New computer setup

I just got a new iMac and will be moving everything to it, including Parallels (plus Windows and Quickbooks). I have multiple questions now....

1) Can I install Parallels, using my existing license/key ? It will be temporary, as in hours or worst case, a day or so.
2) Is it recommended to MOVE my current virtual machine or start over from scratch ? I have no problem starting over. I know it's more time-consuming but sometimes a 'clean slate' is a good start.
2a) I'm thinking I may want to move it because of Windows. I have a license/disc for Windows 8.x (can't remember if it's 8.0 or 8.1) and used the 'free' upgrade to Windows 10. I thought the free upgrade was a time-limited thing so I may not be eligible now.

Hmmm, I thought I had more questions.... I'll probably think of them later though !

 

I knew I'd have another question....

Presuming I do MOVE my current virtual machine, do I need to pre-configure anything related to the hard drive, as in how much space to allocate before bringing the VM over ? I have KB article ... hmmm, I printed it but there's no number on it ... "Transfer an existing virtual machine to a new Mac...." and it simply indicates to bring it over, double-click it, and it takes care of the rest (??).

 

Hi HallStevenson,
- Yes, you can use the same Parallels Desktop license key on your new Mac temporarily by referring to this link.
- The steps suggested at this article are perfect for your requirement. The guest OS configuration will stay intact with same specifications & you can always transfer your virtual machine back to your old Mac later. So need for creating new virtual machine can be avoided.
Note : Please back up your Windows before performing the steps to avoid loss of data.
- You're also right about Windows upgrade process as the free upgrade is applicable only if you are reinstalling Windows on same hardware and any hardware changes are considered as fresh install by Microsoft.
Let us know if you have further queries, we will be happy to help. Thanks.