Giving PC away and changing ssd. Possible to keep windows on it?

[The Boof]

I'm giving my dad my old PC. I also want upgrade the SSD that windows is on. I read that it goes by Microsoft account so I am wondering if I will run into any problems. The PC currently has 2 SSDs, and I want to upgrade the one that has windows on it. What are my options? The only thing I want to keep on the PC is windows nothing else. 

[aledsav1]

its is recommended to do a clean install, however I am always swapping my OS drive into new pcs, most of the time no issues with my MS account, obviously windows will have to install new drivers for new hardware, sometimes misses some so then need to do manually, sometimes need to resign into my MS account etc, but in general works 99% of the time

[Dukesilver27-]

Well, just install a fresh windows install and activate with your MS account.

Why bother cloning if nothing else is going to be kept.

This is assuming that you bought a windows license from Microsoft, if not, then just put in the key that you bought.

[An0maly_76]

A little unclear on what you're asking, but your existing install can be cloned to another SSD for dear old Dad.

 

While it is indeed recommended you do a new install for a different machine, your existing install may work just fine. I swapped my SN570 to an ASRock B450M-HDV while my Asus Tuf B550-PLUS was being RMA'd. Ran fine, other than discovering neither board liked the RAM I was using, but I digress.

[Alex Atkin UK]

I'm not 100% but I think once you have logged into your Microsoft account and activated on that PC, it will re-activate on a clean install even without your Microsoft account on that PC as the activation server will see its a previously activated hardware ID.

[The Boof]

11 hours ago, Alex Atkin UK said:

I'm not 100% but I think once you have logged into your Microsoft account and activated on that PC, it will re-activate on a clean install even without your Microsoft account on that PC as the activation server will see its a previously activated hardware ID.

So how would I boot initially? Just use the usb with windows on it?

 

[The Boof]

11 hours ago, Dukesilver27- said:

Well, just install a fresh windows install and activate with your MS account.

Why bother cloning if nothing else is going to be kept.

This is assuming that you bought a windows license from Microsoft, if not, then just put in the key that you bought.

The issue would be that it would not be using the same Microsoft account. I guess I could keep mine on there, I just don't know if that would cause any issues down the line.

[The Boof]

11 hours ago, An0maly_76 said:

A little unclear on what you're asking, but your existing install can be cloned to another SSD for dear old Dad.

 

While it is indeed recommended you do a new install for a different machine, your existing install may work just fine. I swapped my SN570 to an ASRock B450M-HDV while my Asus Tuf B550-PLUS was being RMA'd. Ran fine, other than discovering neither board liked the RAM I was using, but I digress.

Lol yeah I just went through some RAM issues as well. Basically I am asking how I can avoid buy windows again. He's getting my PC but the drive that has windows on it is going to be swapped out for a bigger one. 

[An0maly_76]

29 minutes ago, The Boof said:

Lol yeah I just went through some RAM issues as well. Basically I am asking how I can avoid buy windows again. He's getting my PC but the drive that has windows on it is going to be swapped out for a bigger one. 

Unless one of you doesn't use InterNet, you can't. One license per machine. There are some cheap keys out there, but some are scams. People flamed me for paying 'full price', but I got a legit OEM install DVD from One World Computing for about $140. You can get legit OEM bootable USBs on Amazon for less.

 

I transferred this temporarily to a workstation while my 5900X board was being RMA'd, but it transferred back once that machine was back together and accessed InterNet. You could try buying a dead Win10 machine for the key. Craigslist or something.

[Dukesilver27-]

3 hours ago, The Boof said:

The issue would be that it would not be using the same Microsoft account. I guess I could keep mine on there, I just don't know if that would cause any issues down the line.

If you want him to not buy a new license, there's no other way. Only 1 machine per account, regardless of what you do.

 

[The Boof]

3 hours ago, An0maly_76 said:

Unless one of you doesn't use InterNet, you can't. One license per machine. There are some cheap keys out there, but some are scams. People flamed me for paying 'full price', but I got a legit OEM install DVD from One World Computing for about $140. You can get legit OEM bootable USBs on Amazon for less.

 

I transferred this temporarily to a workstation while my 5900X board was being RMA'd, but it transferred back once that machine was back together and accessed InterNet. You could try buying a dead Win10 machine for the key. Craigslist or something.

Well it is the same machine just not the same drive.

[The Boof]

55 minutes ago, Dukesilver27- said:

If you want him to not buy a new license, there's no other way. Only 1 machine per account, regardless of what you do.

 

Ok so if I do just sign into mine, what is the best option? Clone the OS or just boot from the original USB and it will recognize it.

