Swap SSD between PCs


OS cannot know that this hardware is counted as activated on MS server, if we don't have an Internet connection to that server.
Correct. In that case Settings will state that activation cannot be determined because it cannot reach the server. After installing Windows, or swapping in another drive with Windows on it, you have to go online at least once to activate, after that you can stay offline for as long as you want.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Lattitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
If both computers are activated, it should work. I have found Win 10 and 11 very forgiving when swapping drives. just to be safe make backups before you try anything.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Canary Channel
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PowerSpec B746
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10700K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ax
    Memory
    16GB (8GB PC4-19200 DDR4 SDRAM x2)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 TI
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SAM0A87 Samsung SAM0D32
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    NVMe WDC WDS100T2B0C-00PXH0 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB
    PSU
    750 Watts (62.5A)
    Case
    PowerSpec/Lian Li ATX 205
    Keyboard
    Logitech K270
    Mouse
    Logitech M185
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge and Firefox
    Antivirus
    ESET Internet Security
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Canary Channel
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PowerSpec G156
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-8400 CPU @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    AsusTeK Prime B360M-S
    Memory
    16 MB DDR 4-2666
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Speptre HDMI 75Hz
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVO 500GB NVMe
    Mouse
    Logitek M185
    Keyboard
    Logitek K270
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge and Edge Canary
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
If the source disk was mbr and you want the target disk to be gpt:

I would partition the target disk using diskgenius in boot media.

Then apply the windows partition from either backup image ( Diskgenius can apply the partition from a windows image vhd(x) without fiddling around with wbadmin commands.)

Then use bcdboot
I would fix the osletter as well as it is only 3 seconds to do, might not be necessary with win10 but it doesnt do any harm.

Should only take a few minutes in total, depending how much is on the windows partition.

I have done it that way without any issues.

I have confused this with another thread.



🤣
 
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My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    pentium g5400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    1x8gb 2400
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
If it works this way, then:
a) activation cannot be determined at all without Internet connection
b) if activation is not saved locally, it is determined only for current session

P.S. Just tested this: disconnected LAN cable, cold reboot. Both my systems on this PC (Windows 8.1 and 11) are activated without any Internet connection.

Activation is determined just once, then remains in place until such time as Windows detects a significant change. Swapping a drive into another machine is certainly a significant change. Disconnecting you LAN cable isn't significant, you activation will stay in place.

For activation purposes there is no difference between a physical machine and a virtual machine. Each one has its own unique hardware ID, and each one requires its own digital licence on the MS servers in order to activate. So it is quite easy to test moving a drive between machines by taking a real installed W11 (a Macrium system image of my System One) and using viBoot to attach it to a Hyper-V VM. this is exactly the same as physically putting its hard drive into another PC. Without a connection it cannot activate.

Activation - not connected.jpg

Of course, being a completely new machine this VM has no digital licence yet. As soon as I connect it to the internet Windows tells me so. But if I had put this drive in a machine that had an existing digital licence, then it would have activated as soon as it could contact the activation servers.

Activation - no digital licence.jpg
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Lattitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
Thanks for all your replies.
I will probably be doing it in a couple of weeks when I have some time.
The two laptops are Lenovo B50-80, i5, 8GB RAM.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Build
    CPU
    AMS Ryzen 5 1600 - 6 Core
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 1030GT
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama24
The two laptops are Lenovo B50-80, i5, 8GB RAM.
I find Lenovo to be one of the better manufacturers as far as their support goes. Their 'Hardware Maintenance Manual - Lenovo B50-xx' can be downloaded here:


It appears that this model dates back to 2015 and that the only type of SSD it can use would be a 2.5" SATA drive, so it will be a straight forward swap.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Lattitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
It appears that this model dates back to 2015 and that the only type of SSD it can use would be a 2.5" SATA drive, so it will be a straight forward swap.
Correct, my only thought is whether to upgrade the 'other' laptop to Windows 11 before making the swap.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Build
    CPU
    AMS Ryzen 5 1600 - 6 Core
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 1030GT
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama24
The W11 security might make swapping drives difficult. My thread in "Backup & restore" back in Oct 1st was concerned with refitting an M2 drive into my W11 pc which was not as straightforward as expected.

