Using old SSD with windows 10 for new build

[bennybamshoot]

Just finished my new build, Everything brand new. even bought new ssd and windows 10, after build rig, decided to try old ssd with windows 10 installed (was a digital upgrade from 7 last year). and to my surprise it loaded up first boot with no problems, as if nothing had ever changed, I'm completely confused, i was expecting nothing... I thought you couldn't re use an ssd with windows 10 on it, hence why i bought new versions just in case. when it started it didn't ask for activation codes nothing, do i need to do anything? or is this to be expected and i just was out of the loop.

Only thing I've done so far is update drivers for mobo and gpu. btw both motherboards with gigabyte, not sure if that matters.


**** Windows 10 was not activated *** unfortunately. but a solution to anyone trying to use an old SSD with windows 10 on new hardware is to link your windows 10 activation with your Microsoft account so it will work in future builds. You HAVE to do this before you build your new rig though. wont work after...

 

[zyh1987]

Ms changed the way license was dealt, it bows binds the OS to your ms account.

 

[zyh1987]

Of course, ms won’t respond you directly, but from what I heard as long as your os is not volume license from major pc maker like dell/hp. rather you have a oem version. Once you link the windows to your acc. You can take these in the new system w/o activation issues.

 

[bennybamshoot]

Amazing, I had no idea, i tried looking online, there were some posts, but people said you had to still activate it and prove things, like i said I didn't literally nothing and everything is working as if nothing ever changed... good to know for in future now

 

[Colif]

how long ago since you last used old PC?

PC will check activation servers every few days and its possible its inbetween checks.

have a look in settings/upgrade & security/activation and see what it says up top.
If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license" then it might deactivate as that means it was tied to last PC

If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account" and you signed in using your Microsoft Account, it might just switch it across. Its difficult to say.

If it deactivates in a few days you may need to contact MS and explain what you did, and they should move license across for you.

 

[bennybamshoot]

how long ago since you last used old PC?

PC will check activation servers every few days and its possible its inbetween checks.

have a look in settings/upgrade & security/activation and see what it says up top.
If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license" then it might deactivate as that means it was tied to last PC

If it says "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account" and you signed in using your Microsoft Account, it might just switch it across. Its difficult to say.

If it deactivates in a few days you may need to contact MS and explain what you did, and they should move license across for you.

Its been well over a year... I will check tonight thanks for that info!

 

[USAFRet]

Just finished my new build, Everything brand new. even bought new ssd and windows 10, after build rig, decided to try old ssd with windows 10 installed (was a digital upgrade from 7 last year). and to my surprise it loaded up first boot with no problems, as if nothing had ever changed,

Sometimes that works, sometimes it fails completely.
Always expect complete fail. You'll be pleasantly surprised when it actually does boot up.

The licensing/activation is a whole other issue.

 

[bennybamshoot]

Just looked when I got in, yeah windows isn't activated bummer, and I hadn't linked the account (didn't know you could untill now). But everything on windows 10 seems to be working fine, I've gone and bought new ssd and windows 10 key anyways, so will go ahead and install tonight, but just wondering does it need to be activated if everything's working? what difference does it make? porbally no updates? or something...

 

[Colif]

1. Its too late now since you bought a new licence, but if you weren't using that old license, you may still have been able to move it across. Upgrades from win 7 can be moved to a new PC provided they only installed on 1 PC at a time.

2. Fresh install on new PC always better idea than moving an old install to new hardware. It means no old drivers there to cause weird errors. That and you get full benefit of new hardware. Copy anything off drive you want to save.

You can run win 10 without activation, it just restricts a few things like not being able to change desktop wallpaper, puts a watermark stating its unactivated on desktop, and I think it also says something about it in settings. There is no end date, USAFRet has a install that has been running unactivated for over 1 year at least.

There is just no guarantees that Microsoft won't change their minds at any time and force unactivated users to pay up. You have a new license now so use it and save any possible future headaches