Using old SSD in new PC Build

Codyrogmack · Aug 30, 2017

Hey Everyone,

I would like to know how I would go about using my "old" SSD in my new build.

I plan on wiping the 2 TB SSD (if that's necessary?) and using my Retail Windows 10 USB Flash Drive.

Now what I would like to know is, would I run into any complications? (Since I will be using a new Motherboard & CPU)
I have already backed up my pictures and videos etc.

If anyone could help me out that would be awesome, or at least point me to a video/forum because I can't find anything on this issue.

Thank you!

VJ_Gamer · Aug 31, 2017

You can connect old SSD to your new motherboard. You need to install a fresh windows though in order for your windows to work on the new system with facing any issues. You don't even need to format the whole drive. Just reinstall the windows on the old SSD once you have connected it to the new motherboard. You are good then.

So
1. Connect your old SSD to your new motherboard.
2. Install a fresh windows on the old SSD using a bootable USB or CD.
3. Activate windows and install the required drivers for your motherboard.

Good Luck.

Peace.

Codyrogmack · Aug 31, 2017

VJ_Gamer :

Thanks for the reply!

Cool, was just worried that I would have to buy another Windows 10.

Is it smart to just wipe the SSD anyways? Just in case my old mother board drivers conflict with the new one?

ArtPog · Aug 31, 2017

1. The 2 TB SSD that you will be using with your new system presumably contains the Win 10 OS, right? Can we also assume it functioned properly in your previous non-OEM PC in that it booted without incident and functioned problem-free?

2. What I'm trying to get at is, aside from the fact that your new system will be containing a "better" processor and a newer motherboard, would you be comfortable in simply transferring the SSD to the new system as the new boot drive with ALL its present data contents intact?

3. If you can answer "yes" to the above I would see no reason why you would not consider doing just that. While there is no guarantee that the new system will boot with the current SSD installed there's a good chance that it will. Presumably you would need to install whatever drivers are necessary that would be supplied by the motherboard's driver installation CD/DVD. (And you might be pleasantly surprised at Windows (Microsoft's) ability to directly install many of the drivers without user intervention.)

4. Assuming the new system boots & functions problem-free with the current 2 TB SSD installed as the boot drive this would provide you with ALL the programs, apps, audio-visual files, etc. - i.e., all the data currently on the SSD without the onerous chore of reinstalling such.

5. So it's something for you to consider. On the other hand there's certainly nothing wrong in fresh-installing the OS if you're more comfortable with doing that. But you might want to give the transfer operation a "go" since there's really nothing to lose other than a relatively small amount of your time should the transfer fail. And you've already backed up your desired data - a very wise thing to do.

Codyrogmack · Aug 31, 2017

ArtPog :

Thanks for your reply, helps out a lot!

To answer your questions regarding my situation: Yes, to all of them.
My SSD is only 2 months old, I had a serious problem with my HDD and was scared it would break on me, so I ran out and got a 2 TB SSD for a really good price. I was already planning on building a new PC so I thought I could just swap it to the new PC.

My only main issue at this point is I guess, if I didn't wipe my SSD, would it still contain the old motherboard drivers? and would that conflict with the new motherboard?

Thank you, your answer helped me out a lot.

The Original Ralph · Aug 31, 2017

wipe it - there's another reason to wipe the SSD (and i wipe it 3X)

i clone my OS drive to a backup SSD. On one occasion i got hit by a malware that took over my computer so i cloned the backup back to the OS drive. Malware was still there - couldn't figure it so i called a friend that's a retired microsoft engineer - he indicated some of the cloning programs, when copying from one drive to a target drive, will read that target drive and find the same file it's getting ready to install already there (ie same name and date), then it'll skip that file. And obviously the malware was tucked into one of those files. He suggested always wiping 3X before

Obviously you're not concerned about malware, but drivers etc should be specific to your new board - so why take a chance not wiping

ArtPog · Aug 31, 2017

Codyrogmack :

I'm assuming from your current post that you are considering transferring your current 2 TB boot drive to your new build.

As a general proposition there's no need to uninstall the current drivers on that drive prior to the transfer operation since it will not generally adversely affect a viable boot to the new system. Note I stated "as a general proposition". It CAN happen that the currently installed drivers WILL prevent a viable boot to the new system.

Our usual procedure in these transferring operations is to attempt a straightaway boot with the transferred drive as is. If all goes well and the boot is successful and you can work with the new boot drive without any problems - fine. After installing whatever drivers are necessary from the motherboard's driver installation CD/DVD, then you can delete the old drivers listed in Device Manager.

