New CPU/MB/RAM, will oS on old SSD run?

[aznwilsonchen]

I was planning on doing a major PC hardware upgrade, but I wanted to know ahead of time if I can use my old SSDs/HDD with the new MB/CPU. I am running 2 SSDs, one of them has the OS in it and other is for gaming and other files.

I do believe my windows key is in my Microsoft account, but not sure how to check of it's licensed to my Microsoft account. What are the steps I need to prepare for before I do the major hardware change? A buddy of mine told me to "make sure drive settings in bios is set to ahci", which I have no idea what he means. I know changing hardware means that I will need to wipe my SSD (the one with OS) but then what do I do from there? Do I just wipe it then assemble the new PC and run it from there?

What are your thoughts and recommendations?

 

[Lutfij]

The one with the OS on it should be formatted and have a fresh install of the OS of your choosing. A cloned drive/OS image would be more hassle than benefit and ofc the new platform will most probably require drivers that are absent in your old OSes installation since you've mentioned to be going for an upgrade.

The HDD and secondary SSD(which is your game library) will be good to go. You may want to only have the OS SSD connected and after the OS installs you can connect the secondary SSD followed by the HDD on SATA ports 2 and 3 respectively.

 

[Colif]

Follow this to see if licence is indeed linked to your Microsoft Account - reactivating win 10 after hardware changes

download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB, this way you will have latest build and reduces amount of patches windows needs to install.

follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished, provided you log into the account that licence is linked to.

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

 

[aznwilsonchen]

So, I'd have to wipe the hard drive using my current PC (current parts) and then reinstall windows with my old parts. After reinstalling windows, just build the new parts and then slap on that SSD with OS and run it?

 

[Colif]

So, I'd have to wipe the hard drive using my current PC (current parts) and then reinstall windows with my old parts. After reinstalling windows, just build the new parts and then slap on that SSD with OS and run it?

How did you get that impression?

If windows 10 is currently linked to your email address, all you do is build new PC, put in SSD as it is now and do a fresh install on it. Then put hdd in once you know PC can boot from ssd.

You would only need to install win 10 on old PC again if you have moved parts to new motherboard/cpu and its not activating. And even then, if you knew the licence key of the old PC, you can contact Microsoft and tell them what you did, and they might move licence for you

Installing win 10 on another PC and moving ssd is never the best option.

 

[aznwilsonchen]

So, I'd have to wipe the hard drive using my current PC (current parts) and then reinstall windows with my old parts. After reinstalling windows, just build the new parts and then slap on that SSD with OS and run it?

How did you get that impression?

If windows 10 is currently linked to your email address, all you do is build new PC, put in SSD as it is now and do a fresh install on it. Then put hdd in once you know PC can boot from ssd.

You would only need to install win 10 on old PC again if you have moved parts to new motherboard/cpu and its not activating. And even then, if you knew the licence key of the old PC, you can contact Microsoft and tell them what you did, and they might move licence for you

Installing win 10 on another PC and moving ssd is never the best option.

Yes Windows 10 is linked to my microsoft account but wouldn't I need to wipe the SSD for the new pc build? I'm afraid that the old drives might mess with initial startup.

 

[Colif]

Fresh install includes wiping drive as part of its process, you don't need to do anything on old PC. See steps 12 or 13 here (depends on motherboard): https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-clean-install-windows-10-a.html

I already suggested you build new PC, ONLY put SSD that you want win 10 on in, run a custom install on the ssd which will include deleting all the partitions on the ssd.

Once win 10 boots fine a few times from SSD, unplug the power and attach all the other hdd