Moving Win 10 to a new disk

[caff]

Hi,

I'm about to install a new primary C: drive to replace a disk that is starting to fail. The existing disk is still bootable, and has Win 10 Pro license.

On the new disk, I want to do a fresh install of Win 10. I have the product key, and a bootable USB drive ready with the Win 10 installer.

Am I right in saying I need to:

1. De-license the existing Windows install first
2. Install the new disk drive, and remove the faulty one
3. Install Win 10
4. Boot up and license Win 10 with the product key

And are there any possiblities my product key will be rejected? So far as I can see, it's Win 10 Pro from an upgrade of Win 7. But I can't remember if the Win 7 it was upgraded from was OEM or retail. Does that matter?

Thanks all.

 

[caff]

Have you linked the license to a microsoft account?

If that is so, then you don't have to do that (and even then, it's the same hardware) then all you have to so is install windows 10 on the new drive and log into the same account it will auto activate (the same is true if it isn't linked to a microsoft account since you aren't changing the motherboard).

My original install wasn't linked to a MS account - but thanks for the info.

I managed to do this tonight - my advice for others:

1. Check that my Windows 10 is retail edition, and not OEM. Start -> type "cmd" and run as administrator. Then run "slmgr /dli". I should show a message box saying "Retail channel.". https://www.windowscentral.com/how-determine-if-license-oem-retail-volume-windows-10
2. If retail then you are good to go - download and run Produkey - make a careful note of the key shown: https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html. If not retail, you will have to buy Windows 10.
3. Create a Windows bootable media - plug in a USB disk and download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
4. To uninstall your product key from the old drive - back in the cmd prompt window, type "slmgr /upk". This should show "Uninstalled product key successfully". If not, keep trying the same command until this message shows.
5. Turn off the PC and disconnect power.
6. Install the new hard drive.
7. In the BIOS, make sure you boot to the USB stick containing the Windows installer created in step 3.
8. Set the install location to your new drive.
9. Enter the product key as shown in step 2.
10. Voila! Windows installed and licensed.