Our preference is not to uninstall current drivers from the intended boot drive prior to the transfer operation. You might want to do that should the initial boot fail since you would plan to fresh-install the OS onto the drive in the event the transfer operation fails. So there's not much to lose.

In any event, if you go ahead with the transfer operation please keep us informed as to whether it was successful or not.

Codyrogmack · Aug 31, 2017

The Original Ralph :

Wow that's a crazy situation! Hope you found out what file was hiding the malware.

You're right, no need to risk it, will probably end up doing a fresh install.

Thanks for the reply, good insight.

Karadjgne · Sep 1, 2017

When transferring an existing boot drive to a new mobo, you don't need to reinstall windows and all the rest. It'll work as is. The only thing that'll need to be fixed is the mobo drivers. It's a new mobo, cpu is inconsequential, that's all in the bios, as is ram.

There's 2 ways to go about this, either reinstall windows (clean or dirty install) or hunt down the old mobo drivers and delete them.

Codyrogmack · Sep 1, 2017

Karadjgne :

Thanks for the reply!

This will be my second PC build, so I'm not too familiar with the process of deleting old drivers (or how to tell if it IS an old motherboard driver) I'm sure I can find a video or guide on how to do this process, but it does freak my out a little bit inside to have to worry about all of that.

I guess now my real question would be, do I uninstall my old mobo drivers BEFORE or AFTER I install the new mobo?

VJ_Gamer · Sep 1, 2017

Codyrogmack :

No need to wipe the entire drive. Just wipe the partition on which windows is currently installed on. And before you try to wipe out your partition, link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license on your device now. Later when inserting the old SSD to the hardware(new motherboard), just install a fresh copy of windows and reactivate the windows by using your MS account.

Check the below links:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-...

So once you are done with the linking your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license,
- Backup the required data.
- Create a bootable USB drive.
- Format the partition in which your windows is installed.
- Insert the SSD onto the new hardware.
- Install Windows onto the SSD using the bootable USB
- Install all the required drivers for the new motherboard.

Your PC is good now.

Peace.

-

Kasper Jorgensen · Sep 1, 2017

Just note if your Windows 10 is an OEM license you won't be able to activate it with a new mobo.

Codyrogmack · Sep 1, 2017

VJ_Gamer :

Codyrogmack :

No need to wipe the entire drive. Just wipe the partition on which windows is currently installed on. And before you try to wipe out your partition, link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license on your device now. Later when inserting the old SSD to the hardware(new motherboard), just install a fresh copy of windows and reactivate the windows by using your MS account.

Check the below links:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-...

So once you are done with the linking your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license,
- Backup the required data.
- Create a bootable USB drive.
- Format the partition in which your windows is installed.
- Insert the SSD onto the new hardware.
- Install Windows onto the SSD using the bootable USB
- Install all the required drivers for the new motherboard.

Your PC is good now.

Peace.

-

Thanks for that link!

Sorry for not mentioning this before, I probably should have.
I am going from AM3 to AM4, will I still be fine not wiping the SSD boot drive? And just simply reinstall windows?

Karadjgne · Sep 1, 2017

Yep. All of the hardware support is contained in the cmos/bios, which is part of the mobo itself, windows doesn't care what you use, it gets loaded after the post process. When windows starts it gathers info on the pc and thats what you see in My Computer etc. Windows itself has many generic drivers it uses, but that doesn't quite do the job, so the mobo vendor will supply its own for that mobo. Lan, audio, USB, Sata controllers etc. When you install the new mobo drivers, you'll need to remove the old ones, or with a fresh copy of windows, install new ones. Most of those old drivers are actually found in add/remove programs

VJ_Gamer · Sep 2, 2017

Codyrogmack :

Yes, Just format the partition on which the windows is presently installed on and reinstall a fresh windows on the drive.

Peace.

Karadjgne · Sep 2, 2017

That assumes that there is in fact several partitions on the drive. Some ppl don't do that and operate drives as 2 partitions only, 1st partition being B, which contains all the CAB files for windows recovery, the Primary partition being C which contains windows and everything else. Wiping out C in that case not only kills windows, but every scrap of user info, a complete data loss.

VJ_Gamer · Sep 2, 2017

I have mentioned on my second post to Backup the required data. Its a good practice to backup the necessary data before formatting any drive.

Peace.

Using old SSD in new PC Build

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