# Transferring old Hard Drive to New Computer. Is it possible?



## blizzard49 (Mar 4, 2016)

Hi I was planning to move hardware from old computer to new computer. New computer have totally diffrent CPU and motherboard yet is it still possible to run the old hard ware to new computer?

I'm doing this because i'm trying to save my money to get the free windows 10. In another word, I'm planning to upgrade win 7 to 10 in my hardware  in new computer.
Please tell me it's possible to use hardware from old computer to new computer.

Thanks.


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## FordGT90Concept (Mar 4, 2016)

If it is SATA, yes.  You'll likely lose all of data on it though.


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## lonewolf (Mar 4, 2016)

Windows 10 is still a free upgrade if your on win 8 or 7 and yes if its a sata drive you can move the Hard drive over to a new computer but the operating system will not work.


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## blizzard49 (Mar 4, 2016)

lonewolf said:


> Windows 10 is still a free upgrade if your on win 8 or 7 and yes if its a sata drive you can move the Hard drive over to a new computer but the operating system will not work.



So in another word...I have to format everything to use hardware again?


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## Mussels (Mar 4, 2016)

windows 10 can be transferred from one PC to another if you boot it into safe mode first, i've done it between very, VERY different hardware and its worked fine.
That said, unless you have a retail windows key that windows 10 will accept - windows wont be activated when you're done.

A fresh install of windows will be the best option, and work fine - but the drive will need to be wiped.


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## blizzard49 (Mar 4, 2016)

I was forget in the thread (and I just edited now)
Right now my hardware have win 7 and I was planning to change my win 7 to win 10 to new computer. Problem is i don't have win 7 dvd in other word the win 7 I have right now is pre installed in computer when I bought.


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## Mussels (Mar 4, 2016)

do you want to try and keep things as they are (upgraded to 10), or just go for a clean install?

the latest builds of windows 10 will accept a windows 7 key.


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## blizzard49 (Mar 4, 2016)

Mussels said:


> do you want to try and keep things as they are (upgraded to 10), or just go for a clean install?
> 
> the latest builds of windows 10 will accept a windows 7 key.



I wanna keep all of the data I have in hardware. But if I have to delete all of the data then...Guess I have to buy win 10 dvd cause I don't have any OS DVD.


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## Jetster (Mar 4, 2016)

Sometimes it works sometimes the drivers cause issues and can be repaired. Some times not. To many variables to say

Easier way. or Correct way. Back up your data and reinstall


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## Mussels (Mar 4, 2016)

blizzard49 said:


> I wanna keep all of the data I have in hardware. But if I have to delete all of the data then...Guess I have to buy win 10 dvd cause I don't have any OS DVD.



you can download the latest windows ISO's to install from USB or burn from DVD, its a free/legal offer from microsoft.
please dont call it 'all data in hardware' - it would be the data on your hard drive.

you have a choice.

1. put the hard drive in your new machine, do an 'upgrade' install of windows 10 (download this in advance) and use your W7 key. Could be problems.

2. back up your files, do a clean install of W10 with your W7 key. Restore your files. Guaranteed to work.


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## blizzard49 (Mar 4, 2016)

Mussels said:


> you can download the latest windows ISO's to install from USB or burn from DVD, its a free/legal offer from microsoft.
> please dont call it 'all data in hardware' - it would be the data on your hard drive.
> 
> you have a choice.
> ...




Seriously!? I can download ISO? I thought I need Win7 key to download it.


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## Mussels (Mar 4, 2016)

blizzard49 said:


> Seriously!? I can download ISO? I thought I need Win7 key to download it.



nope, they allow it for everyone. You can download and install without a key on the current builds, and enter your W7/8/10 key after install.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10

Preferably, grab the ISO and use this tool to make USB's to install from (i've always got one on hand to recover from a windows failure)
http://www.techradar.com/downloads/windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool


the key upgrade method is only available until july, but thats plenty of time for you to upgrade this system.


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## blizzard49 (Mar 4, 2016)

Mussels said:


> nope, they allow it for everyone. You can download and install without a key on the current builds, and enter your W7/8/10 key after install.
> 
> https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10
> 
> ...



Thanks man! I owe you!


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## Caring1 (Mar 4, 2016)

Being an OEM install, the old hard drive once installed in the new system may need to be reactivated, if they allow it.


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## silentbogo (Mar 5, 2016)

Win 7 may have compatibility issues with the new hardware. 
Win10 is more flexible and forgiving in this regard: I have a special 2.5" HDD which I use to test repaired laptops and motherboards and so far had no problems booting it on anything from mobile Athlon II P340 to desktop A6-5400K, from Intel Atom D525 to Xeon X5650.

Plus quite recently I helped a friend to upgrade his Sandy Bridge PC to Haswell and it was as simple as putting his old HDD into a new system and installing a few drivers (also Win10).


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## silkstone (Mar 6, 2016)

I've done it a few times and never had a problem. Most of the time windows has sorted itself out for me, but when it doesn't a safe-mode boot and driver clean does the trick. I imagine that most of the problems would come when going from AMD > Intel or the reverse, but I haven;t tried that.

Run some kind of backup before hand, in case it doesn't work. Get the windows key and re-activate (phone method) on the new computer. As mussels says, it might run more smoothly after switching to win 10, but then again, I'm not sure if Win10 still generates a new key, and I wouldn't want to to be associated with my old computer.

The safest way would be to backup what you need, transfer the hard drive and install win 10 with your Win 7 key on the new machine.


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## Toothless (Mar 6, 2016)

I had a Win7 go from a completely different build besides the PSU and GPU switch over. Worked pretty well and almost made me cry since I was without my beauty for 6 months and seeing that desktop was amazing.


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