[SOLVED] Moving disks to new PC

[MysticDeer]

Hello! I am building a new computer and have just bought all the parts with the exception of storage drives because I have an old prebuilt from 2015 with fully working drives. My current plan is to format those drives (due to bloat) and then transfer them over to the new PC. Can this be accomplished? My main concerns are whether or not my Windows 10 will stay registered and if the drives will even work on a new system. Besides that, is there anything else I should know about my plan?

Thank you for you help..

 

[lvt]

Windows 10 should take care of the drivers automatically, but you will be asked to re-validate the license.

 

[USAFRet]

You're moving the OS drive to this new system?

Contrary to the above comment, it is not a slam dunk as to actually working.

3 possible outcomes:

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

I've personally seen all 3.

And the greater disparity in the parts between old and new, the less likely it is to actually work.
A fresh OS install is strongly recommended, often/usually required.

 

[Bob.B]

Hello! I am building a new computer and have just bought all the parts with the exception of storage drives because I have an old prebuilt from 2015 with fully working drives. My current plan is to format those drives (due to bloat) and then transfer them over to the new PC. Can this be accomplished? My main concerns are whether or not my Windows 10 will stay registered and if the drives will even work on a new system. Besides that, is there anything else I should know about my plan?

Thank you for you help..

If these old disk are just data disk then you should be able to clean them out and move them to the new machine.

If one of these disk is the OS disk and you install it in the new machine it may present a problem if you try to boot from it.

As for the license xfer that may depend on what type license you have now.

 

[MysticDeer]

You're moving the OS drive to this new system?

Contrary to the above comment, it is not a slam dunk as to actually working.

3 possible outcomes:

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

I've personally seen all 3.

And the greater disparity in the parts between old and new, the less likely it is to actually work.
A fresh OS install is strongly recommended, often/usually required.

Okay so, the non-OS drive should install okay. For the OS drive, I rather just play the safe route. How do I go about doing the fresh OS install?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay so, the non-OS drive should install okay. For the OS drive, I rather just play the safe route. How do I go about doing the fresh OS install?

Other drives are fine. As long as there are not any applications installed on them.
Games maybe OK, but regular apps won't work with the new OS you're going to install.

DO the OS install with ONLY the one drive connected. Reconnect any others later.

For the install, this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[MysticDeer]

Other drives are fine. As long as there are not any applications installed on them.
Games maybe OK, but regular apps won't work with the new OS you're going to install.

DO the OS install with ONLY the one drive connected. Reconnect any others later.

For the install, this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

I'm going to completely clean out both drives, so there will be no applications on the non-OS one. Thank you so much for your help, I will definitely be using the guide.