windows 8.1 hardware swap

[pcalive]

I am planning to upgrade my older Asus mobo with i7 2600k running windows 8.1 pro 64 bit; to the Asus Rampage V Extreme, using the intel 2011.3 i7 and ddr4. I am seeing mixed answers about having to reload windows 8(8.1) etc. My question is, if I use a new version of windows 8.1 pro, on the m.2 ssd, would it be possible to keep all the programs on my sata 1tb hdd and run short cut links on the desk top. without uninstalling the windows on the sata hdd. or is there a way to run a disc image of programs and data without the windows files to install into a new ssd with a new version of windows?

or can I just swap the hardware and restart on the sata hdd, and copy the drive over to the sdd?

 

[Tradesman1]

Might well work, would be sure to have good backups of all your data and then give it a try