I noticed that the op's laptops use Ryzen 5 1600 cpu's. This might also be a problem as they are not on Microsoft's list of approved W11 hardware.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    W11 pro beta
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    home built
    CPU
    Athlon 3000G
    Motherboard
    Asrock A320M-HDV r4.0
    Memory
    16Gb Crucial DDR4 2400
    Graphics Card(s)
    onboard cpu
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560-1440
    Hard Drives
    WD black SN750 M2 500Gb
    PSU
    500W Seasonic core 80+gold non modular
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R2
    Cooling
    front 2 x 120mm rear 100mm stock psu
    Internet Speed
    135/20
    Browser
    Firefox and edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security and free Malwarebytes
  • Operating System
    W11 pro 64 beta (from W10 pro system builder pack)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5700G
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 tomahawk max II
    Memory
    4 x 8Gb Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000 DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    onboard cpu
    Sound Card
    motherboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 21.5" IPS
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1Tb Black M2 SN850X on Asus hyper M2 X16 max V2 card
    PSU
    Be Quiet 400 semi modular 80+gold
    Case
    Coolermaster Silencio 650
    Cooling
    140mm front, 120 rear Akasa Vegas Chroma AM
    Internet Speed
    135/20
    Browser
    edge/Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD plus Malwarebytes free
I'm not questioning that it will activate. I was just saying that you'd have to reactivate it with all the hardware changes.
I'm not questioning that it will activate. I was just saying that you'd have to reactivate it with all the hardware changes.

I'm not questioning that it will activate. I was just saying that you'd have to reactivate it with all the hardware changes.
Yes I believe that is normal with any version of windows and any computer.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    win 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebrew
    CPU
    Core i5 10400
    Motherboard
    ASUS B560-Plus
    Memory
    8 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Heatsink cooled ASUS
    Sound Card
    None. Business computer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS
    Screen Resolution
    1920
    Hard Drives
    1TB WD NVME SSD
    PSU
    Cooler Master 600 watt
    Case
    Cooler Master
    Cooling
    fans
    Keyboard
    ergonomic
    Mouse
    Microsoft
    Internet Speed
    Very slow - satellite internet, nothing else available.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    PC Matic
    Other Info
    5 other computers on our network including Win 11, 10 and Linux.
  • Operating System
    Win 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3
    CPU
    core i5
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    integral
I don't know if this would happen but I can imagine a scenario where the normal activation methods don't work and you try the phone activation and the rep says he sees Windows 11 and you're not compliant so sorry Charlie.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6600XT with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Realtek integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Nitro 24" RG241Y 144hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB NVMe SSD
    Samsung 860 QVO 1 TB SATA SSD
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD
    PSU
    LEPA B650 650 watt
    Case
    Enermax Coenus
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper T4 air
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator
    Mouse
    E-Blue Cobra Jr.
    Internet Speed
    100mbs
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Optical Drives: LG DVD-RW and Pioneer BluRay/ DVD burner
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
    Motherboard
    Asus board (GA402RK)
    Memory
    16 GB Samsung DDR5-4800
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Radeon 680M and discrete Radeon RX 6800S with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek with Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen 14" WQXGA, IPS, 120hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (WD Black SN850)
    PSU
    Battery power and Asus power brick/adapter. Also has USB-C charging
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop fans in vapor chamber
    Mouse
    Touchpad and Omoton bluetooth mouse
    Keyboard
    Built in RGB backlit
    Internet Speed
    100mbps
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
I don't know if this would happen but I can imagine a scenario where the normal activation methods don't work and you try the phone activation and the rep says he sees Windows 11 and you're not compliant so sorry Charlie.
Anything is possible but it isn't in Microsoft's best interests to upset its customers. They have nothing to gain by doing that.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    win 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebrew
    CPU
    Core i5 10400
    Motherboard
    ASUS B560-Plus
    Memory
    8 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Heatsink cooled ASUS
    Sound Card
    None. Business computer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS
    Screen Resolution
    1920
    Hard Drives
    1TB WD NVME SSD
    PSU
    Cooler Master 600 watt
    Case
    Cooler Master
    Cooling
    fans
    Keyboard
    ergonomic
    Mouse
    Microsoft
    Internet Speed
    Very slow - satellite internet, nothing else available.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    PC Matic
    Other Info
    5 other computers on our network including Win 11, 10 and Linux.
  • Operating System
    Win 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3
    CPU
    core i5
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    integral
With regards to Microsoft Accounts and activations....

