Question Need help with upgrade to mobo cpu ram and m.2 drive

[vassilios]

Hi all,

Windows 10 user swapping to a new mobo, cpu, and ram, AND adding an m.2 to boot from. Trying to understand what my order of operations should be. Goal is to swap out the listed hardware, and reinstall my windows to the m.2 drive (or clone it, windows currently boots from a SATA SSD I have). Seems like there are a few different methods I might want to use, not sure what the best way to go is.

Ive read windows wont boot with a new MOBO and that I'll need a fresh installation of windows even if i'm not changing drives. Can someone confirm I need to make an installation USB drive if I am changing MOBO?

If this is true and I need to do a fresh install of windows, I'm guessing its better to assemble the components with ONLY the new m.2 drive installed, enter bios and install to the m.2 with the usb stick, and activate the product with my microsoft account. OR would it be better for some reason to do the fresh install of windows to the current SATA SSD I have it on now, get the system stable on my existing SSD, THEN install the m.2 and clone the drive? I'd prefer to have the smoothest transition possible, dont want to lose data and settings etc.

Another option possibly would be to clone the SATA SSD drive to the m.2 in my current build before making any other hardware changes. Would that be better for any reason? I think i'd still have to reinstall windows to it once I swap the mobo but wonder if theres some advantage to getting windows on the drive before doing the fresh install that the mobo will require.

Any advice is welcome, I built my current pc back in 2016 and have only updated GPU, so I'm just not familiar with a process like this. If more info is needed please let me know and ill provide it, Thanks so much

 

[Lafong]

Clean install to the new drive is typically best idea. You might get lucky doing something else. Your call. Old drive in new system may boot today but give problems next week. If your hardware is 2016 era, greater chance of problems than if from 2021.

I'd agree with "I'm guessing its better to assemble the components with ONLY the new m.2 drive installed, enter bios and install to the m.2 with the usb stick, and activate the product with my microsoft account."

Make the installer via Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool", using a stick of at least 8 gb capacity. Boot from the stick with ONLY 1 drive connected. Delete all existing partitions on the drive. Follow the prompts.

 

[geofelt]

Some more details would be helpful.
Is your windows OEM?
If so, it is tied to the original motherboard and you will need a new license.
What are the old parts and the new parts?

Booting from the old ssd is more likely if the change is small, like intel to intel upgrade of a few generations.
AMD differs a lot and is not likely go be successful.

Best is to download your desired os to a small usb stick and use that to create a windows C drive on your new m.2. Have NO other Drives attached when you do this.

Later, you can attach your old ssd and the data files(not the apps) will be available to you.

 

[vassilios]

Clean install to the new drive is typically best idea. You might get lucky doing something else. Your call. Old drive in new system may boot today but give problems next week. If your hardware is 2016 era, greater chance of problems than if from 2021.

I'd agree with "I'm guessing its better to assemble the components with ONLY the new m.2 drive installed, enter bios and install to the m.2 with the usb stick, and activate the product with my microsoft account."

Make the installer via Microsoft's "Media Creation Tool", using a stick of at least 8 gb capacity. Boot from the stick with ONLY 1 drive connected. Delete all existing partitions on the drive. Follow the prompts.

Thanks very much for offering that advice, glad to know going with just the m.2 and a windows installation usb stick is probably best bet.

 

[vassilios]

Some more details would be helpful.
Is your windows OEM?
If so, it is tied to the original motherboard and you will need a new license.
What are the old parts and the new parts?

Booting from the old ssd is more likely if the change is small, like intel to intel upgrade of a few generations.
AMD differs a lot and is not likely go be successful.

Best is to download your desired os to a small usb stick and use that to create a windows C drive on your new m.2. Have NO other Drives attached when you do this.

Later, you can attach your old ssd and the data files(not the apps) will be available to you.

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I bought the windows 10 copy from amazon, physical copy (usb stick I no longer have) and the software is linked to my microsoft account, so shouldnt be OEM (unless im mistaken in which case please correct me)

Here are my parts lists on pcpartpicker.
upgrading this: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bHWkHB to this: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/BkBRNc

to summarize its a new cpu, mobo, ram, and cooler, and then I'm adding an m.2 to boot from.

So as you mentioned, probably not a minor upgrade- intel to AMD CPU, new mobo ram etc. and yes all these components, minus the 2060 super, are from late 2015/early 2016.

I am not expecting to need to update BIOS on the board, as people tell me in 2023 it will be ryzen 5000 compatible (might even have a sticker on the mobo box to let me know for sure, it hasnt arrived yet so still unsure)

Sounds like my best bet is to create a windows installation USB, install all new components, omit the old drives, and boot with nothing but the m.2, and do a fresh install. Once inside, I can activate windows, driver updates etc and get stable, then worry about adding the SATA and HDD drives back in.

Thanks for mentioning that apps wont function from my current SATA SSD, thats good to know. Might end up better to have to freshly install apps, probably a ton of bloatware and dated apps on this thing by now. If you have additional thoughts or precautions I'd love to hear them, thanks again for the reply.