[SOLVED] Installing windows on a drive and then moving the drive to another PC

[dolfinator]

I'm assembling a PC for my mother out of old parts I no longer use. I shall refer to it as PC 2. PC 2 will get its HDD from my main PC (PC 1). For reasons that are irrelevant to my question, I want to install Windows on that HDD before I assemble PC 2. Like I said, the HDD is currently on PC 1, which has Windows 10 installed on another drive (M.2 SSD). My wish is to install Windows on the HDD while it's still attached to PC1, then detach it and attach it to PC2. Is that going to work? Should I do it? I wouldn't want to mess up the Windows that's already installed on PC 1.

 

[Lafong]

Do you have a proper license?

If so, I'd guess you can do that.....but I'd be sure to be disconnected from the Internet before I began.

And with the other drive in PC1 disconnected.

Install from a USB flash drive.

Don't activate until after you move the drive to PC2.

I'd be interested in what others have to say. I've never tried it.

 

[Gam3r01]

I wouldnt recommend it.
Part of the OS is tied to the motherboard, as well as the system specific drivers. Attempting to install it on your PC then transferring it over is just going to end up causing more work for you in the long run fixing any issues that arise.
An important thing to consider: If the install is partially unstable, but you dont find out for a while, your mother now has a non-functional PC that you have to go fix.

 

[USAFRet]

Unless the systems are identical, don't do this.
And I mean absolutely identical.

3 possible outcomes:

1. It works just fine
2. It fails compeltely
3. It "works", but you're chasing issues for weeks months.

Now...a few people will be along in here to say "Just do it, it always works, Windows figures it out."
They are wrong.

And PC #2 will need its own license.


Build the PC for mom.
Install the OS.
Give it to her.

Don't try to fake it out.

 

[USAFRet]

You can try it if you want.

But don't be surprised if/when it fails.

Then what will you do?

 

[TerryLaze]

I'm assembling a PC for my mother out of old parts I no longer use. I shall refer to it as PC 2. PC 2 will get its HDD from my main PC (PC 1). For reasons that are irrelevant to my question, I want to install Windows on that HDD before I assemble PC 2. Like I said, the HDD is currently on PC 1, which has Windows 10 installed on another drive (M.2 SSD). My wish is to install Windows on the HDD while it's still attached to PC1, then detach it and attach it to PC2. Is that going to work? Should I do it? I wouldn't want to mess up the Windows that's already installed on PC 1.

You can just normally install windows as long as you make sure that the boot files get written to the same disk (mainly by disconnecting any other drive) and making sure to take the drive out after the windows image has been written to the disk. If you shut down instead of rebooting before the configuration starts you can swap the disk to PC2 and all the configuration will be done for that PC and everything will work 100% normally.

Windows is just a clone image that you can apply even manually.
You can use the command line from your current windows if you choose to install/apply to a different disk.

This command takes the installation file from drive E: and installs it to drive G:
change E: and G: to whatever the DVD and drive you want to install to is currently lettered as. To mount the installation media DVD just double click on it
and windows will mount it.

dism /Apply-Image /ImageFile E:\Sources\install.esd /index:1 /ApplyDir:G:\

index:1 takes the first option, usually windows x64 home, if you want to install something else
(always only install the version you have the license for) you can use this command to see your options.

dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile E:\Sources\install.esd

This will completely ignore any tpm or cpu compatibilities.

To make this bootable add it to the boot menu either with easybcd (careful to load the bcdstore from the disk you applied the image to and not use the one from your main pc) the if you already in windows,
or by using this command from recovery.

G:\Windows\System32\bcdboot G:\Windows

Again changing G: to whatever your win11 drive is currently lettered as.
Only boot from this disk on PC2.