Migrate, Transfer, Wipe

existentialJimmy · 30 Oct 2018 at 20:42

I currently have an intel build with windows 10 on. Im just about to start building an AMD build and im just trying to figure out how to do the following things:

1) If i take the SSD with windows 10 is installed on and simply put it in my new amd build, will it just work? if not, how do i migrate it? FYI I dont particularly have anything on the ssd that i would be too sad about losing but it would be convenient if everything moved over as is.

2) Once as i get the ssd with windows 10 all up and running on my new pc, is there an effective way of moving everything including windows 10 from the SSD onto my new m.2 ssd?

3) Once as everything is on my new m.2 ssd, whats the best/easiest way to just completely wipe my old SSD ready for resale?

My current pc is a prebuilt that i bought from a retailer so it is an OEM windows 10 copy, does this mean that all of the above is impossible and i need to rebuy windows 10?

Thanks for any help in advance <3

Nikumba · 6 Nov 2018 at 10:22

Id install fresh on your m2, and use the Windows easy transfer program, you might need to go google for it

Glanza · 6 Nov 2018 at 10:45

Fresh install on Windows 10 on your m.2 install software, games etc then plug your ssd back in and copy files over. Depending what make of SSD you've got manufactures offer a wipe tool i.e Samsung.

h4rm0ny · 6 Nov 2018 at 22:14

Wasn't Easy Transfer for old XP to Vista machines? Or is someone else using the same name for a Windows 10 utility?

Regarding copying over, I'd be a little careful as with entirely new hardware, Windows wont recognize itself as on the same machine and will require activating again. With non-OEM that's pretty straightforward so long as you still have the discs. With OEM I can't promise you might not need to re-buy Windows. However, copy down the product key carefully and keep it to hand. If you call up Microsoft with it and say you changed some hardware they'll probably re-activate it for you. Not guaranteed, though. There's a reason OEM packs are cheaper, They're designed for resellers, not end customers.

You'd probably want to do a fresh reinstall either way, though. Windows sets things up slightly differently at the low level depending on hardware. It will work but may not be optimal. Fresh reinstall solves that.