Windows 10: Can i install windows 10 if i replace old hdd with new one?

I have windows 10, but i have some problems, i think i will need to replace old hdd with new one, but i don't know if i will be still able to install windows 10. I don't know how microsoft will know this is still my pc.

:)

 

Windows 10 reinstall

I bought a new hdd to replace my old one which is having a problem. If I install windows 10 to it using an ISO, will it be activated? If not is there a way to transfer the activation from the old hdd to the new one? or do I have to install Win8 and upgrade
again?

 

Boot Win10 as external Hard Drive

Hi, I've bought a new SSD for replacing my old HDD. In the Old HDD I've Debian and Win10 with dual boot.

In the new SSD I don't want to install Win10, I want to use it via USB; speed isn't an issue to me. I wont be using so much...

When I plug the old HDD via USB, as an external drive, I can boot from it, but Windows fails to start with "INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE" or something of sort. Debian boots Ok. If I install the HDD in the laptop instead of the SSD it boots Ok.

Is there a way of me making my old HDD to start Windows 10 as and external hard drive?

 

Most likely. But if you wanted to be sure (or more sure!) then...

Get a new HDD and install your old OS on it. (7/8.1)
Make sure it's activated then go through the upgrade first-then-clean install process.

If this doesn't work out you still have your old drive which you can re-install.

Microsoft recognizes that HDDs fail and this won't/shouldn't affect your re-install.
But nothing is for certain and plenty of qualifying Windows 10 upgraders have had difficulties.​

 

I first did the W10 upgrade over my W7 disk and then afterward I did a clean install of W10 on another disk. Both installs were activated.

 

Ok thanks. Also i didn't get any activation key, but my windows is activated.

 

The licensing information is written into your motherboard's ROM, as far as I know. That's the only piece of hardware that you can't replace without losing Windows.

 

And what if i need to replace it? I won't have any windows anymore.

 

Only recent motherboard bios's have OS info, also if you are a builder, the motherboard you choose will not have embedded product codes. If a change of hdd or ssd is required then Microsoft's activation servers will remember and allow a clean install.

 

I just rebuilt my computer, but I didn't upgrade my CPU yet. That is planned for later this month. So the HDD's and SRAM and Mainboard will remain the same but will I be allowed to change the CPU and still have Windows activated?

 

Yup. I have been doing some more reading and I think I was wrong earlier when I said the licensing data is written into the mobo's ROM, but from all I can gather, you can replace any piece of hardware except the mobo and still use Windows.