Windows activation question

[mcsmith1981]

Hey guys,

 

Can someone give me some general guidance on this?

 

I'm considering the purchase of a laptop that uses a small eMMC chip for storage.

I would like to add an SSD I have from an older laptop which is that system's boot drive and has an existing version of Windows on it.

 

What will it take to get this activated on the new hardware as a boot drive, rather than just a storage location?

 

I don't care if I lose the ability to boot from the eMMC, I would just rather avoid having to start setting everything up from scratch.

 

Hope I'm being specific enough.

Please ask if you need any clarification.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Mira Yurizaki]

It won't take anything as recent Windows computers that ship with system builders have keys tied to the motherboard.

 

You're going to have to clean install Windows on that SSD though. Trying to boot from an existing system drive and use it on a different model of computer will only result in frustration.

[mcsmith1981]

1 minute ago, M.Yurizaki said:

It won't take anything as recent Windows computers that ship with system builders have keys tied to the motherboard.

 

You're going to have to clean install Windows on that SSD though. Trying to boot from an existing system drive and use it on a different model of computer will only result in frustration.

Damn, well thanks for the honest answer. So what do I do about the fact that the eMMC has Windows already activated on it for that hardware? How do I get the activation to apply to a fresh install on the SSD?

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

where do you plan on physically installing the SSD? 

[Mira Yurizaki]

Just now, mcsmith1981 said:

Damn, well thanks for the honest answer. So what do I do about the fact that the eMMC has Windows already activated on it for that hardware? How do I get the activation to apply to a fresh install on the SSD?

Use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB disk (or download the ISO from it and burn it to a DVD). When it comes time to enter a CD key, I believe there's an option tucked away to do it later and Windows will automagically figure out you have a key at some other point in time.

 

Regarding the eMMC, you can nuke after you've booted and setup up everything on the SSD.

[mcsmith1981]

12 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

where do you plan on physically installing the SSD? 

It has a large recess inside the case that is meant for an optical drive but doesn't have one.

I guess it must be a common design with another laptop. The mobo has at least one free SATA port as well.

[mcsmith1981]

13 minutes ago, M.Yurizaki said:

Use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB disk (or download the ISO from it and burn it to a DVD). When it comes time to enter a CD key, I believe there's an option tucked away to do it later and Windows will automagically figure out you have a key at some other point in time.

 

Regarding the eMMC, you can nuke after you've booted and setup up everything on the SSD.

Thanks. Sounds pretty easy. I've done a couple of more standard Windows 10 installs before, so I'm glad this also seems pretty straightforward.

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

2 minutes ago, mcsmith1981 said:

It has a large recess inside the case that is meant for an optical drive but doesn't have one.

I guess it must be a common design with another laptop. The mobo has at least one free SATA port as well.

ok its like a laptop i have. I was wondering because the new laptops with Mmc memory dont look like they can take extra drives. you might like to know my laptop can only boot from one of the sata ports.

[mcsmith1981]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

ok its like a laptop i have. I was wondering because the new laptops with Mmc memory dont look like they can take extra drives. you might like to know my laptop can only boot from one of the sata ports.

Hmm, that's an interesting nugget. I didn't see anyone reference that so far, but then I haven't exactly seen any blow-by-blow accounts for this specific laptop.

 

It's one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F4ZG68A/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=8N9U40MX5IPO&coliid=I16PPU07YDT85J&psc=1

and you can see various accounts of upgrades in the review images.

 

Got the recommendation from Lon Seidman's YT channel.

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

6 minutes ago, mcsmith1981 said:

Hmm, that's an interesting nugget. I didn't see anyone reference that so far, but then I haven't exactly seen any blow-by-blow accounts for this specific laptop.

 

It's one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F4ZG68A/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=8N9U40MX5IPO&coliid=I16PPU07YDT85J&psc=1

and you can see various accounts of upgrades in the review images.

 

Got the recommendation from Lon Seidman's YT channel.

In the review section there is a link to a youtube video where someone has opened up the laptop to install a second drive. I can't see where the Mmc memory is. I can't tell if its m2 or if its soldered onto the board.