Question How to move an UEFI Windows 10 installation to a new motherboard + CPU

[Flyfisherman]

Hi there.

As the title suggest, I have an UEFI activated Windows 10 Pro and want to move this entire M2 SSD to a new build with a newer Asus motherboard and a newer AMD CPU.
Without the hassle of reinstallation, reconfiguration of all my s/w etc.

Before it was quite easy when I did not have an UEFI activated Windows installation, but how to do it now?
The license key is digital.

I have read this article, but I'm not interested in just moving the license, but to move the whole Windows installation including all installed s/w.
Step 1 is actually the one that got me a little bit worried, is it even possible without to wipe the disk?
Tom's: How to Transfer a Windows 10 or 11 License to Another PC

Best regards from Sweden

 

[ex_bubblehead]

This is a complete wipe and reinstall of Windows & all software (have your license keys ready). Windows is not portable between platforms.

 

[Flyfisherman]

Well that is true to a certain degree, however non UEFI Windows 7/Vista/8/10 Pro installations including all installed s/w can be transferred to a new platform, I have done this multiple times. Then the Windows needs to be activated again, sometimes via MS-support phone, and it has never been a problem.

This particular question is regarding when one has an UEFI activated Windows installation, and that is completely different.
Best regards from Sweden

Ps. Of course the first thing is to install chipset (it is essential for the hardware to work) restart the computer, and then all other drivers for the new motherboard and graphics card and restart the computer as requested.
Lastly check Windows update for new drivers/software, install and restart.

And as a tip: have all the necessary latest drivers already downloaded from the motherboard and graphics vendors and/or from Intel/AMD on USB-stick. Install just one at a time (Chipset always comes first), restart and repeat. After a Windows update check, then make a full backup of the system.

 

[hotaru.hino]

If you really want to go down this route, then:

• Do this on the source computer
  • Download the drivers of the new computer
  • Unplug the computer from the internet
  • Uninstall all the drivers you can through Control Panel -> Programs and Features
  • Run DDU
• Transplant the drive over to the destination computer, but make sure the destination computer isn't plugged into the internet
• Install the new drivers

Note if you used an OEM license, you may need to use a new license key.

There's no guarantee this will work or be problem free. So any issues you may encounter will be harder to figure out if it's because Windows still isn't configured for your hardware configuration or not.