[SOLVED] New build but used old SSD with Windows on it. Couple of issues.

[Benclrboy]

Hi,

I just recently built a new PC, however I used both my old HDD and SSD (which already had Windows 10 installed) and a new m.2 drive for extra storage. I understand that's an unpopular way of doing things but I didn't have an external drive or usb available to me for a fresh installation and couldn't really go back and modify the drives.

Now I have never booted up a new PC on my own so I wasn't sure what to expect during/after the first boot but everything went visibly smooth. I set my SSD drive with Windows as priority in the boot list and then started it up. Everything seemed to be like it used to on my old PC. It didn't ask me to do anything related to the OS (Windows 10 version home) and all of my new hardware looked to be picked up in the device manager.

I only noticed two issues so far. One, I'm getting a yellow triangle with '!' on it on PCI device in device manager. It's unknown so I don't know what device it is but it's giving me error code 28 which is the drivers for that device are not installed.
Secondly, my m.2 drive is just not showing up on my computer. It is detected in device manager, but it does not show up when I try to partition my drives even after I rescan my disks. I'm not sure if this is related to my other issue.

So I'm wondering, do I need to manually go install some/all the drivers on the motherboards manufacturers website (msi mpg x570 gaming edge)? Again, I've never done this so I don't know how important manually installing new hardware drivers is. A part from those issues everything seems to be working fine, and the performance upgrade is definitely noticeable.

 

[DSzymborski]

Yes, get all the actual drivers from the manufacturer's website. Don't cut a second major corner after already cutting one!

Honestly, I'd still get a flash drive and do a full, fresh install properly. At least then you're not wasting your m.2 drive. Seems like a waste to use it for "extra storage" instead of an OS because of lack of a $10 thumb drive. Remember, what you see are only the visible problems; like cockroaches, for every one you see, there are more in hiding.

 

[SkyNetRising]

You have M.2 drive available. Why don't you install windows on it?
(just disconnect hdd and ssd before doing it)

If you try to avoid windows reinstall, you'll have to
manually uninstall old drivers,
install drivers for new system
plus you'll have problems with windows activation.

 

[Benclrboy]

Yes, get all the actual drivers from the manufacturer's website. Don't cut a second major corner after already cutting one!

Honestly, I'd still get a flash drive and do a full, fresh install properly. At least then you're not wasting your m.2 drive. Seems like a waste to use it for "extra storage" instead of an OS because of lack of a $10 thumb drive. Remember, what you see are only the visible problems; like cockroaches, for every one you see, there are more in hiding.

So you suggest to get a usb key, make it bootable with a Windows installation on it and re-do the whole thing? I'm just so lost as to how I would proceed. Do I remove Windows from my current SSD before? What do I do in the BIOS? All of that is intimidating to me and is partly why I guess I was fine with the current condition even though it would bug me forever.

I actually would prefer doing that for long term and intended to clear my SSD at some point as it's nearly full capacity.

 

[Benclrboy]

I know that having Windows on the m.2 drive would be better, but it wasn't that big of a deal to me initially and didn't want to mess with anything.

If you try to avoid windows reinstall, you'll have to
manually uninstall old drivers,
install drivers for new system
plus you'll have problems with windows activation.

Are you saying that if I did a whole Windows reinstall, it would install all the proper drivers for me or I'd still have to go and get them manually?

Note: It seems like Windows doesn't need activation in my current situation, unless I'm missing something.

 

[SkyNetRising]

All drivers need to be installed anyway - everything from motherboard manufacturer support site for your specific motherboard.
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/MPG-X570-GAMING-EDGE-WIFI#down-driver&Win10 64

 

[DSzymborski]

I know that having Windows on the m.2 drive would be better, but it wasn't that big of a deal to me initially and didn't want to mess with anything.

If feels weird to not use a $100 drive (or however much) in a way to get much of a benefit of the $100 because of the extra $10 thumb drive!

Are you saying that if I did a whole Windows reinstall, it would install all the proper drivers for me or I'd still have to go and get them manually?

Note: It seems like Windows doesn't need activation in my current situation, unless I'm missing something.

You'll still have to do it manually. Get the drivers before an install (you can stick them on another drive).

Windows is tied to the motherboard, not the drive, so it will eventually show up as an unactivated Windows which will need to be reactivated. The method depends on how you originally sourced this Windows 10.

I'm a big proponent for doing things right once rather than having to fix ten things that result from doing the thing the wrong way. Anything worth doing is worth doing properly.

 

[Benclrboy]

If feels weird to not use a $100 drive (or however much) in a way to get much of a benefit of the $100 because of the extra $10 thumb drive!



You'll still have to do it manually. Get the drivers before an install (you can stick them on another drive).

Windows is tied to the motherboard, not the drive, so it will eventually show up as an unactivated Windows which will need to be reactivated. The method depends on how you originally sourced this Windows 10.

I'm a big proponent for doing things right once rather than having to fix ten things that result from doing the thing the wrong way. Anything worth doing is worth doing properly.

I plan to do as you say, with a usb stick, but I’m still wondering if it will function properly if my m.2 drive doesn’t show up on my PC a part from in the device manager?

 

[DSzymborski]

I plan to do as you say, with a usb stick, but I’m still wondering if it will function properly if my m.2 drive doesn’t show up on my PC a part from in the device manager?

Can you read your m.2 drive?

Make sure to have the other drives disconnected when you try to install. If it can't find your m.2 drive in BIOS, then you'll know it at the time and you can worry about what that problem is.