Moving hdd to new computer

[slidchickenleg]

I am building my 2nd pc, i was wondering if i couls just move the hdd to the new one and will the os and all my files still be there and still be the same? Thanks in advance

 

[Grimwinder]

Assuming you are using Windows it will normally require a fresh install of the OS when you change motherboards. Your other files will still be present though.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

I am building my 2nd pc, i was wondering if i couls just move the hdd to the new one and will the os and all my files still be there and still be the same? Thanks in advance

More than likely unless they are very similar , same Manufacturer \ Chipset for example , it won't boot.

It's best to clean install to avoid driver conflicts etc.

Backup and clean install.

 

[capt_taco]

As mentioned above, you will most likely be in driver conflict hell unless you reinstall the operating system. Two other things to consider:

- Windows licenses are tied to the motherboard, so if you had an OEM copy on your previous machine, technically you are supposed to pay for a new Windows license on the new machine. Windows will probably ask you to update your license key when it sees it's in a new system, and from there I have seen some people say they've gotten it to work with the old license key and some not.

- Depending on how old your previous system was, it may be a good idea to replace the hard drive anyway. If the system was 5 years old, for example, I probably would not use it as a main drive or trust it to store anything important without a backup.