I think a lot of this is "what if" to the nth degree. I think some rather turn things into rocket science rather than keep things simple.

I've swapped OS drives between systems; replaced MB and CPU on system running Windows 10 (haven't done an 11 build yet), and, done numerous builds without a clean install. In all those scenarios Windows activated without ever needing to call Microsoft.

Why? Because of the power of the Microsoft Account with your digital license tied to it. It simply works. Heck, you don't even need to input a license key (unless it's a first, or you're moving to a new OS - Home to Pro); simply log into Windows with your Microsoft account after the install is done, and Windows will activate. Simple. I did a clean install of 11 on my current machine (system specs one), doing the above and 11 activated without issue.

Yes, there's always a what if or exception to the rule, but here consistency works far more without needing Microsoft's help than with. There's always going to be some internet horror story about this or that, but until "you" try and have the issue, it's just a story.

My two cents.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (Build 22631.3296)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    Intel i9-9900K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Aorus Z390 Xtreme
    Memory
    32G (4x8) DDR4 Corsair RGB Dominator Platinum (3600Mhz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon VII
    Sound Card
    Onboard (ESS Sabre HiFi using Realtek drivers)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC PA242w (24 inch)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    5 Samsung SSD drives: 2X 970 NVME (512 & 1TB), 3X EVO SATA (2X 2TB, 1X 1TB)
    PSU
    EVGA Super Nova I000 G2 (1000 watt)
    Case
    Cooler Master H500M
    Cooling
    Corsair H115i RGB Platinum
    Keyboard
    Logitech Craft
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    500mb Download. 11mb Upload
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
    Other Info
    System used for gaming, photography, music, school.
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 22H2 (build 19045.2130)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-7700K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-Z270X-GAMING 8
    Memory
    32G (4x8) DDR4 Corsair Dominator Platinum (3333Mhz)
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 Fury
    Sound Card
    Onboard (Creative Sound Blaster certified ZxRi)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U2415 (24 inch)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    3 Samsung SSD drives: 1x 512gig 950 NVMe drive (OS drive), 1 x 512gig 850 Pro, 1x 256gig 840 Pro.
    PSU
    EVGA Super Nova 1000 P2 (1000 watt)
    Case
    Phantek Enthoo Luxe
    Cooling
    Corsair H100i
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master
    Keyboard
    Logitech MK 710
    Internet Speed
    100MB
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
    Other Info
    This is my backup system.
With regards to Microsoft Accounts and activations....

I think a lot of this is "what if" to the nth degree. I think some rather turn things into rocket science rather than keep things simple.

I've swapped OS drives between systems; replaced MB and CPU on system running Windows 10 (haven't done an 11 build yet), and, done numerous builds without a clean install. In all those scenarios Windows activated without ever needing to call Microsoft.

Why? Because of the power of the Microsoft Account with your digital license tied to it. It simply works. Heck, you don't even need to input a license key (unless it's a first, or you're moving to a new OS - Home to Pro); simply log into Windows with your Microsoft account after the install is done, and Windows will activate. Simple. I did a clean install of 11 on my current machine (system specs one), doing the above and 11 activated without issue.

