Swapping existing SSD into new computer
| # | Post |
|---|---|
| 1 | Are there any problems removing an SSD from one computer and using it to replace the one in a new computer to save transferring all the programs and data. kerryalan - 2020-12-14 13:37:00 |
| 2 | if its windows, windows almost certainly will deactivate, and require a new activate key on the new hardware, you can get those easily of ebay, for $10 or so. bitsnpieces2020 - 2020-12-14 13:50:00 |
| 3 | If you try to install a drive with an existing operating system from one computer to a different machine that will very very likely be issues. You can try tho. It's not likely to be simple. Have fun. nice_lady - 2020-12-14 14:50:00 |
| 4 | bitsnpieces2020 wrote: OP probably needs to know it won't be a legitimate license though... king1 - 2020-12-14 15:59:00 |
| 5 | My previous motherboard carked when the water cooling leaked, but I washed the M2 style SSD (and memory) in isopropyl and transferred it to a new motherboard and CPU and it booted fine. My memory is vague but I probably did need to reactivate the Windows 10 license, certainly didn't buy a new license. Both processors were Intel, it might have been more problematic if one had been AMD. If you do have problems booting (at any time), I recommend booting from a USB stick with the Windows 10 media and choosing the recovery option, it's worked for me. I've also done the 'refresh Windows 10 without losing data' option once, and that fixed a periodic freezing problem I couldn't figure out. gyrogearloose - 2020-12-14 17:45:00 |
| 6 | This message was deleted. azza20 - 2020-12-14 18:30:00 |
| 7 | Never used to be an issue, even with motherboards....depends how picky Win10 is. lythande1 - 2020-12-14 18:51:00 |
| 8 | lythande1 wrote: Spot on. Get AOEMEI and clone the existing C: drive to the new SSD and it'll go fine. Have done about 10 of the PCs here and dramatic performance increase, now that 1T is down around $100, why wouldn't ya do it? tegretol - 2020-12-14 23:28:00 |
| 9 | Maybe reading the OP's original post might be an idea nice_lady - 2020-12-15 06:00:00 |
| 10 | nice_lady wrote:
Yep. swivel - 2020-12-15 09:41:00 |
| 11 | Is there the windows equivalent to the dd comand in linux? You maybe could use that, as long as the new hard drive is bigger than the old one. Then just resize the partition later. tygertung - 2020-12-15 12:43:00 |
| 12 | Why would they want to? nice_lady - 2020-12-15 13:27:00 |
| 13 | kerryalan wrote:
Is it going to be the OS drive? It might work, I've done it before, but I've tried to do it more times than it worked... If it's not the OS drive, you'll get the data but most of the programs won't work. I've you've got a working PC as is, I'd just put the disk in, not replace the OS drive and copy the necessary data or leave it where is, reinstall all the apps. ira78 - 2020-12-15 15:07:00 |
| 14 | I haven't done this with Windows 10 but with previous OS I have swapped drives without problems as long as long as it was the same make of CPU. When they were different it sometimes would work and sometimes it would not. duncb - 2020-12-16 08:10:00 |
| 15 | Some third party applications might not work, depending on how they have licenced themselves. Another option is to buy a cheap USB to Sata (or whatever type of disk it is) connector - then do a fresh install and copy-over/access the relevant files. Or perhaps you don't have the installation media for the layered software? Maybe then image copy the existing disk to the new one (using a USB connector) - and then try the swap. soundsgood - 2020-12-16 09:01:00 |
| 16 | Thanks for your suggestions, some sound a bit technical for me, might just copy over the data and and programs that I want kerryalan - 2020-12-16 14:58:00 |
| 17 | kerryalan wrote:
As has been stated. MOST programs will not be 'copyable' as such. Programs are installed. They 'reside' in MANY locations within the computer and generally its a rare program which can literally be copied onto another hard drive and just run - normally they need to be reinstalled. Look, just physicallystuff the SSD into the other computer and try it. It'll quite possibly run with little or no issues. nice_lady - 2020-12-16 15:28:00 |
| 18 | Just clone it. The programmes are not built into windows to do this it seems, like the dd command is built into Linux, but there are other programmes. See here: https://www.techdim.com/how-to-clone-hdd-to-ssd-in-windows/ tygertung - 2020-12-16 15:57:00 |
| 19 | tygertung wrote: OP is asking whether you can take an existing SSD from one computer, complete with a windows installation, and use it in another computer... no cloning is required... king1 - 2020-12-16 17:07:00 |
| 20 | I don't think it would work unless it was the same model. I feel like when you do the install, that is it tailored to your specific machines architecture. tygertung - 2020-12-16 17:57:00 |
| 21 | tygertung wrote:
NOT what the OP asked about at all. Not in their plan. Please read the original post. Jeez. And yeah a simple drive swap from one machine into another *might* not work easily or even at all, (boot and run without some or any problems), but it might also. Seen it, been there done that. Worth the try. Easy. Edited by nice_lady at 6:51 pm, Wed 16 Dec nice_lady - 2020-12-16 18:37:00 |
| 22 | I had 2 same spec'd hp530's both running 10 and when I switched hdd's I remember one not liking it but the other one did. One activated and the other one didn't. muppet_slayer - 2020-12-16 19:17:00 |
