OK. Some news and clarification about my case. I don't remember whether I checked my software how it worked after migrating the system before updating it. So I am not sure whether the apps were authorized. But I have just migrated my system again and it is in the old version 1909. And all software is not authorized. So not updating but migrating the system corrupts the system setup. I use MiniTool Partition Wiz. Do you know how I can copy/migrate/clone the system disk into the bigger disk without destroying or changing anything? I don't want to make the clean installation and waste the time. Of course, I will do it in the last resort. My problem now is not how to update the system to the newer version (interesting option) but how to migrate it securely.
I don't update often the system. But I am as Allin said: "desire to acquire new features, close security holes and fix bugs".
My system is not supposed to be closed stripped version machine dedicated solely to audio works but it is a general-purpose laptop at home for me and my wife, unfortunately.

??? Why do I lose authorizations of my apps??? What has it got to do with copying a disk??? arghhh

 

Last edited: Jan 4, 2021

Hi guys. I got in touch with MiniTools PW support. Their reply explains a lot:

“some apps license keys may be indexed to other computer hardware configurations, so you can check other apps end user license agreements.”

It looks like not updating or even migrating the system gives me the problem but the new SSD drive itself troubles me. But it is so logical for me. When we change any component of our setup with its unique serial or vendor number apparently changes occur in the system as well. And the Machine ID number changes as well. This is what is used in some keygens.
Luckily Windows uses the mainboard number for activation. It's a pity that this is how it works. Couldn’t the programs work the same way. I mean their way of activating. If you have any workarounds, please give me any clues and thoughts.
I think, the cloning the system in general, doesn’t have a sense.

 

You could use symlinks, where all programs use links to a separate drive.
Maybe these links need to be rebuild after restoring a Windows backup to a new drive.
But this should be easier than reinstalling KG's and activate all software again.
Of course symlinks should be created prior to updating & backup.

 

This is especially true for function updates.

I always set the delay for function updates to 365. After a longer time of watching forums where problems are discussed, I first do a full backup and then I update the least important system and see what happens.

Never just update a production system via automatic updates!

I don't think it's a good idea not to update at all. Many security holes and problem areas in Windows are closed by security and stability updates. Finally, system drivers are updated and this leads to a more stable system.
If you don't allow any updates at all, you should disconnect your system from the internet.
It is more important to regain control over your own system and decide for yourself which updates to make and when.


20H2 seems to be a bitch for audio users! See:
https://audiosex.pro/threads/softube-r2r-releases-dont-show-up-cubase-10-x-11-win20h2.57001/

P.S.: Best is to make a backup prior to every installation of an app or Win updates. Every once in a while I got a BSOD after Windows updates in the past or system just not started.
I don't blame MS though. The system itself and thas vast amount of different hardware system makes it nearly impossible to roll out an update without any side-effects. Even Apple far less different hardware has it's problems.

 

Last edited: Jan 5, 2021

Some plugs use several parameters to determine the SYSTEM-ID value to put in the keygens. One of them is the size of the partition where Windows is installed, thus it's not only a question of copying disks but also it has to do with the destination partition size

 

...well, ain't that a b!tch?

 

In my experience, deleting cache was enough to get the invalid license syndrome.

 

There's one thing though with W10 when you're using LTSC version: you get the security fixes for about 5 years, be it v1809, 1909... so there's no need to update the whole system. You usually just get more garbage with Windows these days anyway. In my experience v1809 and 1909 LTSC are the way to go, and just update with security fixes if you're using it for browsing the dodgy websites.

I'd still recommend installing either a VirtualBox OS or dual boot OS for that. That's the safest, and VirtualBox OS can be used for testing software. It's safer than having any kind of AV software. It comes incredibly handy, and you can do whatever you want with it as changes get erased as soon as you go back to the snapshot of the OS you've made previously. Snapshots also boot in like 2 seconds. It just takes an additional double click or click to start the browser, or you can make a snapshot with the browser already opened.

Before updating it's a great idea to make an image of the system disk with all partitions, with software like True Image or Clonezilla. Buy one cheap 8GB flash drive just for that, put the ISO on it with Rufus and you can also store files on it, no matter that it's bootable with disk/partition cloning/backup/recovery software. Nothing beats True Image or Clonezilla for safe-keeping your working OS.

As they say: better to be safe than sorry.

A great "edition" [cracked release] of W10 LTSC that I install is made by Ghostmod. It's "lite" [1GB of RAM at startup], and the updates are paused until 2050 by default. It's simply great. {gen2} and TeamOS also make great pre-activated editions, but you have to tweak most of the things yourself.

Ghostmod LTSC/Enterprise edition shines for music and video workstations, I think.

Cheers!

 

Last edited: Jan 5, 2021

What cache???

 

Maybe you should try to disable the windows update service in services.msc

 

why all the hassle when you can easily generate the licenses with a keygen

 

On the contrary; a bootable clone will work, with all plugs, exactly as its predecessor.
Although I have only ever created bootable clones of macOS.

 

The migrated Windows worked like a charm. But many keygened plugins lost the activated status and turned into the trial mode. They need to be activated again. It is not a big thing but it is a disruption. You don’t know what plugin in what project will need the activation again, just surprise.
As for migrating, it is a bit more flexible process than cloning. I stretched the system partition and apparently this caused miscalculations for certain plugins’ activating process.

 

It doesn't sound exactly as if it worked like a charm?
And how is that more flexible than making a bootable clone?
Because now you still have to re keygen/activate them. May even have to reinstall some, I reckon.
Whereas with a bootable clone everything would have worked as per.

 

Yes, I will try to clone the system or migrate without stretching the system partition. But what when I will stretch the system partition afterwards? That’s why I want to move to a bigger disk.

 

authorizations were a hardware based? plugins were authorized with 1 serial nnumber ou with serial number + keygen generated code (keyfile)?

 

Not sure! But in regards:

When a bootable clone (not a clone!) is made, the disk size has to be the same or bigger than.
So can't you just choose a bigger drive to make your bootable clone on?

 

Some machine based authorizations need new auth.

 

Agreed. Just not with a bootable clone.