Yes, there's always a what if or exception to the rule, but here consistency works far more without needing Microsoft's help than with. There's always going to be some internet horror story about this or that, but until "you" try and have the issue, it's just a story.

My two cents.
Yes but like you said, there can be exceptions. I always use the Microsoft account and have the digital license. I changed out the mobo, CPU, and RAM of my machine and as expected, it did not automatically activate Windows 10. I used the changed hardware option and it worked instantly. Then, I had to send the mobo back for a new one because it had a bad chipset that prevented USB 2.0 ports from working. After installing the second mobo, Windows was once again not activated. This time the changed hardware option wouldn't work because it said I had already done it. I called Microsoft and got a rep who suggested doing all the things I had already tried and of course they didn't work. Then he suggested inputting the 8.1 product key the computer originally came with. I didn't think that would work because the innards were now different, but it actually did the trick.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6600XT with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Realtek integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Nitro 24" RG241Y 144hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB NVMe SSD
    Samsung 860 QVO 1 TB SATA SSD
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD
    PSU
    LEPA B650 650 watt
    Case
    Enermax Coenus
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper T4 air
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator
    Mouse
    E-Blue Cobra Jr.
    Internet Speed
    100mbs
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Optical Drives: LG DVD-RW and Pioneer BluRay/ DVD burner
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
    Motherboard
    Asus board (GA402RK)
    Memory
    16 GB Samsung DDR5-4800
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Radeon 680M and discrete Radeon RX 6800S with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek with Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen 14" WQXGA, IPS, 120hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (WD Black SN850)
    PSU
    Battery power and Asus power brick/adapter. Also has USB-C charging
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop fans in vapor chamber
    Mouse
    Touchpad and Omoton bluetooth mouse
    Keyboard
    Built in RGB backlit
    Internet Speed
    100mbps
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
Yes but like you said, there can be exceptions.
As I said, there are exceptions... but just because "you" (generic) had an issue, doesn't mean the vast majority will. So, my "other side of the coin" is things also work as should. That the failures are more anomaly than rule. This isn't to say things don't go awry, it's to say things go more right than wrong most of the time.

I think we spend too much time worrying about what if's and maybe's than actually getting on with it and finding it actually works.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (Build 22631.3296)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    Intel i9-9900K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Aorus Z390 Xtreme
    Memory
    32G (4x8) DDR4 Corsair RGB Dominator Platinum (3600Mhz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon VII
    Sound Card
    Onboard (ESS Sabre HiFi using Realtek drivers)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC PA242w (24 inch)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    5 Samsung SSD drives: 2X 970 NVME (512 & 1TB), 3X EVO SATA (2X 2TB, 1X 1TB)
    PSU
    EVGA Super Nova I000 G2 (1000 watt)
    Case
    Cooler Master H500M
    Cooling
    Corsair H115i RGB Platinum
    Keyboard
    Logitech Craft
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    500mb Download. 11mb Upload
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
    Other Info
    System used for gaming, photography, music, school.
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 22H2 (build 19045.2130)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-7700K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-Z270X-GAMING 8
    Memory
    32G (4x8) DDR4 Corsair Dominator Platinum (3333Mhz)
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 Fury
    Sound Card
    Onboard (Creative Sound Blaster certified ZxRi)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U2415 (24 inch)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    3 Samsung SSD drives: 1x 512gig 950 NVMe drive (OS drive), 1 x 512gig 850 Pro, 1x 256gig 840 Pro.
    PSU
    EVGA Super Nova 1000 P2 (1000 watt)
    Case
    Phantek Enthoo Luxe
    Cooling
    Corsair H100i
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master
    Keyboard
    Logitech MK 710
    Internet Speed
    100MB
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
    Other Info
    This is my backup system.
OK guys it went like a dream, swapped drives and booted no problems.

