Can I boot into Windows on a new platform without formatting?

[HumdrumPenguin]

I’m updating from an Intel 9900k to an AMD 7700x. New mobo, new RAM, same storage. I disassembled the PC to clean the case before installing the new system, and forgot to download Windows 11 and created a new bootable drive. Can I boot into Windows from the new platform without formatting, so I can create the bootable drive and then format, or will I need to build the old system again outside of the case just to do that? Thanks.

[Coolmaster]

It will probably work, but there might be some driver issues, you should be able to be able to get a Windows 11 installer.

[RONOTHAN##]

Yeah, you can use the old Windows install on your current system. There can occasionally be driver issues which is why it's usually recommended to just do a clean install, though it's not all that common anymore

[HumdrumPenguin]

4 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

Yeah, you can use the old Windows install on your current system. There can occasionally be driver issues which is why it's usually recommended to just do a clean install, though it's not all that common anymore

If I was going from Intel to Intel, I wouldn’t worry much, but it’s Intel to AMD. Well, this Monday when the CPU arrives I’ll try and see what happens.

[RONOTHAN##]

5 minutes ago, HumdrumPenguin said:

If I was going from Intel to Intel, I wouldn’t worry much, but it’s Intel to AMD. Well, this Monday when the CPU arrives I’ll try and see what happens.

I've got Windows installs that gave got from Intel to AMD to back again no problems. I don't daily those, they're on spare drives for my test bench, but they don't have any noticeable issues (though they aren't dailyed and I do tend to need to do a reinstall every so often because I broke it doing memory overclocking, so don't expect perfection). It should work for what you're trying to do. 

[Godlygamer23]

11 minutes ago, HumdrumPenguin said:

If I was going from Intel to Intel, I wouldn’t worry much, but it’s Intel to AMD. Well, this Monday when the CPU arrives I’ll try and see what happens.

I went from a 3570K to a 2600X on the same installation, and it booted just fine. Windows 10 found all the necessary drivers, and everything was pretty much working. I also did it on my test bench doing the same upgrade, although Windows 7 was installed on the SSD, and that also somehow worked fine.

[HumdrumPenguin]

12 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

I've got Windows installs that gave got from Intel to AMD to back again no problems. I don't daily those, they're on spare drives for my test bench, but they don't have any noticeable issues (though they aren't dailyed and I do tend to need to do a reinstall every so often because I broke it doing memory overclocking, so don't expect perfection). It should work for what you're trying to do. 

 

9 minutes ago, Godlygamer23 said:

I went from a 3570K to a 2600X on the same installation, and it booted just fine. Windows 10 found all the necessary drivers, and everything was pretty much working. I also did it on my test bench doing the same upgrade, although Windows 7 was installed on the SSD, and that also somehow worked fine.

Well, it will definitely work then. I’m glad I asked, because otherwise it would be a massive headache. It will be a quick in and out anyway, just to get the bootable drive. Thank you very much for the feedback!