[SOLVED] Using Old HDD for New PC Build

DeclanWitt

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Mar 14, 2017
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So I scrapped an old Alienware Aurora R3 for parts and my brother had JUST installed a new HDD in beforehand.

1. I was wondering if I would be able to use this Hard Drive in a new PC build right away. I went through Windows and already did a Fresh Reset.

2. If not, I'm buying an M.2 SSD for the new build and I can do the ISO file for Windows 10; But would that work? Can I do the ISO and then put in another HDD with a different, FULL copy of Windows?
 
Solution
  1. No. You want to do the OS install while the drive is in the new system.
  2. An SSD is recommended. You do the install on that while it is the only drive in the system.

DeclanWitt

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Mar 14, 2017
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  1. No. You want to do the OS install while the drive is in the new system.
  2. An SSD is recommended. You do the install on that while it is the only drive in the system.
Heard. But with a fresh install of Windows would come the "buy Windows sticker." So how would I work that one out? Because the HDD has the full copy of Windows. Would I have to put the drive into a different machine to grab the product key?
 

DeclanWitt

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Mar 14, 2017
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I would do a fresh install with only the SSD installed, then hook up to old drive and do a fresh format of it (this will wipe the drive clean so back up anything you can't replace)
So just wipe the HDD only after getting it all set up? How would I extract the product key for Windows 10 from the Hard Drive?
 

USAFRet

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