Following a manipulation it actived fine.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Build
    CPU
    AMS Ryzen 5 1600 - 6 Core
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 1030GT
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama24
The PC on Win 11 is needing some work on it to repair the screen and some of the body. So I want to use the other machine in the meantime.

So maybe best to do the upgrade first, let Windows 11 avtivate, then swop the SSD?

PS - I am male :ROFLMAO:
I was waiting for that! :scream: It never pays to make gender assumptions. And yep, I really am female.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy TE01-1xxx
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
    Motherboard
    16.0GB Dual-Channel Unknown @ 1463MHz (21-21-21-47)
    Memory
    16384 MBytes
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Monitor 1 - Acer 27" Monitor 2 - Acer 27"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G-1006 (SSD)
    Seagate ST1000DM003-1SB102
    Seagate BUP Slim SCSI Disk Device (SSD)
    PSU
    HP
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    Standard
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    500 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's all Folks!
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 10700
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Built-in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 27" & Samsung 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x
    Hard Drives
    SSD (512 GB)
    HDD (1 TB)
    Seagate
    PSU
    Intel i7 10th Generation
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    HP/Intel?
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Internet Speed
    50 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox 90.2
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Headphone/Microphone Combo
    SuperSpeed USB Type-A (4 on front)
    HP 3-in-One Card Readr
    SuperSpeed USB Type-C
    DVD Writer
As I said, there are exceptions... but just because "you" (generic) had an issue, doesn't mean the vast majority will. So, my "other side of the coin" is things also work as should. That the failures are more anomaly than rule. This isn't to say things don't go awry, it's to say things go more right than wrong most of the time.

I think we spend too much time worrying about what if's and maybe's than actually getting on with it and finding it actually works.
Absolutely agree Drew (y)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Skylake Special X299
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 9900X
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix X299-E Gaming II
    Memory
    GSkill Trident Z RGB 32GB 3600 16-16-16-36 (F4-3600C16Q-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 3080 12GB FTW3 Ultra Gaming (12G-P5-4877-KL)
    Sound Card
    Supreme FX
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus PG279Q
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440 165Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 500GB x2, Seagate Barracuda 4TB x2, Western Digital Black 4TB x1
    PSU
    EVGA 1200 P2, EVGA Black Custom Braided Cables
    Case
    Thermaltake View 31 Tempered Glass Limited Edition
    Cooling
    Corsair H115i, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
    Keyboard
    Logitech G910 Orion Spark
    Mouse
    Logitech G700s, Asus ROG GX860 Buzzard
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway 75/75
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 4.5.2
    Other Info
    Thermaltake Riing Duo 14 x3, Thermaltake Riing Plus 14 x2, Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Headset
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Skylake Special Z170
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 6700K
    Motherboard
    Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1
    Memory
    GSkill Trident Z RGB 16GB 3600 16-16-16-36 (F4-3600C16D-16GTZR)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GTX 980 Ti SC x2, EVGA Pro SLI Bridge
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC G2460PG
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 144Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 870 Evo 500GB, Seagate Barracuda 4TB x2
    PSU
    EVGA 1000 P2, EVGA White Custom Braided Cables
    Case
    Corsair Vengeance C70 Gunmetal Black
    Cooling
    Corsair H100i v2, Corsair ML120 x2, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
    Mouse
    Logitech G500s
    Keyboard
    Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway 75/75
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 4.5.2
    Other Info
    Corsair SP120 x4, LG Blu-ray Drive, Durabrand HT-395 100 Watt Dolby Digital Amp
OK guys it went like a dream, swapped drives and booted no problems.

Following a manipulation it actived fine.


Were these OEM or Retail?

Did it boot to Windows and then require running the activation troubleshooter?
Or was that also not required?

Many years ago I'd tried moving HDs from one computer to another and it had failed to boot.
Both computers were identical hardware.
Both had OEM.
These computers were each in RAID 0.
One computer had failed to boot and it was not possible to turn off Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST).

