Install Windows on friends drive then change PC

[MatteRB26]

I'm building a PC for a friend and already snagged a nice NVMe deal. I'm considering putting it into my PC so I can install Windows and some of the software (Photoshop etc.) While I wait it out for more part deals.

If I do it this way am I likely to face issues when I later pop the drive into their new build? I'm currently running Ryzen 3600 and 'll be buying Ryzen for their PC so there's no Intel/AMD mix-ups, but I may get them a 3700X/5600X if the price is right if that would make a difference? I don't want to go through the faff of sorting Windows if I'm likely to have problems when I move the drive over... I know W10 can be fussy if there's too many hardware changes

 

[MatteRB26]

Windows 10 will deactivate if you change your motherboard and if you key is one of those OEM ones.

best is to install windows and do not activate until your hardware is finalised. Then you will be fine.

However if you got a retail key, it doesn’t matter how many times you change your hardware. It will keep on being activated.

I'll probably get a retail key, but if not activating should work then I may do that. I've got a while to wait for deals so it'd be nice to have some of the setup done ready for when I can order a mobo, CPU an some ram.

 

[MatteRB26]

hmmm, i just tried this and it didn't work. i got into a discussion w/ thedoc46 in his bad luck thread, he swaps OS drives around no prob and thought i'd try. don't know if i fudged a step or whatever but when i powered up although i got the OS back and my Docs/Desktop etc etc, it just would not play w/ the mobo, as i posted here. Gigabyte tech support told me it doesn't work if the chipset has changed, i dunno - ended up just doing a new install. if you're actually just building new and installing, rather than having a ****-ton of installed stuff you want to keep, i honestly don't know why you'd want to mess about doing it on someone else's machine and swap drives about. just create yourself a bootable USB and hoy it into your own machine, you'll be done in no time w/out any of the potential ballache.

Yeah I'll just wait for it all to arrive. What I was originally planning was to stick their SSD (arriving today) into my PC and install windows etc ready. then pop the SSD into the new build once I've ordered everything, but I'm feeling like the risk factor jsut isn't worth it for the sake of 10 minutes to an hour later on...