How to install Windows 10 on ALMOST new build!

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
F

fpstecj

Prominent
Oct 5, 2017
16
0
520
So after my EVGA 1080 FTW caught fire...literally! I decided that i am going to upgrade, almost a new build minus the power supply and 480gb SSD with Windows 10 installed on it.

My question/s are:

1. As i cant access my current PC, and due to the circumstamces i didnt have time to login in order to reactivate my windows account. Will i have to buy a new windows 10

2. Is it possible that connecting my current SSD with the OS on it, will allow me to continue anyway?

3. If i have to reinstall windows 10 etc, how do i do this? As i have never done a full build before.

4. After a new build, what do i do once turning it on for the first time? How do i get to install windows?

Also, as its a new mobo manufacturer and newer cpu etc, i would prefer to have a completely fresh version of windows with no left over drivers etc.

In my upcoming build i have ordered a brand new 120gb ssd solely for OS, would it be easier to just build the pc and install ONLY the new SSD (with the old one not connected at all) and install windows straight onto that? This way i can clean my current 480gb ssd and use it for games. Also I can get the key for windows in the following few days am i correct? Also my current SSD is 480GB so if the above idea is suitable, i will have the 120gb ssd JUST for OS and the 480gb SSD for JUST games?
Also a 1tb hdd just for recordings etc

Sorry if these are stupid questions, and thankyou in advance

 
Solution
USAFRet
Having an SSD for "only be used for the OS and nothing else", is a waste of 1/2 the functionality of the SSD.
You want all your applications on it as well.

Games maybe not, but all the other applications, yes.
Almost daily, I see people here that wanted an SSD for "only the OS", and come to find out in a few moths that it is simply too small.

And at todays prices, a 250GB makes sense vs a 120GB.
Having it be "just the OS" is a waste of the drive.

Yes, the 'target drive' means just that one SSD. Whatever drive you want the OS on.


For your OS licensing? Unknown.
The activation will almost certainly not survive a motherboard change. But since we do not know where your original OS came from, or whatever the local PC shop...
Sort by date Sort by votes
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,442
17,908
184,590
1. Maybe

2. Possibly, but highly not recommended

3. We'll go into this later

4. See #3


"120GB SSD." I would have recommended a larger drive. 250GB or larger. While a 120GB will work, you will find the space quite restrictive after a while

Yes, for a whole new system, it is strongly recommended to do a clean install.

From a different, working PC, create your own Win 10 DVD or US here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Once you have that, and your PC built....
Have only the target SSD drive connected.
Boot from the DVD or USB thing you created.
Install.

For the licensing, where did your current Win 10 come from?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
F

fpstecj

Prominent
Oct 5, 2017
16
0
520
Thankyou for your reply.

In regards to the 120GB SSD- i havent actually ordered it yet. Assuming this drive would only be used for the OS and nothing else, would you still reccomend a 250? If so that shouldnt be a problem.

Can i also just ask, when you say "target SSD" does that mean the 120/250GB drive that i want the OS to be on?

Now...the licensing. I actually bought the PC second hand around 12 months ago with only 1 HDD. Windows 10 64 already installed.

2 weeks ago i sent my PC into a local pc shop to have a SSD installed along with moving the OS from the HDD to the SSD. I didnt pay for a new license or anything, i have just been using the same OS as when i first got the PC (except updates of course). It was a "fresh install"

I hope this is enough info, if you need anything else please let me know and i'll post it here
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,442
17,908
184,590
Having an SSD for "only be used for the OS and nothing else", is a waste of 1/2 the functionality of the SSD.
You want all your applications on it as well.

Games maybe not, but all the other applications, yes.
Almost daily, I see people here that wanted an SSD for "only the OS", and come to find out in a few moths that it is simply too small.

And at todays prices, a 250GB makes sense vs a 120GB.
Having it be "just the OS" is a waste of the drive.

Yes, the 'target drive' means just that one SSD. Whatever drive you want the OS on.


For your OS licensing? Unknown.
The activation will almost certainly not survive a motherboard change. But since we do not know where your original OS came from, or whatever the local PC shop did...unknown.
They probably just did a clone from old drive to new drive.

But it is very, very common for "the local shop" to just install some semi-bootleg junk, just to get you out the door.
Yes, this happens.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
F

fpstecj

Prominent
Oct 5, 2017
16
0
520
Okay thankyou so much.

Can i please just confirm a few things, then ill stop i promise :p.

1. 250gb ssd for OS and programs like monitoring programs, steam, origin or whater. 480gb for games and larger programs.

2. I am clearly going to need a new licence for windows 10 :( Is there a 'trial' period of Windows 10 where for example it might say "14 days before free trial ends" At which point i will have bought a new licence anyway, then simply register? I wanted to avoid going back to the PC shop! Even if it meant spending £100 on a new licence. Especially with the build being new.

Again thankyou so much for your help!

EDIT: After installing OS onto new SSD, can i then reconnect my OLD OS SSD and just wipe the data from it?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,442
17,908
184,590


1. OS and probably ALL your applications apart from games on the 250GB SSD.
The only application I've seen that really sucks up space is VisualStudio, with ALL the options and plugins.

Even something you'd think as "large", like MS Office, is really only 3GB or so. Trivial on a 250GB drive, but on a 120GB drive, that can be a significant chunk.


2. You can install and run Win 10 unactivated, seemingly indefinitely. There is no 14 or 30 day limit like there was with previous version.
You get a randomly appearing watermark at the bottom right, and you lose the ability to modify your desktop and Taskbar.
And of course, MS could pull that unactivated plug at any time.

I have an unactivated Win 10 Pro installed in a VM, to test this concept. It was installed Dec 8 2016. Still running just fine (Oct 21 2017), with the above limitations.

During the install, when it asks for the license key, there is a button for "Skip". Click that, and proceed on.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
F

fpstecj

Prominent
Oct 5, 2017
16
0
520
Really? Almost 12 months unactivated EDIT My text dissapeared for some reason... sorry.

Thankyou for your help, after installing windows onto the new SSD, is it then safe for me to power off the system, connect old HDD and SSD and clear the drives? How do i remove the old OS from the old SSD?

Thanks again
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,442
17,908
184,590


Yup, coming up on a year of running like that. We shall see what happens.

For the old drives, you'll probably have to delve into the commandline diskpart to wipe out all traces of the old OS>

Like this:
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
Be very, very careful, and be sure you are working with the correct drive(s).
 
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