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paul151

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#303003 9-Jan-2023 20:07
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We're running a retail copy of Windows 10 Home that has been activated by a key we entered in that came with the install software when the machine was setup. It's a home built system

 

We now want to move the SSD containing Windows and it's installed software etc. to a new PC containing all new hardware but no SSD.

 

Based on some reading I've done it seems I must deactivate the Windows license on the SSD before I remove it from the old PC and pop it into the new PC?

 

Once the new PC is started up I need to re-enter the key we used to activate it again.

 

Is this correct or can I just move the SSD from one box to another and after some time Windows should sort itself out?

 

If I do need to do the steps to deactivate and reactivate that I think I need to do, is this advise OK to follow

 

https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/transfer-windows-license-to-new-pc

 

or

 

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-transfer-windows-10-license-new-computer-or-hard-drive

 

The first link worries me as there's a screenshot towards the end of the instructions that makes it looks like you can't reuse the same key.

 

Thanks!





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paul151

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  #3019303 9-Jan-2023 20:15
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Correction, checking the computer I can see in the activation screen it says "windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account"  Hmm... but I do have the old key we used too.

 

I'm currently running a backup of the SDD using the older Windows 7 create a full system image backup, before I do anything.





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timmmay
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  #3019309 9-Jan-2023 20:46
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I installed W10 on a completely new computer, not even the same drive, logged in with my Microsoft account, and W10 worked fine. The old computer now runs Ubuntu. Just give it a shot and see what happens.


Rickles
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  #3019870 11-Jan-2023 10:05
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I always advise people to open a Microsoft account when getting new computer or re-installing O/S ... that way all the Product Codes and Activation authorisations are recorded by Microsoft. 

 

As timmmay says, it works fine when swapping machines.  I recently cloned a drive from an ailing laptop (spinning to SSD), then popped the SSD into a different laptop, and away it went no problems.  I've also reinstalled Win 10 using an ISO disk, logged into my MS account and again the machine accepted everything.




richms
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  #3019872 11-Jan-2023 10:09
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I have windows 10 on so many computers that have just activated as soon as I log in with my windows account. I have had many many old ones that upgraded to 10 from 7 when that was a thing, so I am assuming that it is using the licenses from those or something. It activates, I dont need to do anything. Never even put a key into the last 2 installs I did even tho I have kept the side panels of the old cases with the keys on them just in case.

 

All say that digital license thing in the check if windows is activated thing.





Richard rich.ms

paul151

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  #3019953 11-Jan-2023 11:20
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Thanks all, I'll work to just drop the drive into the new hardware and see what happens, will report back when done.

 

Appreciate the replies guys.

 

 





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paul151

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  #3020795 13-Jan-2023 11:33
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Just to close the loop on this, yes the swap over of the Windows 10 Home SSD from one PC to another worked OK.

 

But to get the hardware to boot required a change in the motherboard settings to allow legacy boot of the SSD else the new PC could not see it as a bootable drive.

 

Thanks again for the feedback / support for my initial question.

 

 





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