[An0maly_76]

1 hour ago, The Boof said:

Ok so if I do just sign into mine, what is the best option? Clone the OS or just boot from the original USB and it will recognize it.

You can't run the same license on two different machines. Period.

[The Boof]

3 hours ago, An0maly_76 said:

You can't run the same license on two different machines. Period.

There is only one machine... Just wanted to upgrade the SSD before I give it to my dad. If I have to keep my Microsoft account on it, then so be it. So what is my best option? 

[An0maly_76]

15 minutes ago, The Boof said:

It's the same machine... Just upgrading the SSD. Everything else would be the same.

What we're trying to explain here, is that the license is tied to hardware, primarly the motherboard. Even if the original SSD / new machine is wiped / reinstalled, and the original machine / new SSD is given a fresh install, you cannot keep the same license activated on both machines if both connect to the InterNet.

 

Now, if you simply plan to retain and activate the license key with the original machine on its new SSD, while you get a new machine with its own license key, that is fine, because you have a separate license for each machine.

 

And while you can indeed activate two machines on the same key (I've done it), the license will be nullified on the second machine when the first machine connects to the InterNet. Unless that second machine never accesses the InterNet, it won't retain the activation.

[Alex Atkin UK]

2 hours ago, The Boof said:

There is only one machine... Just wanted to upgrade the SSD before I give it to my dad. If I have to keep my Microsoft account on it, then so be it. So what is my best option? 

I honestly do not know for sure, I'd just try installing it and adding your dads account then see if it activates.  You don't really have anything to lose.

 

But I'm sure one of my PCs activated BEFORE I added my Microsoft Account (as if it was OEM) even though it was a license key registered to my account.  Of course, they locked down creating local accounts now so things could have changed.

In an emergency, Windows is still usable when not activated though.  Or maybe your dad could give Linux a try.

[The Boof]

On 1/9/2023 at 11:51 PM, An0maly_76 said:

What we're trying to explain here, is that the license is tied to hardware, primarly the motherboard. Even if the original SSD / new machine is wiped / reinstalled, and the original machine / new SSD is given a fresh install, you cannot keep the same license activated on both machines if both connect to the InterNet.

 

Now, if you simply plan to retain and activate the license key with the original machine on its new SSD, while you get a new machine with its own license key, that is fine, because you have a separate license for each machine.

 

And while you can indeed activate two machines on the same key (I've done it), the license will be nullified on the second machine when the first machine connects to the InterNet. Unless that second machine never accesses the InterNet, it won't retain the activation.

My new system is already up and running with a new key. I am just trying to find the best way to upgrade my old machine's SSD and not have to buy a new key for it.

[An0maly_76]

2 minutes ago, The Boof said:

My new system is already up and running with a new key. I am just trying to find the best way to upgrade my old machine's SSD and not have to buy a new key for it.

 

In which case you should have no problem doing a fresh install on the old machine's new SSD with the original key from that machine, so long as your old SSD never boots and accesses the Internet again.

 

Keep in mind, that still wouldn't keep the old machine from working, it would simply reclaim its license key. So I would say, backup any needed files from the original SSD to another before swapping, then wipe its install, maybe repurpose as aux storage in either machine.

[The Boof]

9 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

 

In which case you should have no problem doing a fresh install on the old machine's new SSD with the original key from that machine, so long as your old SSD never boots and accesses the Internet again.

 

Keep in mind, that still wouldn't keep the old machine from working, it would simply reclaim its license key. So I would say, backup any needed files from the original SSD to another before swapping, then wipe its install, maybe repurpose as aux storage in either machine.

Yeah I won't be using that SSD anymore. Is there a way to see the key on the computer of do I need to find it?

[An0maly_76]

7 minutes ago, The Boof said:

Yeah I won't be using that SSD anymore. Is there a way to see the key on the computer of do I need to find it?

 

Yeah, there are a few ways. The easiest I'm aware of is this:

 

Win+R, type cmd, press enter.

 

Then type

wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

in the command prompt. On some machines this may return a blank key, so you may want to Run As Administrator on both counts if possible.

 

Alternately, there's also a tool called Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder.
 

[The Boof]

3 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

 

Yeah, there are a few ways. The easiest I'm aware of is this:

 

Win+R, type cmd, press enter.

 

Then type

wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

in the command prompt. On some machines this may return a blank key, so you may want to Run As Administrator on both counts if possible.

 

Alternately, there's also a tool called Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder.
 

Ok cool thanks.

[wseaton]

If he's just upgrading the SSD the license key has nothing to do with it. Only a motherboard transfer will trip Microsoft activation. 

 

Use a cloning tool to migrate this SSDs like macrium reflect.