Is it possible to relocate an M.2 NVMe SSD without reinstalling the operating system?
Is it possible to relocate an M.2 NVMe SSD without reinstalling the operating system?
I have a prebuilt Lenovo Legion tower and intend to replace the motherboard. The BIOS restricts my RAM speed to 2133mhz, which limits performance. I’m considering upgrading to an MSI B550M but feel uncertain about handling the NVMe drive. Since I’m only comfortable with SATA drives, should I wipe the new drive before installation? Will I need to reinstall Windows? I’m planning to switch to the MSI B550M PRO-VDH WiFi series. Any input would be appreciated. I’m familiar with computers but haven’t worked with NVMe drives before.
You can simply relocate the drive and install it in the new system; however, you'll have to purchase Windows since the original unit came with an OEM key that won't transfer to a different motherboard (the HWID restricts access).
That means after moving the drive, your system will start with Windows, but you’ll have to purchase a replacement key.
It should function properly. I typically perform a clean install when modifying hardware, but recently updating the motherboard and CPU didn’t cause issues—surprisingly well. I had to reinstall Windows, but it completed without problems since it’s not a prebuilt version.