I was going to build a new desktop and I wanted to know if there is a way to put my hardrive into the new desktop. My current desktop i bought years ago and i upgraded parts as i needed them but the cpu and motherboard a very out of date. So my new desktop was just going to be a new case, motherboard, and a new cpu. And I would use parts from my current desktop to fill in the rest. I was going to go for an AMD processor because i'm on a very low budget. My current processor is an Intel. So is it possible to put my hardrive into my new desktop? if not is there a way to re-install windows to make it compatible with the new parts. I am on a budget and i do not want to buy a new copy of windows. I've also never installed windows onto a new hardrive/pc.
Transfer Hardrive With Windows To New Desktop?
- Thread starter dormdude
- Start date
Solution
synphul
Champion
- Mar 11, 2011
- 9,473
- 7
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It would help to know how out of date your current cpu is, what model is it? For instance i5 2500k's and i7 2600k's are 'out of date' yet still competitive with what amd is currently offering. It might save you spending money on a sidegrade vs an upgrade.
You'll likely need to reactivate windows and truthfully you're better off backing up critical files and performing a clean install of windows if switching hardware like motherboard/cpu. It's not as easy as just plugging a hard drive into a new system with all the drivers for old or different branded motherboard chipsets etc. Doing so it would be lucky for it to even make it to the desktop. Especially moving from intel to amd or vice versa. You'll end up with a bunch of drivers that don't match the hardware and driver conflicts can cause all sorts of unpredictable problems, the audio, the mainboard drivers, the lan drivers etc may not match up at all.
You'll likely need to reactivate windows and truthfully you're better off backing up critical files and performing a clean install of windows if switching hardware like motherboard/cpu. It's not as easy as just plugging a hard drive into a new system with all the drivers for old or different branded motherboard chipsets etc. Doing so it would be lucky for it to even make it to the desktop. Especially moving from intel to amd or vice versa. You'll end up with a bunch of drivers that don't match the hardware and driver conflicts can cause all sorts of unpredictable problems, the audio, the mainboard drivers, the lan drivers etc may not match up at all.
I have an i5-2320 3.0ghz. It is old for gaming. Honestly it's started to hold me back on some newer games. I don't mind losing most of my files and re-installing windows. I have lot's of stuff installed on an external drive anyway so i can easily use it on a different computer. I just don't know how i would go about re-installing windows from this hardrive with a new computer. would I just put the hardrive into the new system and then reset windows so it re-installs it'self? I'm not even sure it would boot up properly to be able to do that.
- Mar 16, 2013
- 175,358
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OK...there are two considerations when doing something like this: Operation and Licensing.
Operation - Will it boot with the new hardware? Maybe, maybe not. Win 10 is better than previous, but no guarantees.
If it doesn't, then you have to fall back and do a full reinstall. This means all the applications, drivers, etc.
Prepare for this.
Create your own Win 10 install DVD or USB, here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/
Licensing - Your current Win 10 license may or may not be linked to the actual hardware (motherboard, etc).
Change that. You can link that OS license to a Microsoft account instead of specific hardware.
Before you change any hardware, go here, read and do this: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html
Ok thank you when i get my new system i will very carfully go through all of that and see if i can get it to work. Thanks for all the help. I was worried this might be a huge hassel and coast an extra $100 or so for another copy of windows.
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