Hey everyone! I'm starting a rebuild of my 8-year-old PC and planning to upgrade my CPU, motherboard, and RAM. I was wondering if I could transfer my existing Windows installation from my small SSD to the M.2 drive I want to use. Should I install Windows on the M.2 first and then try to boot it, or would it be smarter to use a flash drive for a fresh install right from the start? Thanks for any advice!
5 Answers
I tried transferring my OS before and Windows kept prompting me to reactivate since it was on a different machine. I ended up logging into my Microsoft account, and it worked out, but it was a hassle. Trust me, a fresh install saves a lot of trouble!
Moving your Windows installation could work, but it's a gamble since old drivers might cause issues. A fresh reinstall is definitely safer for avoiding headaches down the road.
You really want to start fresh with Windows when upgrading your whole system. It might boot fine with new hardware, but you could face tricky problems later. Just create a USB for a clean install and grab your files from the old drive afterward.
I’d recommend doing a fresh install of Windows on the M.2 drive using a flash drive. It minimizes potential issues. After that, you can wipe your old SSD and use it for extra storage.
It's definitely best to install Windows after you’ve built your new PC using a flash drive. It's just smoother that way.
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