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I have a shiny new machine (Lenovo P53). It comes with a factory-installed Windows. I don't need Windows, and will install Linux. OTOH 4-5 years from now I could get a newer machine and pass this one to someone who prefers Windows. So I want to be able to put back Windows on it later on.

There is an obvious easy option: swap the boot drive with an empty one and keep the Windows one, but that would be quite expensive since the boot disk is a rather big SSD and I'm not willing to pay that price for a copy of Windows.

So my other options are:

Use an external Windows installation disk

In other words, I wouldn't need to do anything with the current machine, just find a W10 ISO somewhere and archive it (and maybe complement it with specific drivers). But is this a real option?

Save the current windows install

This by itself is two sub-boptions:

Save partitions

Can I save the Windows partition alone or should I add the UEFI boot partition? How would I restore them properly on a new disk? The Windows partition is about a terabyte, but is mostly empty, can I shrink it first? Or just hope it will compress well?

Save the whole drive

How can I make sure it compresses well (should I use a TRIM commands first)? But can it be restored on a slightly different disk (5 years from now, current disk could have been replaced)?

Keep the recovery partition

There is a one GB partition (aout 60% full) called WinRE_DRV that the Windows partition manager labels "OEM partition". Is this a recovery partition? Can I save/restore it? Can I just leave it there (1GB isn't much) and hope that the BIOS can still use it?

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You can use Ghost, Acronis or like back up applications to create a full system backup. But you cannot very likely pass the image on. Your machine came with Windows 10 installed (therefore OEM) and you cannot move this to another machine. Make a backup for yourself only and then install Linux

Lenovo machines allow you to make a Recovery USB key (once) that you can use when replacing a disk drive. Make this and put Windows back on if you plan to give away the whole computer with the operating system intact

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  • Why not create a disk image of the Windows installation? There is already, probably a System Recovery partition, being it is brand new.
    – vssher
    Commented Dec 30, 2019 at 20:25
  • That is what john meant.
    – Moab
    Commented Dec 30, 2019 at 21:20
  • Thanks. Eventually used the "Recovery USB key" method.
    – xenoid
    Commented Jan 4, 2020 at 21:10
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Use an external Windows installation disk

Using an ISO to install Windows 10 is a real option and it will probably work. As a precaution I would download and save the drivers from their manufacturers' websites, for those that were not installed by Windows, just in case.

You do not need to save the Windows 10 serial number, since it will be attributed in the future automatically by digital entitlement. This will no longer work if you make an extensive hardware replacement, such as replacing the motherboard.

Save partitions

I would suggest saving all partitions, as the Windows partition will be the bulk of the backup. See the next point.

Save the whole drive

This is my recommended option.

Use a backup product that only backups used sectors. It should also have a boot CD/USB, that you should create and test. Save both backup and the boot CD/USB, preferably in two copies, on good-quality media.

My favorite backup product is AOMEI Backupper Freeware. It can restore to a disk of a different size, in case it is replaced in the future.

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