[SOLVED] Building a new PC with existing drives

[Adam Jelinek]

Hello so my current system has a ryzen 5 2600 and an rx 580 on a b450 mobo, and I will be building a new ryzen 7 5800x, rtx 3090 on a b550. So my problem is that I am wondering if I could just take my current nvme and hdd, erase all of the GPU drivers, and swap them into my new build. Would any issues arise? Like when I boot to the new PC can't I just remove any other remaining drivers?

 

[Adam Jelinek]

Yes.
And the "wipe my ssd" can happen during the install in the new hardware.

And the install you are referring to downloading the fresh windows. Also this may be a complete beginner question but what sorts of applications are typically stored on the c drive. Because if it’s stuff I can just redownlod I’m considering just wiping it anyway, like try to save the real personal stuff but other than that wiping it.

 

[USAFRet]

And the install you are referring to downloading the fresh windows. Also this may be a complete beginner question but what sorts of applications are typically stored on the c drive. Because if it’s stuff I can just redownlod I’m considering just wiping it anyway, like try to save the real personal stuff but other than that wiping it.

What applications do you use? What do you use the system for?

Things you'll need:
Drivers for whatever hardware you use.
Steam/Origin client, if you game.
etc, etc....

Whatever you use this system for, you'll need to reinstall.
This of this as the very first day you powered the system up.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

What applications do you use? What do you use the system for?

Things you'll need:
Drivers for whatever hardware you use.
Steam/Origin client, if you game.
etc, etc....

Whatever you use this system for, you'll need to reinstall.
This of this as the very first day you powered the system up.

Okay that makes sense. So yes I do primarily use my pc to game on so I would need like steam and stuff like that. So in that case it really doesn’t matter if I delete everything off that drive when I’m formatting it to download the windows onto it. The only issue I’m thinking of is am I gonna have to get another windows key? I bought mine off of scdkey before.

 

[USAFRet]

Okay that makes sense. So yes I do primarily use my pc to game on so I would need like steam and stuff like that. So in that case it really doesn’t matter if I delete everything off that drive when I’m formatting it to download the windows onto it. The only issue I’m thinking of is am I gonna have to get another windows key? I bought mine off of scdkey before.

We already talked about that.
https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...c-with-existing-drives.3673329/#post-22123262

 

[Adam Jelinek]

We already talked about that.
https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...c-with-existing-drives.3673329/#post-22123262

Alright so if I have it linked to my Microsoft account then once I boot the system on the new windows download it should automatically be linked once I sign in. Because I do have it linked.

 

[USAFRet]

Alright so if I have it linked to my Microsoft account then once I boot the system on the new windows download it should automatically be linked once I sign in. Because I do have it linked.

Should do, yes.
It may not happen instantly, but it will eventually.

Read that link from MS. It outlines the steps for "New hardware"

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

So I should transfer that data to my hdd and then wipe my ssd to download windows?

It's very simple... I just built a new PC this weekend.

1. Copied all data I was saving such as programs/documents/media to a HDD I was moving to new build
2. Wiped all SSDs
3. Built PC
4. Installed windows to SSD from my USB stick ... clicked "I don't have my license right now" during installation (not OEM, my license linked to my microsoft account)
5. logged into PC, logged into Microsoft account, went to activation and it asked me if I had made a hardware change and I clicked yes
6. Windows activated
7. Copied previously saved programs/documents/media data from HDD to SSD and installed
8. Started enjoying new PC

 

[Adam Jelinek]

@

It's very simple... I just built a new PC this weekend.

1. Copied all data I was saving such as programs/documents/media to a HDD I was moving to new build
2. Wiped all SSDs
3. Built PC
4. Installed windows to SSD from my USB stick ... clicked "I don't have my license right now" during installation (not OEM, my license linked to my microsoft account)
5. logged into PC, logged into Microsoft account, went to activation and it asked me if I had made a hardware change and I clicked yes
6. Windows activated
7. Copied previously saved programs/documents/media data from HDD to SSD
8. Started enjoying new PC

okay that was definitely super clear. So one question. Can I just copy and paste the stuff I am saving from my ssd to my hdd? Obviously except the windows folder?

 

[USAFRet]

It's very simple... I just built a new PC this weekend.

1. Copied all data I was saving such as programs/documents/media to a HDD I was moving to new build
2. Wiped all SSDs
3. Built PC
4. Installed windows to SSD from my USB stick ... clicked "I don't have my license right now" during installation (not OEM, my license linked to my microsoft account)
5. logged into PC, logged into Microsoft account, went to activation and it asked me if I had made a hardware change and I clicked yes
6. Windows activated
7. Copied previously saved programs/documents/media data from HDD to SSD and installed
8. Started enjoying new PC

The "programs" part of your #1 and 7 may be problematic.
Many/most applications don't work like that. A new OS does not know what they are.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

The "programs" part of your #1 and 7 may be problematic.
Many/most applications don't work like that. A new OS does not know what they are.

So then what can you actually move from an ssd to a hdd to save it for when you build the new pc? And also if I wipe say everything off of the c drive (ssd) such as steam, would I just need to redownload it and be perfectly fine again?

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

The "programs" part of your #1 and 7 may be problematic.
Many/most applications don't work like that. A new OS does not know what they are.

I'm just talking about installation programs... i.e. when I download 3DMark I save the installation program in a folder. It is those installation programs for all of my various programs that I copy to HDD... so when I build PC all I do is move the installation programs to the SSD (instead of downloading them again) and then install.

Wasn't talking about trying to copy individual program folders or anything...

okay that was definitely super clear. So one question. Can I just copy and paste the stuff I am saving from my ssd to my hdd? Obviously except the windows folder?

So then what can you actually move from an ssd to a hdd to save it for when you build the new pc? And also if I wipe say everything off of the c drive (ssd) such as steam, would I just need to redownload it and be perfectly fine again?

What I just said... all I'm talking about is saving installation files to HDD so when I built new PC all I had to do was copy them to the SSD rather than download them again.

Definitely do not try to move program folders or windows folders... just install new programs that you either saved like I did or downloaded... after a fresh windows install on a wiped drive. It's really that simple.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

I'm just talking about installation programs... i.e. when I download 3DMark I save the installation program in a folder. It is those installation programs for all of my various programs that I copy to HDD... so when I build PC all I do is move the installation programs to the SSD (instead of downloading them again) and then install.

Wasn't talking about trying to copy individual program folders or anything...

Okay so all I have to do is move over the installation part of each thing in my c drive over to my hdd, and then I can reinstall everything back to my c drive once windows is downloaded. That makes a lot of sesne

 

[Adam Jelinek]

Okay so all I have to do is move over the installation part of each thing in my c drive over to my hdd, and then I can reinstall everything back to my c drive once windows is downloaded. That makes a lot of sesne

What does a typical installation file look like? It seems like most of the programs have uninstall files but not install files

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

Okay so all I have to do is move over the installation part of each thing in my c drive over to my hdd, and then I can reinstall everything back to my c drive once windows is downloaded. That makes a lot of sesne

That's all I'm talking about. Whenever I download something I save the installation file... and save it in a folder. When I built new PC I copied that folder to my HDD... so once new PC was up and running I have all my programs ready to install again just by clicking the files and don't have to download them again.

What does a typical installation file look like? It seems like most of the programs have uninstall files but not install files

Whatever you downloaded and either ran or saved to your PC and clicked on to install... that's the file I'm talking about. This is simple stuff.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

That's all I'm talking about. Whenever I download something I save the installation file... and save it in a folder. When I built new PC I copied that folder to my HDD... so once new PC was up and running I have all my programs ready to install again just by clicking the files and don't have to download them again.



Whatever you downloaded and either ran or saved to your PC and clicked on to install... that's the file I'm talking about. This is simple stuff.

