[SOLVED] Windows won't boot from old hdd after booting from m.2 ssd - Asus ROG laptop

[redfoxrambler]

Hello, I have a '15 or '16 Asus ROG GL552VW laptop that originally only had a 1tb hdd that came with a registered copy of Windows 10 when I bought it used. I installed a 500gb m.2 ssd (Toshiba 2280 SATA) and eventually figured out how to install an unregistered Windows 10 on it and then used that for the OS, Steam games etc. Now I'd like to sell the Asus and keep the m.2 ssd for another laptop, and I'd like for it to go back to booting from the registered Windows on the original hdd for whoever buys it.

I changed the version of windows it boots from in the recovery menu to the original, and it comes to the password login screen like normal, but when I enter the password I get a blue screen with this message: "The User Profile Service service failed the sign-in. User profile cannot be loaded."

Any idea what caused this and how to fix? I'm able to reset the boot order in BIOS to the m.2 ssd and it boots up fine, hoping I don't have to wipe the hdd and reinstall unregistered Windows on it. Thanks!


*PS I also have a WD Blue 500gb m.2 ssd that I accidentally won on ebay, but can't get the "new" laptop ('17 Alienware 15 r3) to recognize it as a usable drive (shows up in device manager but not windows explorer) whereas it does fully recognize the Toshiba m.2 ssd just fine. I believe I saw a list of supported m.2s for the Alienware and the WD wasn't on it, if I could get it to work I would probably just sell the Asus with the Toshiba m.2 in it and not worry about it. The Alienware has a 128gb m.2 for the OS and 1tb hdd for storage, but I'd rather run games from a 500gb m.2 for load time benefits and don't want to buy more of them than I already have

 

[USAFRet]

You need to physically disconnect whatever drives you do not want the OS on.
Then, boot from a freshly made Win 10 USB.
Install on that drive, wiping ALL existing partitions.

Full wipe and reinstall

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[redfoxrambler]

You need to physically disconnect whatever drives you do not want the OS on.
Then, boot from a freshly made Win 10 USB.
Install on that drive, wiping ALL existing partitions.

This doesn't address the fact that the original 1tb hdd had a working registered windows, appears to still have it, but gives me a weird code when I try to boot into it. I would rather not completely wipe it if possible, I know how to format and reinstall windows from scratch but I'm trying to avoid that route so whoever I sell this to will have registered windows instead of the unregistered version I would be able to provide

 

[USAFRet]

A full wipe and reinstall on the same system will not incur any licensing issue. It will activate itself when it goes online.

And for a system you are selling, you really really need to do that.