Windows 10: New HDD, can I use my current windows key?

I currently have windows 11 home on my PC and am getting a new larger HDD only running one HDD. Can I just download the windows installer onto a memory stick and use my current windows key? Or will I have to buy a new key? The only thing I am changing in my pc is the HDD.

:)

 

Windows 10 OS cloning Failed due to Bad Sectors on HDD Failure. Now I can't boot on both the original and new HDD

Thanks Munkhbayar B.,

I have tried steps 1 and 2 for the Old HDD, but nothing has changed.

For step 1, it says, "The type of the file system is RAW. CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives".

 

Reinstalling Win10 On New Hard Drive, current hdd is failing and i need to replace.

Reinstalling Win10 On New Hard Drive, current hdd is failing and i need to replace fast! Backup and restore misses several key files so can't transfer to new hdd.

I need to reinstall my winOS on a new hdd, current hard drive is failing fast! I bought Win8, upgraded to 8.1 free, then 10 free. I can't find Win 10 Product Key Only Product ID Listed In SysInfo.

Can I download Win10 for free somewhere, and locate the Product Key to install for free, or do I have to buy the complete WinOS 10 Pro to the tune of $200!!!? Help Please! Thanks so much!

 

Windows 10 OS cloning Failed due to Bad Sectors on HDD Failure. Now I can't boot on both the original and new HDD

Thanks for reaching out! I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft user like you.

Please try these steps:

For the old HDD:

1. Run CHKDSK Command:
   
   • Boot from a Windows installation media (USB or DVD).
     
   • Select "Repair your computer" and then "Troubleshoot" > "Command Prompt".
     
   • Run the command chkdsk X: /f /r (replace X with the drive letter of your Windows installation).
     
2. Use Startup Repair:
   
   • From the Windows installation media, select "Repair your computer" > "Troubleshoot" > "Startup Repair".
     
   • Follow the on-screen instructions to attempt automatic repair.
     

For the new HDD:

1. Format the New HDD:
   
   • Connect the new HDD to another computer.
     
   • Use Disk Management to delete any existing partitions and create a new partition.
     
   • Format the new partition to NTFS.
     
2. Initialize the New HDD:
   
   • If the new HDD shows 0 bytes or unallocated space, you may need to initialize it.
     
   • Open Disk Management, right-click the new HDD, and select "Initialize Disk".
     
   • Choose the partition style (MBR or GPT) and proceed.
     
3. Clone the HDD Again:
   
   • Use a reliable cloning tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant or Macrium Reflect.
     
   • Ensure the source HDD is connected properly and retry the cloning process.
     
4. Clean Install Windows 10:
   
   • If cloning fails again, consider performing a clean install of Windows 10 on the new HDD.
     
   • Boot from the Windows installation media, select "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)", and choose the new HDD as the installation target.
     
5. Check for Bad Sectors:
   
   • If the new HDD still shows issues, it might have bad sectors.
     
   • Use a tool like HD Tune or CrystalDiskInfo to check the health of the new HDD.
     
   • If bad sectors are found, consider replacing the new HDD as well.
     

Please do let me know if the method I suggested works for you or if you need further assistance.