Is there any way I can move windows 10 from my current hard drive, onto a solid state and into a new rig?

[TheOnlyCortez]

I have a folder named "Windows" on my hard drive, is that of any relevance? Preferably I would like to put my current hard drive in a new rig while moving the OS to a new solid state for a speed boost. If this works like I think it will, will I have to buy an operating system?

 

[greens]

You can't take a drive from one system and put it into another and expect it to work. All of the drivers are stored on the drive, and they won't work with different parts, so that is out.

You'd need to back up all of your data, format the drive, and reinstall windows on the new computer. Then you can restore your files.

As far as purchasing of windows goes, no, you shouldn't need to purchase another copy.
You just need to recover your key, and use that again when you install windows on the new PC.

Again, you can't transfer drives with operating systems and drivers already installed on them unless the two computers are IDENTICAL.

 

[Colif]

Since you have win 10 already you may not need to buy it again. You shouldn't need to even know your licence, just your email address you originally gave Microsoft. Follow the steps here and you should be able to easily move that copy of win 10 to new PC:

Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change

In Windows 10 (Version 1607 or later), you can link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license on your device. This can help you reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter if you make a significant hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

we currently unsure how much hardware can be changed so it may not work.

For that to work you need to install latest version of win 10, you can get that from Here

Some times you can swap the installs and not have any problems but 90% of time drivers will be different.

 

[indsup]

Windows goes by the hardware signature, bios, etc to identify the computer. If you move it to another computer build it will not work, and that's without even taking into account the drivers. If you have the retail version of Windows 10 or a prior version of Windows jut take the ssd to the new build and install. It should auto validate once you have entered your key. Any different build you will have to do a fresh install no matter what do to the way Msft has the os designed. Remember that any version of OEM Windows will not work, only full retail version will allow this.

 

[USAFRet]

Windows goes by the hardware signature, bios, etc to identify the computer. If you move it to another computer build it will not work, and that's without even taking into account the drivers. If you have the retail version of Windows 10 or a prior version of Windows jut take the ssd to the new build and install. It should auto validate once you have entered your key. Any different build you will have to do a fresh install no matter what do to the way Msft has the os designed. Remember that any version of OEM Windows will not work, only full retail version will allow this.

Moving a drive with an OS involves 2 things.
Operation and Licensing.

Operation - It may or may not require a full reinstall. Win 10 is a bit better at this, but nothing is 100%

Licensing - Depending on what the original license is/was, it may or may not activate on new hardware. Sometimes a call to MS can fix this, but they may not.

However....With the Anniversary release, 1607, you can link your OS license to a MS account. This completely gets around any hardware changes.

The old concept of being tied to the specific original hardware is no more.

 

[orlbuckeye]

I have a folder named "Windows" on my hard drive, is that of any relevance? Preferably I would like to put my current hard drive in a new rig while moving the OS to a new solid state for a speed boost. If this works like I think it will, will I have to buy an operating system?

If you have the retail version of Windows you transfer to another machine as long as your retire the old machine. If you Windows is OEM it's tied to the one machine and not legal to move to another machine.

Now you can clone it to the SSD and it will activate to the same machine especially if you have the Anniversary Update.

I'm guessing to keep both PC's and use the ssd on the new PC. My suggestion to be completely legal is to buy the SSD and Windows 10 and do a clean install on the new PC with the SSD.

 

[Colif]

I wish Microsoft would make it clear what the difference between a Retail and OEM Digital entitlement is and we can stop discussing if you can move an OEM DE to a new PC. I have actually asked them on their forums, see if they tell me anything...

cloning new drive into old PC would have reactivated anyway on old build of Win 10.

He doesn't want to keep both PC, he wants to move his HDD to new PC.

 

[orlbuckeye]

I wish Microsoft would make it clear what the difference between a Retail and OEM Digital entitlement is and we can stop discussing if you can move an OEM DE to a new PC. I have actually asked them on their forums, see if they tell me anything...

cloning new drive into old PC would have reactivated anyway on old build of Win 10.

He doesn't want to keep both PC, he wants to move his HDD to new PC.

Well retail or OEM is part of the information stored with digital entitlement.

 

[USAFRet]

One last time in this thread...

With the Anniversary release, build 1607, the hardware no longer matters.
You can associate your OS license with a Microsoft account.

IOW...the license and activation is linked with you, rather than some random box of hardware.


https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change
"In Windows 10 (Version 1607 or later), you can link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license on your device. This can help you reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter if you make a significant hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard."

Are we clear on this?
(at least, as clear as MS wants to make it)

 

[orlbuckeye]

I wish Microsoft would make it clear what the difference between a Retail and OEM Digital entitlement is and we can stop discussing if you can move an OEM DE to a new PC. I have actually asked them on their forums, see if they tell me anything...

cloning new drive into old PC would have reactivated anyway on old build of Win 10.

He doesn't want to keep both PC, he wants to move his HDD to new PC.

Not sure what he wants to do because in bold he say move the SSD into the new rig then in the paragraph I guess he's saying he wants to clone the HD to the SSD and move both into the new rig and use the SSD as the boot drive.