Reusing 2 year old HDD

[somecanadian]

First, my build is
CPU : i5 7600k
RAM : Vengeance 3000MHz (2x8)
Mobo : z270-a
SSD : 250GB 850 Evo
HDD : Toshiba DTCA100 1TB
Rest doesnt matter.

So Im reusing my hard drive from my old PC to save money (50$ for HDD 100$ for Windows)
First, I need a way to boot the computer with the HDD that has windows 10 on it, but if I do that the drivers will install on the HDD most likely...
I also need a way to move my OS from the old HDD to my new SSD.
And if I have my drivers on the SSD, would that make a tiny performance boost?

 

[iamacow]

You can easily resuse a drive but taking windows along with it most likely will not work. For one; Windows activation is based on points. Your CPU, Motherboard, ram, all of it is a certain amount of points. If you change too much hardware you will have to reactive it. It sounds like the drive is from a whole different computer so you will have to reactive windows. That involves a new key..

secondly; the windows installation has the chipset, drivers and all the stuff to make that system run. You have to boot into safe mode and uninstall all the other drivers, otherwise it will run screwy. It's not worth taking windows along for the ride. A clean install is much better.

Lastly, you cannot split windows on 2 drive (besides raid). So your drivers will live with the OS.

 

[USAFRet]

Using the physical drive? No problem.
Using the already installed OS on the HDD? Not recommended, and it may simply not work.
Using the current OS license with a fresh install in the new hardware? Almost certainly can work.

So...you want the OS, on the SSD, in the new system, and still use that same Win 10 license.

Before you do anything with the hardware, read and do this first:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Then, create a DVD or USB install. You will use this to install the Win 10 on the SSD in the new system.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10


So...
1. Link the OS digital entitlement to your MS account
2. Create your own install media
3. Build up the new system.
4. Install on the new SSD, with only the SSD connected.
5. Go through the activation troubleshooter to get it activated int he new hardware.
6. Get anything you need off that old HDD, and then wipe it.

 

[geofelt]

Windows 10 is likely to boot using your old hard drive.
If it does, just install the drivers that come with your new motherboard.

Then, to convert to a ssd for windows, you need to clone or move the C drive to the new ssd.
If your new ssd is Samsung, this is easily done using their free ssd migration app.
Intel and others have migration apps, but they use cloning which means that your new ssd needs to be at least as large as the old HDD.

Drivers will be on the C drive, always, Yes, everything will be faster with windows on a ssd.

If you need to do a clean install, do it directly to your new ssd and leave the other drives disconnected.
Otherwise, windows tries to put hidden recovery partitions on other drives complicating their eventual removal or reuse.

 

[somecanadian]

Windows 10 is likely to boot using your old hard drive.
If it does, just install the drivers that come with your new motherboard.

Then, to convert to a ssd for windows, you need to clone or move the C drive to the new ssd.
If your new ssd is Samsung, this is easily done using their free ssd migration app.
Intel and others have migration apps, but they use cloning which means that your new ssd needs to be at least as large as the old HDD.

Drivers will be on the C drive, always, Yes, everything will be faster with windows on a ssd.

If you need to do a clean install, do it directly to your new ssd and leave the other drives disconnected.
Otherwise, windows tries to put hidden recovery partitions on other drives complicating their eventual removal or reuse.

So, I should boot up the new pc using the SSD, install a new windows license, and after my PC is done installing windows and all the drivers on the SSD , I can just use the HDD? Would I need to uninstall any drivers or uninstall windows on the HDD as well?