Transferring windows / apps to new computer

[Hitch88]

Hello,

I am on the verge of building myself a new computer, I already bought the parts (Case, motherboard, cooling unit, and SSD)
My plan is to transfer my 2 terabyte HDD into the new build, and I would like to keep some of the apps / games that are on that drive, and remove everything else on that drive including windows (I will perform a clean install on my new SSD)

I was thinking about copying the game files on an external drive and formatting the internal drive then transferring back the apps from the external drive to the internal drive ... (Hope it makes sense 😛 )
But who am I kidding, that never works !

So how can I format my drive all-the-while keeping some of my apps / games ?
And while you're at it, is it possible to make a fresh install of windows 10 on a new drive (SSD) ?

 

[CountMike]

Clean install and keeping programs/APPs is like eating a cake and keeping it.
You can install W10 on any internal drive, doesn't matter if it's HDD or SSD. Steam has some utility to transfer their games to new windows and disk but others you are going to have to install again.
There's another way if you have large enough SSD. You can make backup of your BOOT partitions including C: partition with Macrium Reflect and restore it to SSD. There's no guarantee it would work because of different system and W10 will probably refuse to activate unless you have full retail version of it and can enter reg numbers.

 

[USAFRet]

Hello,

I am on the verge of building myself a new computer,

New PC = new OS install. And a new OS license.

 

[CountMike]

Hello,

I am on the verge of building myself a new computer,

New PC = new OS install. And a new OS license.

Not necessarily, W10 is pretty tolerant to HW changes and Retail license can be transferred to another computer.

 

[USAFRet]

Hello,

I am on the verge of building myself a new computer,

New PC = new OS install. And a new OS license.

Not necessarily, W10 is pretty tolerant to HW changes and Retail license can be transferred to another computer.

Right. 10 is better in that respect, but with a whole new PC, I'd start with a known clean slate.
Retail license, sure. But the number of people that shell out extra for that are few and far between.

 

[Hitch88]

What if I installed my SSD on my current PC, then transfer my apps and games I want to keep on the SSD (I think that is possible), then put the SSD into my new PC. Would that work ?

 

[USAFRet]

What if I installed my SSD on my current PC, then transfer my apps and games I want to keep on the SSD (I think that is possible), then put the SSD into my new PC. Would that work ?

I wouldn't. The OS really needs to be installed in the system where it will live.
It might work, but you're just increasing the chances of fail.

And you can't transfer the 'apps' from one OS to another. They need to be actually installed with that OS.
Steam games, you can move across. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129

 

[CountMike]

Actually it's good investment to buy W10 retail license because it's supposed to last much longer than previous versions (marketed as LAST Windows) and that way it could be transferred to any future MB. There are some changes coming with Rs1 release on July 29 after which you could transfer license to any new computer using your MS account without having to enter license again. It's unlikely that there will be W11 or whatever they call it for at least another 10 years or more. For normal use cheaper Home edition should be just fine.
Until July 29th deadline retail W7 or 8.1 license can be used to install and activate W10 on any machine.

 

[Hitch88]

Actually it's good investment to buy W10 retail license because it's supposed to last much longer than previous versions (marketed as LAST Windows) and that way it could be transferred to any future MB. There are some changes coming with Rs1 release on July 29 after which you could transfer license to any new computer using your MS account without having to enter license again. It's unlikely that there will be W11 or whatever they call it for at least another 10 years or more. For normal use cheaper Home edition should be just fine.
Until July 29th deadline retail W7 or 8.1 license can be used to install and activate W10 on any machine.

So does that mean I can use my current licence to download W10 on another computer ?

 

[USAFRet]

Actually it's good investment to buy W10 retail license because it's supposed to last much longer than previous versions (marketed as LAST Windows) and that way it could be transferred to any future MB. There are some changes coming with Rs1 release on July 29 after which you could transfer license to any new computer using your MS account without having to enter license again. It's unlikely that there will be W11 or whatever they call it for at least another 10 years or more. For normal use cheaper Home edition should be just fine.
Until July 29th deadline retail W7 or 8.1 license can be used to install and activate W10 on any machine.

So does that mean I can use my current licence to download W10 on another computer ?

Depends on your definition of the word "download"
If you mean install, no.
To download and create a USB or DVD install media, no problem.

What is the actual OS license you currently have, and where did it come from?

 

[CountMike]

Only retail version of licenses can be transferred to another computer.

 

[Hitch88]

Hello,

I am on the verge of building myself a new computer,

New PC = new OS install. And a new OS license.

Not necessarily, W10 is pretty tolerant to HW changes and Retail license can be transferred to another computer.

Right. 10 is better in that respect, but with a whole new PC, I'd start with a known clean slate.
Retail license, sure. But the number of people that shell out extra for that are few and far between.

Actually it's good investment to buy W10 retail license because it's supposed to last much longer than previous versions (marketed as LAST Windows) and that way it could be transferred to any future MB. There are some changes coming with Rs1 release on July 29 after which you could transfer license to any new computer using your MS account without having to enter license again. It's unlikely that there will be W11 or whatever they call it for at least another 10 years or more. For normal use cheaper Home edition should be just fine.
Until July 29th deadline retail W7 or 8.1 license can be used to install and activate W10 on any machine.

So does that mean I can use my current licence to download W10 on another computer ?

Depends on your definition of the word "download"
If you mean install, no.
To download and create a USB or DVD install media, no problem.

What is the actual OS license you currently have, and where did it come from?

I'm not too sure what the licence is, but it was an upgrade from windows 8.1.
If a create a USB or DVD install media, it will only work on that current PC, right ?

 

[USAFRet]

I'm not too sure what the licence is, but it was an upgrade from windows 8.1.
If a create a USB or DVD install media, it will only work on that current PC, right ?

A DVD or USB will work on any PC. That is just the install media.
The license is the thing you have to be concerned with.

 

[Hitch88]

I'm not too sure what the licence is, but it was an upgrade from windows 8.1.
If a create a USB or DVD install media, it will only work on that current PC, right ?

A DVD or USB will work on any PC. That is just the install media.
The license is the thing you have to be concerned with.

Aaah ... So if I create an install media, my licence won't necessarily work on the new PC ?

 

[USAFRet]

I'm not too sure what the licence is, but it was an upgrade from windows 8.1.
If a create a USB or DVD install media, it will only work on that current PC, right ?

A DVD or USB will work on any PC. That is just the install media.
The license is the thing you have to be concerned with.

Aaah ... So if I create an install media, my licence won't necessarily work on the new PC ?

Correct.