So there are cases in which moving drives from one computer to another may fail to boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4800MQ CPU @ 2.70GHz
    Motherboard
    Product : 190A Version : KBC Version 94.56
    Memory
    16 GB Total: Manufacturer : Samsung MemoryType : DDR3 FormFactor : SODIMM Capacity : 8GB Speed : 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro K3100M; Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition Audio CODEC; PNP Device ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76E0
    Hard Drives
    Model Hitachi HTS727575A9E364
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Mobile Workstation
The issue may have been compounded because you were using Raid, even though both PC`s were identical.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Skylake Special X299
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 9900X
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix X299-E Gaming II
    Memory
    GSkill Trident Z RGB 32GB 3600 16-16-16-36 (F4-3600C16Q-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 3080 12GB FTW3 Ultra Gaming (12G-P5-4877-KL)
    Sound Card
    Supreme FX
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus PG279Q
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440 165Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 500GB x2, Seagate Barracuda 4TB x2, Western Digital Black 4TB x1
    PSU
    EVGA 1200 P2, EVGA Black Custom Braided Cables
    Case
    Thermaltake View 31 Tempered Glass Limited Edition
    Cooling
    Corsair H115i, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
    Keyboard
    Logitech G910 Orion Spark
    Mouse
    Logitech G700s, Asus ROG GX860 Buzzard
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway 75/75
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 4.5.2
    Other Info
    Thermaltake Riing Duo 14 x3, Thermaltake Riing Plus 14 x2, Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Headset
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Skylake Special Z170
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 6700K
    Motherboard
    Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1
    Memory
    GSkill Trident Z RGB 16GB 3600 16-16-16-36 (F4-3600C16D-16GTZR)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GTX 980 Ti SC x2, EVGA Pro SLI Bridge
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC G2460PG
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 144Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 870 Evo 500GB, Seagate Barracuda 4TB x2
    PSU
    EVGA 1000 P2, EVGA White Custom Braided Cables
    Case
    Corsair Vengeance C70 Gunmetal Black
    Cooling
    Corsair H100i v2, Corsair ML120 x2, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
    Mouse
    Logitech G500s
    Keyboard
    Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway 75/75
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 4.5.2
    Other Info
    Corsair SP120 x4, LG Blu-ray Drive, Durabrand HT-395 100 Watt Dolby Digital Amp
The issue may have been compounded because you were using Raid, even though both PC`s were identical.
That's an excellent point (and one I missed) (y)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (Build 22631.3296)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    Intel i9-9900K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Aorus Z390 Xtreme
    Memory
    32G (4x8) DDR4 Corsair RGB Dominator Platinum (3600Mhz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon VII
    Sound Card
    Onboard (ESS Sabre HiFi using Realtek drivers)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    NEC PA242w (24 inch)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    5 Samsung SSD drives: 2X 970 NVME (512 & 1TB), 3X EVO SATA (2X 2TB, 1X 1TB)
    PSU
    EVGA Super Nova I000 G2 (1000 watt)
    Case
    Cooler Master H500M
    Cooling
    Corsair H115i RGB Platinum
    Keyboard
    Logitech Craft
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    500mb Download. 11mb Upload
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
    Other Info
    System used for gaming, photography, music, school.
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 22H2 (build 19045.2130)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-7700K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-Z270X-GAMING 8
    Memory
    32G (4x8) DDR4 Corsair Dominator Platinum (3333Mhz)
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon R9 Fury
    Sound Card
    Onboard (Creative Sound Blaster certified ZxRi)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U2415 (24 inch)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    3 Samsung SSD drives: 1x 512gig 950 NVMe drive (OS drive), 1 x 512gig 850 Pro, 1x 256gig 840 Pro.
    PSU
    EVGA Super Nova 1000 P2 (1000 watt)
    Case
    Phantek Enthoo Luxe
    Cooling
    Corsair H100i
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master
    Keyboard
    Logitech MK 710
    Internet Speed
    100MB
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
    Other Info
    This is my backup system.

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