Well I know what you mean, and yes it seems very simple but I am just trying to find where the download file would be at. Would you look in the Downloads folder or would you have to search through the c drive of every program. I know how to build a PC but the technical file side of PC's is still a little confusing

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

Well I know what you mean, and yes it seems very simple but I am just trying to find where the download file would be at. Would you look in the Downloads folder or would you have to search through the c drive of every program. I know how to build a PC but the technical file side of PC's is still a little confusing

Generally everything you download goes to the download folder. What I do is after I'm done installing the programs from the file in the download folder I save it to a another location... i.e. a "saved programs" folder so it will forever be there and I don't had to download it again. I copied that folder to my HDD and built PC and then all my programs were there ready to install from that folder and I didn't have to download them again.

Make sense?

 

[Adam Jelinek]

Generally everything you download goes to the download folder. What I do is after I'm done installing the programs from the file in the download folder I save it to a another location... i.e. a "saved programs" folder so it will forever be there and I don't had to download it again. I copied that folder to my HDD and built PC and then all my programs were there ready to install from that folder and I didn't have to download them again.

Make sense?

Yes, that does make sense. It just seems like I, unfortunately, can't see the whole timeline of everything I've downloaded on my pc. Is there some way to expand how much you can see in your downloads and how far back it goes to like the first day I built it?

 

[USAFRet]

OK, yes. The stuff you install from.
LOTS of people want to attempt to move the actual installed applications. That does not work.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, that does make sense. It just seems like I, unfortunately, can't see the whole timeline of everything I've downloaded on my pc. Is there some way to expand how much you can see in your downloads and how far back it goes to like the first day I built it?

What applications do you currently use?
Make a list.

Go find those install files. Maybe download the new one from the publisher.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

OK, yes. The stuff you install from.
LOTS of people want to attempt to move the actual installed applications. That does not work.

What do the stuff I install from look like? Are they specific forms of files that once I download the program I can’t see anymore? Should I not be copying application files to my hdd to redownload onto my new pc and new c drive?

 

[Deleted member 2838871]

OK, yes. The stuff you install from.
LOTS of people want to attempt to move the actual installed applications. That does not work.

Yes my apologies to all for not being more clear.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

What applications do you currently use?
Make a list.

Go find those install files. Maybe download the new one from the publisher.

So for instance like I just went to download steam, and then the file that pops up bottom right is the one I want to drag into the hdd folder for later use?

 

[USAFRet]

So for instance like I just went to download steam, and then the file that pops up bottom right is the one I want to drag into the hdd folder for later use?

That should have saved in the Download folder.
You can go there and look.


Another good way to set up some of the basic things on a PC is ninite.com.

Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once

The easiest, fastest way to update or install software. Ninite downloads and installs programs automatically in the background.

ninite.com

Go there, click the checkboxes of applications you want.
Download the small exe it gives you.
Save that for later.

When the new system is up and running, run that single exe file.
It will install all of those things you selected.
Bonus: it automatically bypasses any extra 'junk' some applications want to include in the install.

 

[Adam Jelinek]

That should have saved in the Download folder.
You can go there and look.


Another good way to set up some of the basic things on a PC is ninite.com.

Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once

The easiest, fastest way to update or install software. Ninite downloads and installs programs automatically in the background.

ninite.com

Go there, click the checkboxes of applications you want.
Download the small exe it gives you.
Save that for later.

When the new system is up and running, run that single exe file.
It will install all of those things you selected.
Bonus: it automatically bypasses any extra 'junk' some applications want to include in the install.

So one thing I notice when scrolling through the c drive is that there’s stuff there that I’m not really sure what is. I’m sure that’s just like stuff going there that is needed for other programs to work and stuff. That’ll all probably come back once I build my new pc and set it all up right? I mean if it’s not meant to be there it’ll be deleted anyways, and if it is it’ll come back

 

[zevi230]

Just want to say that I replaced all components except for the CPU in my PC 2 years ago, reused boot SSD and storage HDD without even uninstalling drivers, everything went smoothly except for windows deactivating. No need to reinstall OS. Maybe I was just lucky...