Can I use my old storage and just put it into a new build?

[austinket]

So I have a 500 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD and I was thinking about building a new computer. So would I be able to just take those two storage drives and install it into the new case with new mobo, new cpu, new everything, without having to reinstall windows? The last time I unplugged my SSD from my computer and reattached it corrupted Windows so I had to clean install, I really don't want to have to buy new storage to transfer the old data to, or have to clean install windows.

 

[getochkn]

One. Usually a new MB/CPU, etc will force a reinstall anyways as drivers, etc are all different and Windows won't boot.

The bigger issue is, depending on what version of Windows, you may not legally be allowed to install it again. It will not activate for you.

 

[zionosis]

I can't speak for every situation, but I did indeed have a HDD that had windows on it in one computer and I did have another computer with a totally different motherboard and I put it into that one and it did indeed boot up and have no problems. So it isn't like it doesn't work all the time.

The only way to know for sure is try. A lot of the times people on forums tell me something doesn't work and I just do it anyway and many of the times it did work. lol

 

[getochkn]

Biggest issue is usually if the SATA controller on the new build is a subset of the old build or not. Things like GPU, sound if the old ones doesn't exist, generic or no drivers will be installed and you can go from there. It's if the SATA can even boot or not in the first place