SOLVED Pre-Installed Win10 version to new ssd

[Jared Tester]

Hi, I'm putting an SSD into my system soon and was wondering how I'm going to reinstall Win10 to the new drive. I'm currently running Windows 10 that was pre-installed by dell. Cloning my HDD and methods along those lines won't work as I have a lot of games that exceeds the storage space on the SSD by far. I also don't mind completely reinstalling the OS and having to redownload all of my games because I may have to do that anyway as I am getting a new Mother Board as well. If you could help me that would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

[bassfisher6522]

Since this is an OEM (Dell).....that OS is permanently tied to the mobo and you can never move it. You will need to buy a new OS with product key.

Alternatively, you might be able to call MS and "say" that your HDD crashed and you had to get a new HDD and now you need to reinstall the OS on the new HDD. MS should reactivate it for you.

 

[Jared Tester]

Well, that sucks. Looks like I'm going to be spending more than I intended to. Thanks for the help bassfisher, atleast now I know ahead of time that I gotta buy a new OS.

 

[Tim Locke]

With a Z170 mobo why do you need to change it? Not exactly an out of date old clunker. The money you save by NOT buying a new Mobo and a W10 licence almost gets you to a 1TB SSD

 

[bassfisher6522]

OK...now I'm confused....in your post you stated that the OS is preinstalled by Dell....yet your system specs indicate that you have a custom build. Are you referring to the PC in your system specs or to the PC in your post.

If this is a custom build....then there's no way your OS was pre-installed by Dell.

 

[Trouble]

There is a post here
https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/major-hardware-upgrade-and-windows-10.10423/
Where the member did what I would consider a major upgrade of his computer and Microsoft still activated his Windows 10 install for him....
The new SSD is not a deal breaker a clean install to a new hard drive on a system that has already been running an activated Windows 10 install should work without any issues.... but the new motherboard might be.
It might be a coin toss and a matter of whether you get someone helpful with a phone call when it comes time to activation.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Stevekir]

My Lenovo machine came with Windows 10 installed. I had an SSD fitted and my comp. shop used MS's Media Creation Tool, which (he said) was straightforward. It installed a fresh Windows 10. I can't remember about a Windows installer key. Either he got it from the bowels of the comp. or the machine remembered that a legit Windows had alreadt been installed. Anyway, I did not have to buy another Windows 10.