How do you install Windows 10 on a new Hard Drive

[Kris]

I believe the SSD on my desktop is dying. If I replace it how do I install Windows 10 the new one? I have read that the Key it shows will not work for a clean install. Do I have to install Windows 7 and then upgrade to Windows 10 again? That wouldn't make sense what happens if my Hard Drive dies after the free upgrade year?

 

[leeshor]

If you have upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and activated it on that system you can do a clean install on the new drive and skip the SN. It will activate itself, on that system.

 

[Kris]

If you have upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and activated it on that system you can do a clean install on the new drive and skip the SN. It will activate itself, on that system.

Thats great to know, really don't understand why the product key it gives me doesn't work. I am very curious to know how it identifies this system. Guess this also means when I build a new system I will have to buy Windows 10 instead of just transferring it over, thats a little annoying.
Thank you for the quick response.

 

[GreyFox7]

It builds a signature of the hardware that's linked to the activation key stored online. You are right in assuming you will need a new license when you build a new system.

 

[dleuen]

What if you just installed one component at a time? New disk boot and activate, new graphics card boot and activate, new motherboard boot and activate etc? It would be interesting to know the limits of what is an upgraded system vs. a new system.

 

[leeshor]

In the past it took a combination of 3 items in a given time period. I don't know what that time period is but I feel it is at least a few months. The components include processor, video, NIC, BIOS, (motherboard) and primary drive. The problem is that with the integrated motherboards today it's difficult when a MB fails not to exceed that 3 component limit. I've had it happen twice and had to call the 800 number but getting past their system was a small inconvenience. Nothing more.

 

[dleuen]

That's a good point about their phone support to fix license issues. I had to call the 800 number a couple of years ago and was very pleasantly surprised at how painless and quick it was.

 

[Russ]

The problem is that with the integrated motherboards today it's difficult when a MB fails not to exceed that 3 component limit.

Leeshor --
Last year a (very) nearby lightning strike damaged MBs in three of my computers and I had to replace them. In each case, I had to use the 800 number activation system and it was clean and simple.

In my experience, you can change hard drives without triggering anything. I do that a lot as I move stuff around.
Regards,
Russ