Will Windows 10 Activate after I change the hd to an ssd in my laptop?

[rsjpaladin]

Hi, can't find a clear answer if there will be an issue with activation if I replace my current hard drive in my laptop with an SSD and do a fresh install. Will this specific hardware change make so that windows won't activate or am I safe to replace/upgrade the laptop. The license that was upgraded was a Windows 7 license that came with the laptop.

/Rikard

 

[Dark antz1]

Yes. Windows 10 links to the motherboard not the HDD and Microsoft states that the license lasts as long as the computer.

Your mill obviously want an image to install on your new SSD though as creating a mirror from a HDD to SSD causes performance issues FYI

 

[rsjpaladin]

Yes. Windows 10 links to the motherboard not the HDD and Microsoft states that the license lasts as long as the computer.

Your mill obviously want an image to install on your new SSD though as creating a mirror from a HDD to SSD causes performance issues FYI

Thank you for a quick and clear answer. Yes everything else I'm in the clear with it was just this small information I couldn't confirm Cheers, made my day!

 

[chrochtadlo]

Well, it already happened to some ppl. Even a HDD/SSD change can lead to windows 10 not being activated.
Source - Microsoft
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/why-activate-windows-10
Hardware changes:
If you made substantial hardware changes to your PC, such as replacing your hard drive or motherboard, Windows might no longer be activated on your PC. For info on how to activate your PC, see the product activation article.

When u upgrade ur PC to win 10, it makes a "footprint" of all your hardware and store it in bios. If u change MB, it wont activate for sure, though it might wont activate even because of HDD/SSD change.
Best thing is to do all HW changes before an upgrade.

 

[rsjpaladin]

Well, it already happened to some ppl. Even a HDD/SSD change can lead to windows 10 not being activated.
Source - Microsoft
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/why-activate-windows-10
Hardware changes:
If you made substantial hardware changes to your PC, such as replacing your hard drive or motherboard, Windows might no longer be activated on your PC. For info on how to activate your PC, see the product activation article.

When u upgrade ur PC to win 10, it makes a "footprint" of all your hardware and store it in bios. If u change MB, it wont activate for sure, though it might wont activate even because of HDD/SSD change.
Best thing is to do all HW changes before an upgrade.

I read the same thing from windows, that's why I needed clarification. Different thing can be read on the Swedish help page, it just says major hardware change like your motherboard. Can you point me to some cases were this has and has not happen? Is there a collective page somewhere? It's damn hard finding something concrete about this since a lot of situations is either described wrong, have to little info or is convoluted license talk from MS. Anything would be helpful!

/Rikard

 

[chrochtadlo]

I read the same thing from windows, that's why I needed clarification. Different thing can be read on the Swedish help page, it just says major hardware change like your motherboard. Can you point me to some cases were this has and has not happen? Is there a collective page somewhere? It's damn hard finding something concrete about this since a lot of situations is either described wrong, have to little info or is convoluted license talk from MS. Anything would be helpful!
/Rikard

Dont rely on non-english translates.
For example EULA in czech language totally miss the important part 4b in brackets what tells we can transfer our win 10 to another computer, while in slovak language its there.
MS propably wont tell us how the HWID activation check exactly works for obvious reasons, so its better to be safe and be prepared to activation problems. Though, it might be activated later - up to 72 hrs.

 

[Dark antz1]

Bare in mind that the only piece of Hardware that Microsoft deem 'major' is the motherboard. changing, CPU/RAM/HDD etc. will not invalidate your license. If, when you load up your PC and you get the 'this is not a valid version of Windows' then contact MS, tell them your hardware changes and they will re-validate your copy of Windows.
Its even worth doing this when you change your Motherboard as sometimes you can get a nice person who is just like 'yeah no problem' and validates the copy on a completely new PC

 

[rsjpaladin]

Bare in mind that the only piece of Hardware that Microsoft deem 'major' is the motherboard. changing, CPU/RAM/HDD etc. will not invalidate your license. If, when you load up your PC and you get the 'this is not a valid version of Windows' then contact MS, tell them your hardware changes and they will re-validate your copy of Windows.
Its even worth doing this when you change your Motherboard as sometimes you can get a nice person who is just like 'yeah no problem' and validates the copy on a completely new PC

Thank you for the extra reassurement! I also got a definitive/official answer this morning from someone working for ms at the community forums so now I feel safe. Hopes this helps anyone else that's in the same spot as I'm in.

/r

 

[chrochtadlo]

Bare in mind that the only piece of Hardware that Microsoft deem 'major' is the motherboard. changing, CPU/RAM/HDD etc. will not invalidate your license. If, when you load up your PC and you get the 'this is not a valid version of Windows' then contact MS, tell them your hardware changes and they will re-validate your copy of Windows.
Its even worth doing this when you change your Motherboard as sometimes you can get a nice person who is just like 'yeah no problem' and validates the copy on a completely new PC

If win 10 is activated through upgrade, if u call to activation line, they will most propably tell u to do the whole upgrade process again. This and what i explained about HDD/SSD change above, already happened to some ppl, so its not a myth. And the official info from MS we got so far does support this.
I dont think its very smart to rely so much on "luck" when u can do it properly/in an official way.

edit: Dont get me wrong, this case with only HDD/SSD change is not such a problem and the call to MS will solve eventual problems as u explained. Though, any major HW changes (not necessarily only MB) can be a bigger problem.
So, rsjpaladin, u should be fine. I just wanted to give some info from another perspective