Windows 10: Upgrade a drive from HDD to SSD keeping Windows 10 activated

Good Evening,


I'd like to upgrade the internal drive of a computer from HDD to SSD and install Windows 10 on it. I want to be sure that the copy I'll install on the SSD will be correctly activated.


The PC is a Lenovo G50-70, it was shipped with Windows 8 and it has been upgraded to Windows 10 when the upgrade was free.


First thing first, I already googled a lot, and I found out that the activation key is usually inside the BIOS I didn't find this info related to my specific model, but I may suppose it works for any PC, right?, so once a new fresh copy of W10 starts, it should be automatically activated. The point is that I didn't actually found my same scenario in the questions.


Plus, on I found here that if "You'll need to reactivate Windows 10 if you've made a significant hardware change to your PC", but it doesn't talk about memory change, only motherboard.


Finally, on the same link quoted above, the page says that I'll need to install the same W10 edition, but onthis page I can only find a generic "Windows 10" edition, that should work on both W10 Home and W10 Pro, but I'm not sure which edition is on the PC I'm upgrading.

If those are the only two editions then ok, problem solved, otherwise I don't know how to check it I remember that for Win7 there were like 5 different editions.


The steps I figured out in order to upgrade are the following:

1. Open the PC and put the new SSD with the SATA cable
2. Insert a Windows 10 USB installer that I previously made
3. Boot the PC and perform the installation following each step
4. Boot up the system once the installation is finished

If I got it right, after performing these steps I should have a new fresh and correctly activated copy of Windows 10.


So my question is: given all the informations and the process I want follow, will everything be alright?

Also, will I have all the basic device drivers that are commonly shipped with a PC like Wifi, Audio, Touchpad, Keyboard drivers? Or will I have to perform their installation manually?

:)

 

Switch HDD to SSD + Add m2 2280 SSD then Activation? Or Activate then swap all the HDD/SSDs around?

Good Afternoon,

Just purchased a brand new desktop PC (it still in the box). Its preinstalled with Windows 10 Professional (awaiting activation) on the a single drive which is a 2.5" HDD. I don't' want that drive in the computer and I've purchased two new SSD's to upgrade
the system. Once I remove the HDD, its no longer part of my equation.

Current out of the box setup:

2.5" HDD with Windows 10 Pro awaiting first startup / initiation and activation.

Where I want to go:

M.2 2280 SSD as Primary drive with Windows 10 Pro installed and activated here

2.5" SSD as secondary drive for my files/documents/data.

How do I get the preinstalled Win10Pro off the HDD, and activate it on the M2 SSD as the primary OS boot drive? Should I activate windows before making all these hardware changes? Or should I clone/reinstall Windows 10 Pro to the M.2 SSD then activate?
Last step is adding the additional SSD for data, but that's not a priority … or is it? Add it before activation?

This is the headache I get for buying an pre-built system that wasn't originally spec'd the way I wanted. Oh well.

Do the HDD/SSD changes make a diff to the activation process? or is it all hardware encoded to the motherboard which remains unchanged?

Advice?

 

Upgrading from HDD to SSD on Windows 10

Hi,

I am planning to upgrade my current HDD (on my laptop) to a Samsung Evo SSD and I have some queries regarding the process. I am aware of the whole media creating process but I'd just wanna know if there would be any activation issues. I believe these are
the steps involved.

1. Download the media creation tool. (Please confirm which one)

2. Replace HDD by SSD.

3. Boot from USB Drive and install on SSD. (It should not ask for a license)

4. Install all drivers.

Is this it? Did I miss any step?

Thank you

 

Upgrading HDD to SSD on Online Activated Windows 10

Hello Sir/Madam,

I am currently running Windows 10 on an HDD that was activated during the free installation from Windows 8.1 when Windows 10 launched. So, I am planning to upgrade to an SSD, add some more Ram and also change the wifi card. How do I keep my pre-activated
Windows 10 on the new (sort of). i.e How do I have this Windows 10 on my new SSD without buying it.



Thank you in advance.