Migrating windows 10 to new computer and new drive

[califax]

I am building a new gaming rig and will be reusing a few components from my current computer (optical drive, hard drive, case). The new computer will have a SSD which I want to install windows on, and my old hard drive (which currently has the windows install).

I am wondering if someone could briefly explain the steps I should take to effectively move my windows to the SSD on the new rig (or point me to a guide). I have a retail version of windows 10 (not OEM) which I believe means that I can use that key on my new computer provided my old one is no longer operational.

I'm not sure if it's as simple as putting both drives into the new rig and installing a fresh copy to the SSD via a USB? Will the presence of the windows files on my old HD interfere?

Sorry I'm new to this... Note also that my current PC's windows 10 was the free upgrade from 7

 

[Colif]

Put ssd only in pc,
install win 10 on it
once install is complete and you know pc boots from ssd, install old hdd.

if old hdd were in when you install win 10, PC would see it during install and maybe put files on it. This avoids that happening.

Was the old hdd an old win 7 drive updated to 10 or a fresh install of win 10?
If its the first, then you shouldn't have any problems having old and new in PC.
If hdd was a fresh install of win 10, it might cause pc to boot from it instead of ssd

The boot method used by Win 8 & 10 isn't like Win 7. It doesn't look for a boot sector, it looks for a file name to boot, and both your drives would have that file on them, so bios could find both and offer them at boot.

Easiest way to avoid that is to backup everything you want on the hdd onto ssd and then format the old hdd and just use it for storage.

Retail lets you move the copy of win 10 but you can only use it on one pc at a time., You could leave win 10 on old hdd and just keep it as a backup if you want, but leaving it in pc could cause issues, as I said above.

 

[califax]

Put ssd only in pc,
install win 10 on it
once install is complete and you know pc boots from ssd, install old hdd.

if old hdd were in when you install win 10, PC would see it during install and maybe put files on it. This avoids that happening.

Was the old hdd an old win 7 drive updated to 10 or a fresh install of win 10?
If its the first, then you shouldn't have any problems having old and new in PC.
If hdd was a fresh install of win 10, it might cause pc to boot from it instead of ssd

The boot method used by Win 8 & 10 isn't like Win 7. It doesn't look for a boot sector, it looks for a file name to boot, and both your drives would have that file on them, so bios could find both and offer them at boot.

Easiest way to avoid that is to backup everything you want on the hdd onto ssd and then format the old hdd and just use it for storage.

Retail lets you move the copy of win 10 but you can only use it on one pc at a time., You could leave win 10 on old hdd and just keep it as a backup if you want, but leaving it in pc could cause issues, as I said above.

Thanks for your help! I'm pretty sure I did a clean install when I upgraded from windows 7. But if I understand you correctly as long as I've had it booting from the SSD (prior to putting the HDD in), then after when I attach the HDD I should be able to select which to boot from... allowing me into windows to reformat the drive.

Do I need to uninstall the product key from my current computer before using it on my new rig (as suggested here: http://www.groovypost.com/howto/transfer-windows-10-license-new-pc/ )? Also, I've read that you can put windows 7 and 8 product keys in to activate windows 10. Given that I have my windows 7 product key could I just do this? Or is it linked in their servers to my current windows 10 key. Just looking for the simplest solution.

 

[Colif]

the easiest way to wipe the old hdd would be this (instructions assume you have hdd in pc already, and that you know to turn off PC at wall when disconnecting/reconnecting drives)

Disconnect ssd from power
boot from win 10 USB
follow these instructions to stage 13: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html
wipe entire drive and then exit out of the installer by choosing back or the x at top right (I think its there)
reconnect ssd and use disk management to format hdd

Windows generally doesn't like deleting old installations of itself so this is easiest way I have found.

Activation: No, you don't have to deactivate it, just stop using the hdd and your retail licence will swap over to new one automatically.

I am a little confused, what did you use the win 7 key to activate? What version of win 7 is it, retail or OEM?

If win 7 is OEM then it only activates win 10 OEM and it would have become a win 10 licence 1 month after install. It is also matched to the hardware it is currently installed on.
Win 7 Retail turns into Win 10 retail but can only be moved for another few weeks as I think its ability to be moved is stopped after the 30th June
But if you have Win 10 retail that is brand new you don't need to worry about any of that. Just use that key

 

[califax]

the easiest way to wipe the old hdd would be this (instructions assume you have hdd in pc already, and that you know to turn off PC at wall when disconnecting/reconnecting drives)

Disconnect ssd from power
boot from win 10 USB
follow these instructions to stage 13: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html
wipe entire drive and then exit out of the installer by choosing back or the x at top right (I think its there)
reconnect ssd and use disk management to format hdd

Windows generally doesn't like deleting old installations of itself so this is easiest way I have found.

Activation: No, you don't have to deactivate it, just stop using the hdd and your retail licence will swap over to new one automatically.

I am a little confused, what did you use the win 7 key to activate? What version of win 7 is it, retail or OEM?

If win 7 is OEM then it only activates win 10 OEM and it would have become a win 10 licence 1 month after install. It is also matched to the hardware it is currently installed on.
Win 7 Retail turns into Win 10 retail but can only be moved for another few weeks as I think its ability to be moved is stopped after the 30th June
But if you have Win 10 retail that is brand new you don't need to worry about any of that. Just use that key

I never purchased windows 10. I had windows 7 retail and upgraded to 10 with the free offer. At the time, however, I did a clean install. So in summary, I'm working from what was originally a retail windows 7 key. On my current machine (win10) it says retail license and the key is different from the windows 7 one. I guess when I have my new rig I could try either key for the new windows install.

Thanks again

 

[Colif]

I would use the win 7 key and see what happens. You can write down the win 10 pro key but I think its not a real key, its likely top be a generic key as everyone on win 10 home has same key number. If you have any problems activating it, contact Microsoft.