Question Will M.2 drive work in a new computer?

[Metalrocks]

Hi,

I tried to get an answer to that question but I seem to get mixed results or not coherent ones from Google. I'm planing on building a new rig but like to use my current M.2 drive that does have win 11 on it.
Will it work or rather get a new drive and fresh install the OS?

 

[Lutfij]

Will it work or rather get a new drive and fresh install the OS?
Simple answer, you will need to reinstall the OS. When you swap motherboard's/platforms, you need to reinstall the OS.

 

[stuff and nonesense]

It might work, windows is reasonably flexible BUT, there can be problems, random crashes and such.

Make sure your data is backed up. Games and the like can be reinstalled but data is priceless.

 

[stuff and nonesense]

Will it work or rather get a new drive and fresh install the OS?
Simple answer, you will need to reinstall the OS. When you swap motherboard's/platforms, you need to reinstall the OS.

Sometimes, yes and it is advisable to do a fresh install. I took a boot drive from 4790k to Ryzen 2700x and had no problems. (Windows 10). Before Windows 10 I fully agree, reinstall.

 

[Metalrocks]

So in other words: better safe than sorry and do it from scratch.

 

[stuff and nonesense]

So in other words: better safe than sorry and do it from scratch.

Yes..

 

[Metalrocks]

One more question.

How can I delete the OS on the older M2 and use it as a second drive? Anything on Google is mostly saying I need to go through Disk Management.

 

[USAFRet]

One more question.

How can I delete the OS on the older M2 and use it as a second drive? Anything on Google is mostly saying I need to go through Disk Management.

Yes, Disk Management will do the job.

After the OS is installed on whatever drive, then you connect this one.
Disk Management, and DELETE all existing partitions.


Or, you can just do a fresh OS install on this drive, when it is in the new system.

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[stuff and nonesense]

Ok, give the new drive a name. This is to make sure that you delete the right disk.

Right click on my computer / computer whatever it’s called

Click manage

Click disk management

Identify your old and your new disks. Don’t touch the new. (The one you named)

Right click on the old disk and choose how you want to delete the data/partitions. You can recreate the partitions in disk management and then format them.

 

[Metalrocks]

ok, but won't the computer get confused when 2 different drives have the same OS on it?

Unless it doesn't matter as long I selected from what drive it should boot from. If that is the case, this means I can keep all my files on it.

Correct me if wrong.

 

[USAFRet]

ok, but won't the computer get confused when 2 different drives have the same OS on it?

Unless it doesn't matter as long I selected from what drive it should boot from. If that is the case, this means I can keep all my files on it.

Correct me if wrong.

Verify exactly which drive you're booting from. The new one.
What is on the other one, does not matter.

 

[Metalrocks]

Verify exactly which drive you're booting from. The new one.
What is on the other one, does not matter.

thanks. helps a lot.

Although I will built in a 4TB in, I still like to keep second drive at hand for misc stuff. And my older M2 drive isn't old either, just that it has an OS on it.

So I will built in the new one first. Get everything set up, then built in the second drive.