Windows 10: Swapped hard drive into new Win10 pc - all files deleted on startup

Hi, I'm new to these forums and Win 10.

I've just purchased a used (clean OS install) desktop with Win10 pro installed. It has a primary SSD drive, and a storage 3GB magnetic hard drive. I attempted to unplug the existing 3GB drive and replace with a 1GB magnetic (storage, not primary) hard drive from my laptop to transfer many large and important files onto the desktop primary drive. This has worked without trouble in past years on many machines with older Windows OS etc. However, after startup I was aghast to discover that all of the files on the 1GB (laptop) drive now in my Win 10 machine have apparently been deleted, and appear to be replaced (at least in name) with two small folders of the same name that were on the original desktop 3GB. This seems confirmed when I replaced the 1GB drive back into my laptop. Also, I notice that the 1GB drive which is now back in my laptop has been renamed as a 3GB drive. This is a completely unexpected result, and many of the files are irreplaceable. Is it possible to recover these files? Hope this makes sense...

:)

 

Backup/Clone Hard Drive

Hello,

I have a new PC and would like to transfer all of my documents/files in my old Win10 PC to this new Win10 PC. I am able to save my backup to a network location and then retrieve them to this new PC. In essence, I would like to clone my old hard drive to
this new PC.

Thank you.

AN

 

Can I Use Key from Unused Activation on Virtual Box Win10 Install?

I ordered a new win10 Lenovo laptop, which is being delivered next week. I'm going to swap out the hard drive it comes with with a new ssd, install kubuntu, then I'm planning on running win10 in virtualbox.

Can I somehow use the license from the win10 that came with the laptop to activate the copy I'll run in the virtual machine, or is my best bet just to buy a new key?

Thanks in advance!