Does Host Refresh operate on a Live installation?

[pmikep]

Perhaps a dumb question, especially since I haven't tried the Host Refresh wizard. I'm assuming that the Refresh operates on a Live installation, yes? I read the Guide (a little dated?), but the only time it mentioned loading a Live OS was for Updates.

If it's the case that Host Refresh works on a live installation, then I don't understand why a user wouldn't process a wim ahead of time. (The Guide says to start with a fresh iso.)

I mean, if I processed a new image ahead of time, with new updates, drivers, etc., then all that the Host Refresh would be doing is "upgrading" Windows when the Wizard is actually run.

I dunno, maybe the Host Refreash does a two step process - it processed a new image and then it calls setup and installs that nee image on top of the old. But it seems like it might go faster to have the new image ready

 

[nuhi]

Yes, it's for a Live installation, to be updated with the custom ISO, then Windows migrates your apps and settings.

It will do it for you, point of the wizard is that it's automated.
Once you select the ISO and it's changes (can be a preset or manual editing) from the wizard popup (not loading the image as usual), just press Process/Continue on the Apply page, as you would of a normal image.
That's all, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Let me know if you get ideas how to improve it, or have any issues.

Thanks.

 

[pmikep]

I tried to use it to Refresh a Win8.1 installation. It seems to want only Win10 stuff, so I couldn't get it to start.

So then I tried doing a manual Refresh, by running Setup.exe in Win8.1, like I have done with Win7 before. (I didn't work this time, probably because I left Comodo installed in my base, which I'm guessing was too much for Windows.)

On reason for my wanting to use a pre-processed 'Lited iso is because, as least in Win8.1's case, you have to do a run with just one Service Stack Update before you can integrate the rest of the KB's. So if you start with an untouched iso and use a Preset, the best you can refresh to is a Refresh with just the SSU.