I am switching my OS to a Samsung SSD and also upgrading my motherboard. Help

[jonahuelsman]

I am switching my OS of windows 10 to a samsung SSD from my original hard drive and then also upgrading my motherboard. Should I switch my OS first? Or after I change my motherboard? And will I still be able to keep my Hard drive as my storage device? will I run into any issues when doing this and what steps should I take?

 

[USAFRet]

1. Licensing - Read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

2. Operation - A new motherboard may require a whole clean OS install.
Prepare for this.

 

[Paul NZ]

If youre going to install on the ssd,do a clean install. Since you changed mobo as well. Unplug the old hdd first.

Reconnect it after. Then copy what you want off it later (like docs, txt files, photos). You'll have to reinstall programs you want on the ssd.

Then you can format it (the old hdd)

 

[BadAsAl]

I personally would swap the motherboard and see if it boots with the old hard drive. If it works then you can simply clone the old hard drive to the SSD. As others stated, it is advisable to do a clean install but if you have a lot of programs it can be a pain and time consuming. If it works with the old hard drive then I don't see the need to start over with a clean install. After the clone, boot with the only the SSD attached to make sure all is good then you can connect your old hard drive and use it as storage (make sure you have another backup though).

 

[jonahuelsman]

If youre going to install on the ssd,do a clean install. Since you changed mobo as well. Unplug the old hdd first.

Reconnect it after. Then copy what you want off it later (like docs, txt files, photos). You'll have to reinstall programs you want on the ssd.

Then you can format it (the old hdd)

I personally would swap the motherboard and see if it boots with the old hard drive. If it works then you can simply clone the old hard drive to the SSD. As others stated, it is advisable to do a clean install but if you have a lot of programs it can be a pain and time consuming. If it works with the old hard drive then I don't see the need to start over with a clean install. After the clone, boot with the only the SSD attached to make sure all is good then you can connect your old hard drive and use it as storage (make sure you have another backup though).

Thank you. Would I be able to move my OS to the SSD first with my current motherboard then switch later. I only ask because I do not have my new motherboard just yet.

 

[BadAsAl]

Yes you could do it first. Then if you get the new board and it doesn't work you can do a clean install on the SSD. Just keep the HDD as is until you have the SSD booting on the new board so you don't lose anything.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you. Would I be able to move my OS to the SSD first with my current motherboard then switch later. I only ask because I do not have my new motherboard just yet.

The key issue is moving to the new motherboard, no matter which drive it is on.
Will it boot up?
Maybe, maybe not.

There are 3 possible outcomes:
1. It boots up and works perfectly.
2. It fails horribly. Nothing you can do will make it 'work'.
3. It boots up, and mostly works. Then you find lingering issues later.

Last year this time, my system was at #2.

Win 10 is better at working with new hardware than previous Win versions. But absolutely no guarantee it will actually 'work'.

 

[jonahuelsman]

Yes you could do it first. Then if you get the new board and it doesn't work you can do a clean install on the SSD. Just keep the HDD as is until you have the SSD booting on the new board so you don't lose anything.

Ok. So what is the best way to switch my OS to my SSD from my Hard disk?

 

[Paul NZ]

If its from a completely different system, forget it. Do a clean install

 

[USAFRet]

Yes you could do it first. Then if you get the new board and it doesn't work you can do a clean install on the SSD. Just keep the HDD as is until you have the SSD booting on the new board so you don't lose anything.

Ok. So what is the best way to switch my OS to my SSD from my Hard disk?

Your best way forward is a clean install in the new hardware.
The SSD, in the system where it will live.

Yes, this is more work. But it WILL work.

 

[jonahuelsman]

Thank you. Would I be able to move my OS to the SSD first with my current motherboard then switch later. I only ask because I do not have my new motherboard just yet.

The key issue is moving to the new motherboard, no matter which drive it is on.
Will it boot up?
Maybe, maybe not.

There are 3 possible outcomes:
1. It boots up and works perfectly.
2. It fails horribly. Nothing you can do will make it 'work'.
3. It boots up, and mostly works. Then you find lingering issues later.

Last year this time, my system was at #2.

Win 10 is better at working with new hardware than previous Win versions. But absolutely no guarantee it will actually 'work'.

So I will clone my OS to my new SSD then boot on my current mother board then when I get the new one I should just plug my SSD in and try to boot and hope it all works then connect my HDD as a storage device?

 

[Paul NZ]

No you dont clone the old OS. Since it was for different hardware. You get the windows dvd format/install windows on the ssd

 

[jonahuelsman]

No you dont clone the old OS. Since it was for different hardware. You get the windows dvd format/install windows on the ssd

I do not have the windows install disk. I upgraded from windows 8 to windows 10 online. Will I need to call Microsoft to get a clean install on to the SSD? And will I have to then reinstall all the programs on my HDD?

 

[Paul NZ]

Yes you will have to reinstall everything. Get the mediacreation tool get the ISO then use rufus to put it on a flash drive

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

And Rufus

http://rufus.akeo.ie/

 

[jonahuelsman]

Yes you will have to reinstall everything. Get the mediacreation tool get the ISO then use rufus to put it on a flash drive

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

And Rufus

http://rufus.akeo.ie/

Thank you

 

[jonahuelsman]

Yes you will have to reinstall everything. Get the mediacreation tool get the ISO then use rufus to put it on a flash drive

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

And Rufus

http://rufus.akeo.ie/

Would it be wise of my to move the OS to the SSD before upgrading my motherboard or after?

 

[Paul NZ]

You CANT move the OS to the ssd. Thats why youre doing a clean install

 

[jonahuelsman]

You CANT move the OS to the ssd. Thats why youre doing a clean install

Yes poor wording on my part. I am saying is it wise to do this before or after I upgrade my motherboard

 

[Paul NZ]

Well after you replace the mobo you reinstall Windows