Question Copy Dell SSD to New SSD/Custom Build

[works_arc]

Hi - I have an OLD Dell and I was hoping to transfer the information from its storage device onto a new SSD for a new custom build. I ran Macrium reflect per instructions and the new SSD boots with the Dell logo and then goes to a Recovery screen that tells me that 'Your PC/Device needs to be repaired'. Am I attempting to do the impossible? I'd like to be able to continue using all the OS and various software if that is at all a potential outcome.

 

[USAFRet]

Moving a drive, or a clone of a drive, between two different systems usually does not work.

New fresh install on the new hardware. OS and applications.
Period.

 

[Aeacus]

I'd like to be able to continue using all the OS and various software

Does not happen.

Your old OS is installed and registered to your Dell build (i guess laptop), while your new hardware (i guess desktop) has completely different hardware. With that, OS will not work.

You have 2 options:
#1 Format the SSD and install clean, new Win onto it.
#2 If you have 2nd free drive, install clean, new Win onto that, use it as OS drive and keep your Dell SSD as data/storage drive. <- In this case, you can not use any programs/software on it, but you can still access your documents/pics/vids. Then, drive acts as normal storage drive.

 

[works_arc]

That's what I suspected, and I am honored to receive this information from the subject matter expert!

 

[works_arc]

Does not happen.

Your old OS is installed and registered to your Dell build (i guess laptop), while your new hardware (i guess desktop) has completely different hardware. With that, OS will not work.

You have 2 options:
#1 Format the SSD and install clean, new Win onto it.
#2 If you have 2nd free drive, install clean, new Win onto that, use it as OS drive and keep your Dell SSD as data/storage drive. <- In this case, you can not use any programs/software on it, but you can still access your documents/pics/vids. Then, drive acts as normal storage drive.

Its a desktop to desktop but youre spot on. Thanks for the comment and the added notes!

 

[USAFRet]

IN addition, if it DID work...you'd be dragging along years worth of old cruft from the old system.

Things that were uninstalled, but only mostly.
All that junk you downloaded but never did anything with
Everything "Dell"
etc, etc...

 

[works_arc]

IN addition, if it DID work...you'd be dragging along years worth of old cruft from the old system.

Things that were uninstalled, but only mostly.
All that junk you downloaded but never did anything with
Everything "Dell"
etc, etc...

Hadn't considered that... this would be bad.

 

[Nighthawk117]

You can clone on the same machine when upgrading an SSD for example. Cloning from a very old system to a new one with very different hardware, even if it worked is not a good thing to do and will never truly work properly.

Do a clean install of Windows 11 on the new machine and just copy off your important files from the old one.