reinstalling onto a new drive from boxed retail.

[roryos0123]

Heya, this is probably a stupid question but I'm getting a new ssd soon and I'm going to need to reinstall onto it. I have the retail boxed version of windows 10 and my question, Is the process the same as previous versions of windows? I.e. Boot from the retail DVD, stick the product key in, detects the same hardware and activates? Thank you!

Note: Should have mentioned its the same physical copy of windows 10 currently installed as well, obviously.

 

[Colif]

If Win 10 is already on the PC now, you don't need to put key in

take old hdd out while you install onto ssd or win 10 may decide to use the current boot partition for the ssd. If it does that and you later removed hdd, it wouldn't boot.

Process is almost identical otherwise, main difference is when you reach screen asking for a licence code, click the link that says "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue the installation, and once finished, check the Microsoft servers to confirm PC has a valid licence for Win 10, and reactivate windows.

one less thing you need to worry about

 

[smorizio]

save yourself some download time. the dvd disk is an older iso image. use an 8g usb stick and windows media tool to get the newest iso. then boot from the usb stick and do what was posted before.

 

[Colif]

save yourself some download time. the dvd disk is an older iso image. use an 8g usb stick and windows media tool to get the newest iso. then boot from the usb stick and do what was posted before.

Good point, slaps forehead for not suggesting it

 

[roryos0123]

Thanks! That's certainly easier

 

[guanyu210379]

If you one step lazier, ever heard of cloning?
Simply clone the old SSD/HDD, where the Windows is on.