation? Is the Office install from MSDN? If so then it's usually a multi-licence thing (you may have to get another key from MSDN if you want to run on 2 machines at once).
 

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