Windows 10 Migration

[saladcrack]

So I am going to be building a whole new computer soon for college and I want to save some money by not buying Windows 10 all over again.  Is there a way I can take the OS from my 2 tb HDD I have right now with all my games and stuff and put it onto the new SSD I am getting?  Is there a way to ONLY move the OS from HDD to SSD not everything while also deleting the Windows files from my HDD?  Do I just plug my SSD in, transfer the OS over and the restart and select the SSD as a boot drive?

 

Thanks for any help!

[Mark77]

In a nutshell, no, there are no tools available to "just" transfer the OS.  Its an all or nothing proposition.  You have to reduce the amount of stuff on the HDD to match the available capacity of the SSD for a migration. 

 

However, if you already have a Windows 10 license, why not just remove the HDD, install the SSD, and put a new install of Windows 10 onto the SSD?  If the machine is activated for Windows 10, either with a license code or a digital entitlement (ie: through an upgrade of Windows 7 / Windows 8), then this should not be a problem.  Once you're done, hook the HDD back up, and deal with it accordingly.

 

 

[Enderman]

http://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

And:

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/35979-product-key-uninstall-deactivate-windows-10-a.html

This should let you use the key again on the new PC with new motherboard.

If it doesn't:

Quote

If you try to activate Windows 10 on another PC with this same retail product key, you may have to activate by phone if online activation fails.

 

[saladcrack]

1 minute ago, Mark77 said:

In a nutshell, no, there are no tools available to "just" transfer the OS.  Its an all or nothing proposition.  You have to reduce the amount of stuff on the HDD to match the available capacity of the SSD for a migration. 

 

However, if you already have a Windows 10 license, why not just remove the HDD, install the SSD, and put a new install of Windows 10 onto the SSD?  If the machine is activated for Windows 10, either with a license code or a digital entitlement (ie: through an upgrade of Windows 7 / Windows 8), then this should not be a problem.  Once you're done, hook the HDD back up, and deal with it accordingly.

 

 

My computer is a prebuilt with Windows 7 that I upgraded for free to Windows 10.  I know you can get install stuff from the Microsoft website but I don't have a windows key because prebuilt.  Also, I want to completely remove Windows 10 from my HDD is there a way to do that and have my games and programs still be fine?

[Mark77]

If you upgraded using the Win7 to Win10 upgrade program, you should be able to wipe and re-install Windows 10 (or install Windows 10 on a new SSD) without a Windows key.  It will activate via a "digital entitlement".

 

When it did the upgrade, it took a digital fingerprint of the computer (probably took the Ethernet card's MAC address, and a few other unique serial numbers/codes).  So when it contacts Microsoft's servers for activation upon fresh re-install, it will activate on that basis. 

[saladcrack]

Just now, Mark77 said:

If you upgraded using the Win7 to Win10 upgrade program, you should be able to wipe and re-install Windows 10 (or install Windows 10 on a new SSD) without a Windows key.  It will activate via a "digital entitlement".

 

When it did the upgrade, it took a digital fingerprint of the computer (probably took the Ethernet card's MAC address, and a few other unique serial numbers/codes).  So when it contacts Microsoft's servers for activation upon fresh re-install, it will activate on that basis. 

So that will work even if I install the SSD in a new computer with totally different hardware later on?

[Mark77]

No, probably not, as certain key indicators, such as the MAC addresses, the DMI codes on the motherboard, etc., will be completely different and hence will not match those on file at Microsoft.

 

For OEM and (especially) retail licenses, Microsoft has been known to provide over-rides if you call them up and explain the situation (ie: fried motherboard due to power surge, had to replace a bunch of components).  But I'm not so sure they'd be so receptive to someone on the free upgrade program. 

[saladcrack]

Just now, Mark77 said:

No, probably not, as certain key indicators, such as the MAC addresses, the DMI codes on the motherboard, etc., will be completely different and hence will not match those on file at Microsoft.

 

For OEM and retail licenses, Microsoft has been known to provide over-rides if you call them up and explain the situation.  But I'm not so sure they'd be so receptive to someone on the free upgrade program. 

Well my friend just replaced his mobo but kept the same CPU and HDD and everything was fine for him.

[Mark77]

Yeah one component at a time usually doesn't cause problems.  But if the license is tied to, say, a Sandy Bridge Celeron with a 500gb hard drive, and suddenly you try and bring the same license up on some 8-core Broadwell-EP Xeon E5 machine with 10gig-E, don't be surprised if there's a problem!

[saladcrack]

Just now, Mark77 said:

Yeah one component at a time usually doesn't cause problems.  But if the license is tied to, say, a Sandy Bridge Celeron with a 500gb hard drive, and suddenly you try and bring the same license up on some 8-core Broadwell-EP Xeon E5 machine with 10gig-E, don't be surprised if there's a problem!

True, thanks for the help!