Question Moving OS to new device

[chadedgar]

Hi,

I have windows 10 Pro license, I am building a new PC and want to make sure I won't face any issues at the time of moving OS because of new hardware.

I will be moving OS from SSD to M.2 drive. I have activated my license only once, so will I be able to boot up my OS on new hardware? If I successfully boot up OS on new hardware, I can clone my SSD to M.2 drive. At least that's the solution I came across. And I guess I need to re-activate my OS once again after moving it to new device?

Is there any alternate approach to this? Any other issues I might face in the process?

 

[Lafong]

Booting the existing SSD with the existing OS on new hardware may or may not work. Might boot, might not, might be seemingly OK and have problems later.

"Moving" the OS from the SSD to the M.2 won't resolve any possible problems. Both would have the same old Windows installation on the same new hardware.

Best idea is to plan on a clean install directly onto the M.2, but you may resist that for whatever reason....most likely related to time spent on a new install and configuration of applications. Don't know whether you think that would take 3 hours, 30, or 300.

How did you acquire your existing Windows Pro license?

 

[chadedgar]

How did you acquire your existing Windows Pro license?

Bought the key on microsoft.com

I can just start with a new install, I have done it many times in past and it didn't take too much time.

 

[Lafong]

Bought the key on microsoft.com

I can just start with a new install, I have done it many times in past and it didn't take too much time.

That's what I'd do.

A bare Windows install can be done while you eat a sandwich, but it can take weeks to reinstall all programs and get everything configured properly.

I tend to NOT reinstall a given program until the time comes when I actually need to use it. Makes the entire process more bearable than trying to get it all done in a short time. And you usually discover that a lot of those programs aren't really important and are never reinstalled.

Good luck. Main thing that spooks me about a new build is defective new hardware.

 

[chadedgar]

I tend to NOT reinstall a given program until the time comes when I actually need to use it. Makes the entire process more bearable than trying to get it all done in a short time. And you usually discover that a lot of those programs aren't really important and are never reinstalled.

Yup exactly. I hope there won't be any issues with hardware. Thanks