SSD Transfer

[FlubbedBonsai38]

It's a very simple that Google can't seem to help with.

I'm technically downgrading soon but I need a gpu and my current computer just won't be able to run one and I'm working on some NDA stuff and was wondering if i'd be able to just take my ssd out of my current computer and throw it in there without doing anything or if i'd have to like do something.

[RONOTHAN##]

this will depend on the hardware you're coming from and the hardware you're going to on the exact odds, but more than likely just taking the SSD out of your current computer and chucking it in the new one will work just fine with the most you'll need to do being install the appropriate drivers for the new system. That said, especially if you're changing platform from AMD to Intel or vice versa, then you can run into driver conflicts that cause the system to have issues. It's not super common, Windows does a pretty good job of setting things up with the "Getting Devices Ready" section of first boot, but it can happen, and unless you want to spend literal days of your life hunting down registry values and other driver files, a reinstall of Windows would be your best course of action.

 

Basic course of action:

First, make a backup before you do anything. That's just standard practice, especially if the information is important like it sounds like it is. Plug the SSD into the new system. If it doesn't go to "Getting Devices Ready," you're out of luck and need to reinstall Windows. If it does go to "Getting Devices Ready," install device drivers and see if anything goes wrong or if performance is a lot worse than you'd expect. If performance about where you'd expect it to be and you don't get any blue screens or crashes, then you're golden (this is more than likely what will happen). If performance is worse than you'd expect or you are getting crashes and blue screens, you can try chasing stuff down in the registry and with old driver files with the event viewer, but odds are a Windows reinstall will be a better idea. 

[rileyakirk]

Are you talking about the drive that contains your OS? The issue there is you're switching to different hardware that will likely be incompatible. You'll need to use a migration tool. Also, if you're using Windows you may lose your license activation.

 

Otherwise, if it is not an OS drive, then as long as the file system on that drive is compatible with the new system's OS you're good to go.

[FlubbedBonsai38]

Thank you so much! I'm going from 6th gen i7 (which has been horribly under clocked to fit within 200w limit, can't have wifi even with an adapter and i have to go downstairs for wired) to like a 6 core AMD phenom I'm getting from a friend for free. I'll probably have to reinstall Windows, but thank you for helping me, Ronothan!

[RONOTHAN##]

13 minutes ago, FlubbedBonsai38 said:

I'll probably have to reinstall Windows, but thank you for helping me, Ronothan!

You'd be surprised. I had one drive that started off in a 7th gen Intel system, moved to an 11th gen laptop, went back to that 7th gen machine, went to a 2nd gen Ryzen machine for a little bit, then went into a Macbook Air with an adapter. Windows was never reinstalled, and it just said "Getting devices ready" every time. Windows just booted with all my programs just there and didn't care one bit. I'd be surprised if you actually have to reinstall. 

 

Also make sure to quote or @ me in order to actually get a response.