Migrating to replacement PC with better specs

PGHammer · Dec 3, 2023

My first issue is migrating an existing Windows 10 install (unsupported hardware) to a much improved system with better hardware, though still unsupported. (Old system was powered by a PentiumG - the new system is a Dell Core i7 with an SSD boot drive; I still have the 4 TB SATA boot drive from the old system and want to migrate it.) Because of the difference in boot drives, I would prefer to keep the old SATA drive as a storage drive, since it is far larger than the SSD - which is 1 TB.

iko22 · Dec 3, 2023

First, make sure your digital license supports hardware change. If your license is Retail, then you can use it to migrate your computer to a new computer. If your license is OEM, then the license dies when the motherboard dies or CPU is changed.

If you have a Retail license, you can associate it with your Microsoft Account, and use that as part of the re-installation/hardware change.

Here are some Forum tutorials that might help:

Link Microsoft Account to Windows 11 Digital License Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to link your Microsoft account to your Windows 11 digital license. Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. When installing Windows 11, the digital license...

www.elevenforum.com

Determine if Windows License Type is OEM, Retail, or Volume Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to determine if your Windows is activated with a Retail, OEM, or Volume channel license type. When it comes to purchasing licenses for Windows there are a number of different channels that you can purchase through. The most common license types for product keys...

www.elevenforum.com

Berton · Dec 4, 2023

PGHammer said:
I still have the 4 TB SATA boot drive from the old system and want to migrate it.) Because of the difference in boot drives, I would prefer to keep the old SATA drive as a storage drive, since it is far larger than the SSD - which is 1 TB.

I got a new Dell Vostro 5890 in April '22, came with a 512GB NVMe SSD drive, I added a 2TB HDD for data storage, no issue. I did wipe the HDD first so there was no conflict with booting and added it after Win11 was running and fully updated.

spapakons · Dec 4, 2023

Assuming you don't have any issue activating Windows, yes, you can simply remove the drive from the old computer, put it to the new and use your existing system with better hardware. I have done it since Windows 7. Even if you have trouble activating, you can call Microsoft, explain that your old computer died and you want to salvage the disk, not reinstall Windows. They might help you activate by phone. In Greece we go through and automated activation process where we type the numbers appearing on screen and are given the unlock key. If our key can still be activated, that is. Otherwise we hear that this key is no longer valid and need to speak with a representative. Even then if we kindly explain that our old computer died and it was a business computer we cannot format and reinstall, they usually help as activate. Of course the digital license of the previous computer is cancelled but since we want to upgrade anyway we don't care.