I'm building a new gaming pc and I'm getting a new SSD for the operating system but I don't wanna buy a new windows. I just wanna use the one on my laptop. What I want to know is how do I take just the OS and put it on the SSD. I have another mechanical drive for everything else. And also how do I partition some of the SSD for caching the mechanical.
If your laptops windows is OEM it might deactivate do to hardware change.
I think it will deactivate because I tried to put a different wifi card in it and It wouldn't even boot. But as for the video. It copies everything, bat all of my data will fit on the SSD. I only want the OS.
It will deactivate.
Calling up Microsoft using one of their freephone number will reactivate it though (automated system!)
Windows takes a snapshot of the hardware serials in your system and sends it to M$, thats how they know yours is yours. If you clone it you will have to do the aforementioned re-registration.
Keep in mind that if you clone your drive to a new one, it will also clone those pesky bloatware and OEM partitions onto the new drive. Thats why its always mentioned to just do a clean install and then move your data.
How do I do a clean install. Buy a new version of windows?
Download a .ISO of your Windows version and install it as you normally would, entering your OEM key.
Would that key be on the little sticker on the bottom under product key?
Manufacturers like to restrict what you put into your laptop sometimes. I can even upgrade the wifi card in my laptop either as it is not on the whitelist HP puts in place for it.
I just tried entering my product key on the microsoft software recovery site and It says it is unsupported because the key I entered appears to be one of an OS that was pre-installed on a device.
It's a 25 digit product key.
XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
Is this Windows 8 or Windows 7?
7
Download a .ISO of your version using this link:
https://forum.teksyndicate.com/t/windows-7-professional-64bit-installer-needed/79550/11?u=kai
Then write it to a DVD (using WIndows Image Burner) or a USB (using win32diskimager)
Might not be possible. If you transplant your hard drive to the new PC or clone it, it's very likely that it won't work at all. With that said, if you have a product key, you can just use that. It's your key.
thats a lot of options. which windows 7 home premium do I download
X17-58997.iso en_windows_7_home_premium_with_sp1_x64_dvd_u_676549.iso da319b5826162829c436306bebea7f0f 6c9058389c1e2e5122b7c933275f963edf1c07b9 46648English Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1 64 bit DVD
Your laptop shipped with a version of Windows you'll be able to cross-reference as OEM. Larger companies like HP buy their licensing in bulk and for a much lower price because it's hardware locked to a machine and usually requires a proprietary bios to initiate an install. Basically, no it's not a possibility with your laptop OS without joining the dark side.
I found it nice to invest in a retail copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. I have under the EULA the right to install 3 instances legitimately and refresh the install at my leisure. Can't beat it. OEM versions lock themselves to unique hardware serials and cap out with installation refreshes. I can't believe in 2015 windows still ties us to incremental updates that make refreshing a system take half a day, but at least I'm able and as needed.
Take the high road. Anything worth having is worth paying for.
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disk imager wont do anything with the .ISO file. It says try it with a different file name
just use the free daemon tools lite.