Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


paul151

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#303003 9-Jan-2023 20:07
Send private message

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!





Quic "Sprinter" UFB - Ref (free setup): R338237EFDIUJ

 

Agency BBS | fsxNet | Agency News | Total FM


Filter this topic showing only the reply marked as answer Create new topic
paul151

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

  #3019303 9-Jan-2023 20:15
Send private message

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.





Quic "Sprinter" UFB - Ref (free setup): R338237EFDIUJ

 

Agency BBS | fsxNet | Agency News | Total FM




timmmay
20575 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3019309 9-Jan-2023 20:46
Send private message

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
2933 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #3019870 11-Jan-2023 10:05
Send private message

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
28168 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3019872 11-Jan-2023 10:09
Send private message

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

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

  #3019953 11-Jan-2023 11:20
Send private message

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.

 

 





Quic "Sprinter" UFB - Ref (free setup): R338237EFDIUJ

 

Agency BBS | fsxNet | Agency News | Total FM


paul151

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

  #3020795 13-Jan-2023 11:33
Send private message

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.

 

 





Quic "Sprinter" UFB - Ref (free setup): R338237EFDIUJ

 

Agency BBS | fsxNet | Agency News | Total FM


Filter this topic showing only the reply marked as answer Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15









Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.