moving Windows 7 to new computer

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
N

Nuclearius

Honorable
Apr 2, 2016
120
0
10,680
I just built a new computer and I need to move the windows 7 on the HDD of the old computer to the SSD of the new computer but i don't actually know how to do it, i'm planning to use the old HDD on the new computer so could i just move the HDD to the new computer than move windows to the SSD?

thanks
 
Solution
captaincharisma


the only real way is if you can somehow upgrade to windows 10 from windows 7 and tie that OEM licence to a MS account. this way they will let you move the licence over to a new PC. but you wouldn't be able to go back to windows 7 after this

Sort by date Sort by votes
captaincharisma

captaincharisma

Glorious
Oct 13, 2004
10,963
76
45,290
it depends on what kind of licence came with your version of windows 7. if its an OEM version then you will not be able to activate it on your new computer, if it is a retail version you will not run into this issue. there are option like making a system image or cloning your HDD but odds of you old window install working in a completly new computer are slim to none.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
D

Darthutos

Reputable
Sep 15, 2014
757
2
5,160
does your old computer come with a sticker with the windows 7 activation code somewhere on the computer case?
Or when you bought your computer did they give you a cd/dvd to reinstall your windows 7? the activation code/password should be somewhere on the cd/dvd case.

If not you could get something like acronis true image and boot from the acronis boot cd/usb and clone the hdd and use the .tib file of acronis to try and put the file into your ssd.

In all likelihood your legitimate windows 7 from old computer will need to activate again when you try to boot from the new computer ssd in any case (because windows is tied to mb/cpu combination. You may need to contact microsoft customer service to convince them your copy of windows is legitimate. they may tell you you need to buy a new windows license or windows 10 anyway. good luck.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,326
17,829
184,590
As always...Operation and Licensing. 2 different things.

Operation - You'll likely need to do a full reinstall on the new hardware.
Just moving the drive, or a clone of the drive, is unlikely to actually boot up. You might get lucky, though.

Licensing - If this is an OEM Win 7 license, that is indeed tied to that original motherboard.
If it is OEM, the only recourse it to call MS and plead your case.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
captaincharisma

captaincharisma

Glorious
Oct 13, 2004
10,963
76
45,290


best thing to do is open a run dialog box or command prompt within windows and type the following command

slmgr.vbs /dlv

after a few seconds a dialog box will appear with your window's licence information. in the description it will mention what channel you are on which would mean it would be either OEM, retail, or maybe KMS

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/view-licensing-status-activation-id-windows-slmgr

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,326
17,829
184,590


OEM
Windows 7

That is indeed tied to the original motherboard.

1. You can't download the Win 7 ISO from MS, because they expect you to get that from the manufacturer.
2. And if you could, the activation will fail. The only recourse would be to (after you somehow got it installed on this new system) to call MS and plead you case.
They are under no obligation to allow use of that OEM license on all new hardware.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,326
17,829
184,590


"move it" makes no difference. Upon seeing all new hardware, there will be one of 2 conditions

Either it will not boot, in which case activation does not matter.
Or
It will boot and be unactivated.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
captaincharisma

captaincharisma

Glorious
Oct 13, 2004
10,963
76
45,290


the only real way is if you can somehow upgrade to windows 10 from windows 7 and tie that OEM licence to a MS account. this way they will let you move the licence over to a new PC. but you wouldn't be able to go back to windows 7 after this

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
N

Nuclearius

Honorable
Apr 2, 2016
120
0
10,680


is the activation important?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,326
17,829
184,590


For Windows 7, yes. It will fail to work after 30 days.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
captaincharisma

captaincharisma

Glorious
Oct 13, 2004
10,963
76
45,290


yes, if you are not activated you would not have a genuine version of windows and MS has a 30 day period for you to use it when it is not activated. but after the 30 days you may notice your computer will start restarting on its own or boot only to a windows asking you to activate and won't let you get to the desktop until you do.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom