I'm building a new PC and want to reuse an NVMe drive from my old setup. I've read that a fresh install of Windows is the best route, but I'd like to retain my Windows license and data on that drive. If I go ahead with a fresh install, how likely is it that I'll face compatibility issues when I attempt to backup my data and link my license to my Microsoft account? Alternatively, if the drive works fine without a fresh install after backing up my data, could I encounter long-term problems? For context, I'm currently running Windows 10 on this drive.
1 Answer
Your Windows license usually ties to the motherboard, not the drive itself. Make sure to check if the version you have is a retail one; that way, you can easily transfer it to your new build if necessary.
If your old PC was built by a shop, there’s a good chance they used a retail version of Windows. But it's worth double-checking the paperwork or asking them to be sure!