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Question What happens when I plug in old NVMe SSD into my new build and boot up my PC ?
- Thread starter MangoMan12
- Start date
- Nov 7, 2011
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That's a very good question I wouldn't know the answer to because when I built my new system I formatted my drives and installed a fresh copy of Windows for a hassle free experience.
- May 10, 2023
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When you build the PC and run the Windows setup it will ask you if you want to format your drive.
- Mar 16, 2013
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Full OS reinstall.
Boot from a new Win 10 USB to install with.
Install.
Follow this:
How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial
If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com
- Mar 16, 2013
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- Mar 16, 2013
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You're right... Windows didn't ask me. I guess I worded it wrong... but are definitely given the option to format a drive when you are choosing which drive to install to.
- Mar 16, 2013
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If the system does not boot up with the new hardware, Windows never runs and you get no option to "format".
If it does boot up with the new hardware, it is running and you also get no prompt to format.
Finally, you can't "format" the drive from Windows while that Windows instance is running.
What you describe requires booting from a properly constructed WIn 10 USB, in preparation for a fresh install.
So that's the detail I left out. Thanks for the correction. 👍 I just assumed everyone installed from USB nowadays.
- Mar 16, 2013
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In reading your original, it sounded like the new system, upon seeing the old drive+OS, it would somehow give you the option of format.
It does not.
Well I was talking about a new system with new drives and a bootable Windows USB installation which is what I just did and assumed was what everyone did now... but yeah... I could have worded it better. Will remember for next time.
- Mar 16, 2013
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Know your audience...
The asked question:
"Old NVMe SSD is my main ssd with windows installed and games and such. I am just curious what would happen."
Answer that, and then go into details.
- Mar 16, 2013
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"Should work", as opposed to all the people and systems where it did not work.
Like me, several times. And hundreds of other people that have strolled through here.
Teknoman2
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- Oct 13, 2020
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Most of the time, windows, if its up to date, will recognize the new hardware, will make adjustments automatically and it will work. You will still need to install drivers for your new hardware and that's where often you may get a conflict that will cause problems. This is why its recommended to just reinstall windows after changing mobo and CPU. For GPU you can just wipe out the old drivers and its all fine but mobo is much more complicated. This is also why you should split your disk in 2
- Mar 16, 2013
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"most of the time".
Which really means....sometimes it fails. As I specified way above.
There can be reasons for partitioning a drive, but not sure what this does for you in this situation.
- Mar 16, 2013
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And I've had it work, I've had it fail.
I dislike giving people false hope, especially off a one time effort.
Do it enough times, and you see all sorts of issues, up to and including no boot at all.
Especially as we have NO idea of what his parts lists were and are.
Going from an ancient Intel system to a new hot rod Ryzen is very different than changing one Intel generation.
sitehostplus
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- Jan 6, 2018
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Did that myself (had a digital license, your mileage will vary).
It worked, but I needed an 'unlock code' sent from MS to my email address. After spending some quality time with my ISP (using a backup laptop I keep for such occasions), I was able to access my email, retrieve said code, and unlock my copy of windows on my new computer.
Windows really doesn't like that stuff, but you can work around it.
Teknoman2
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If you have a 1TB M.2 you dont just keep windows on it. So its best to have a windows partition so when you want to reinstall you only format the partition with the windows and leave the other stuff unaffected.
The other option is to get a small one for only windows and a bigger one for the rest.
- Mar 16, 2013
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Yes, your other data.
Windows and applications on one, other things go elsewhere.
I much prefer different physical drives, though.
And your data should be backed up elsewhere as well. No matter what drives or partitions are in play.
Teknoman2
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- Oct 13, 2020
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Yes, this is why i have a very big external drive for backups. On my latest upgrade, due to a defective mobo i had to do some tests that resulted in tons of lost files (self deleted themselves, i still dont know how). If not for the backup i'd be in trouble as many of them were quite important.
I'm even considering to get another external drive and make a second backup just in case. With the luck i have lately i may even lose the backups next time.
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