Alte SSD in neuen Pc verbauen?

Hello

You can completely reinstall Windows on the new computer or on the new motherboard, but you can also try to get an existing Windows installation on the new motherboard to run. This can also work. If you install a hard drive from a PC into another PC or connect to another motherboard, then it is quite possible to start an existing Windows installation on the new hardware as well. That works is not guaranteed, but at least it would be possible. Only the boot order must be reset in the BIOS/UEFI.

If an existing Windows installation on a new motherboard does not start or starts at all. again and again only the BIOS is opened, then it could be because the Windows was installed on an MBR disk and the BIOS/UEFI of the motherboard is set to UEFI boot. In UFEI boot mode, however, only GPT disks can be started. Launching MBR disks only goes in Legacy Boot mode. The CSM must be activated in the BIOS/UEFI, if the BIOS/UEFI still offers this function. There are already mainboards that only start in the UEFI boot mode. With active CSM, Windows should also be able to start from an MBR disk again.

To enable CSM, the Trusted Mode must be terminated. Secure Boot and TPM must be disabled. After saving and restarting, CSM or Legacy Boot mode should be enabled if it is still possible.

It could of course also be the reverse case, namely if the starting of an existing Windows installation does not work in legacy (CSM) mode, then it could also be that Windows is already on a GPT disk, so that the UEFI boot mode must be used, i.e. without CSM.

If Windows should start again on the new motherboard, it also has to drive up completely without errors. As I said, this is only possible but not guaranteed. If Windows starts error-free, then you only need to install missing drivers for the new hardware and then you are already almost through the action. There will be another Windows activation, because of hardware change, but I can do so.

If Windows does not want to start the new hardware at all, then only a complete new installation remains. For a new installation, a bootable Windows installation medium is required, which can be created, for example, with the Microsoft Media Creation Tool, on another functional Windows PC. With the created Windows installation medium boot the computer and follow the Windows setup. During installation, it is best to delete and re-create all partitions on the system disk or to automatically re-create Windows Setup. Of course, all data is lost in the affected partitions!

But even if an existing Windows installation moves up error-free on the new hardware, but even if Windows is reinstalled on the new hardware, it is then deactivated, because the activation of the installed Windows was only related to the mainboard on which the Windows license was activated. With this motherboard is the Windows license, on which Microsoft activation servers are still linked. Therefore, Windows must be reactivated or reactivated on other hardware, especially the motherboard.

To enable Windows on the new motherboard or on the new PC, you need the original license key. Reading the same usually does not help anymore, as when a Windows 10/11 license is first activated, it is converted into a digital license. The same also happens with an activated Windows 7/8 license when upgrading to Windows 10. The digital license is then linked to information from the motherboard and stored on the Microsoft activation server. The digital license is then used to automatically activate Windows 10/11, after a new installation, on the same motherboard. The digital license has been linked to the motherboard. When converting into a digital license, however, only one generic key is stored in the Windows Registry, as a placeholder, which can be read but is not valid for a renewed activation.

Generic Windows 10/11 Keys:

Windows 10 Home: YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7

Windows 10 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

Windows 10 S (only until Windows 10 1803): 3NF4D-GF9GY-63VKH-QRC3V-7QW8P

These are not valid activation keys, which are only placeholders in the Windows Registry. If such a “space holder” is read out, it cannot be used for a renewed activation. The public description is therefore not illegal!

It’s just a small selection. Since there are even more Windows 10/11 versions, especially with volume licenses, and therefore there are also more of these generic keys. The selection represents only the generic keys for the most common Windows versions in the private sector.

See also here:

https://www.heise.de/tipps-tricks/Windows-10-Product-Key-read-and-activate-error-4030353.html

https://www.deskmodder.de/wiki/index.php/Seriennummern_Key_generischer_Schl%C3%BCssel_Windows_10

https://www.deskmodder.de/wiki/index.php?title=Windows_11_Key_generic_Seriennummer_f%C3%BCr_die_Installation_und_activation

Either you have the original license key or you need to link the old activation to a Microsoft account. You can also change the license to new hardware. However, this must be done on the computer or on the motherboard on which the Windows license is activated. And even if you use a Microsoft account, you need to manually connect the digital license to the Microsoft account that does not happen automatically, only by using a Microsoft account, except that the Microsoft account was also used for the first time activating the license.

https://support.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/windows-activate-c39005d4-95ee-b91e-b399-2820fda32227#WindowsVersion=Windows_11

https://support.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/reactivate-von-windows-10-nach%C3%A4change-der-hardware-2c0e962a-f04c-145b-6ead-fb3fc72b6665#ID0EBD=Windows_11

That’s what’s described again. Otherwise, you need a new Windows license and the old license remains linked to the old motherboard and will probably stay it. If you want to pass on the old hardware, the new owner of your old hardware can look forward to giving it the Windows license with the old motherboard or the old PC.

By moving the Windows license to new hardware, the license for the old PC, or for the old motherboard, is invalid as a Windows license at the same time can only be used on a single PC. The license may continue from PC to PC, only at the same time it may only be activated and used on a computer.

Additional reference for the CSM or Legacy Boot Mode:

This should usually be of interest only to Windows 10 users, as Windows 11 actually runs standard in UEFI Boot Mode, except Windows 11 has been installed with tricks on not 100% compatible hardware, without Secure Boot, TPM 2.0 and on a MBR disk, then this could also be interesting for Windows 11 users.

Since Secure Boot cannot be activated in legacy mode (CSM), upgrade to Windows 11 is not possible. For this, the UEFI boot mode must be used, so without CSM and then the partitioning of the boot data carrier must be changed from MBR to GPT. However, Windows must be completely reinstalled in (U)EFI mode. Attention, all data on the target disk are lost or deleted. So back up data! Then boot the computer with a Windows installation medium in (U)EFI mode, so disable CSM. Starting the setup from the desktop is not enough in the case. This would only use the upgrade function of Windows. However, you need to reinstall Windows completely and re-particulate the hard disk so that it is switched to GPT and this is only done with a complete reinstall. Then, during Windows setup, delete all partitions, on the disk on which Windows is to be installed and then re-create the partitions. The GPT is automatically used when the Windows Setup has been booted in (U)EFI mode. Then you can install Windows in (U)EFI mode with active Secure Boot.

There is still the possibility to convert the data carrier in operation:

https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows-server/storage/disk management/change-an-mbr-disk-into-a-gpt-disk

https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt

After conversion, the system is no longer bootable in legacy mode, only in (U)EFI mode. Therefore, after conversion, the BIOS/UEFI from Legacy (CSM) has to be converted to (U)EFI boot so that the computer starts again. However, during the conversion nothing should go wrong, otherwise it was with the data and installed programs. So always secure data!

mfG computer tomb