Maintaining all details while adding a new drive with windows
Maintaining all details while adding a new drive with windows
In a short time I plan to sell my old PC and get a new one. I’ll remove the two drives from my current machine and move them to the new setup so I retain everything. My old PC has an M.2 and an HDD with Windows on the SSD. I’m considering getting a 980 Pro to get more storage and faster performance, since my current M.2 isn’t great and the new system will be high-end. I’m wondering if I can delete Windows from the M.2 with the Windows installer and still have everything identical to before, just like if I transferred the drives. I really want the same downloads and setup as if I upgraded without changing much else. I thought about a fresh install, but I have lots of games, clips, and mods. Short answer: if you can move Windows to a faster SSD while keeping everything else the same, that would work. Otherwise, sticking with Windows on the old drive and keeping it light might be better for games.
You might remove it because it’s unnecessary or outdated. Cloning your main SSD to a new one is often beneficial, and there are many available tools for that purpose. I favor MiniTool ShadowMaker Free.
You can duplicate your existing storage device using Samsung Data Migration: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consum...ort/tools/. After copying everything from your current M.2 drive to the new 980 Pro, detach the 980 Pro and disconnect the HDD to erase the original M.2. It’s wise to power off all other drives to prevent mix-ups and to avoid deleting the ones you wish to retain (I’ve handled that before). After launching the installation media, launch the command prompt by pressing Shift + F10. You can then execute the following commands to fully erase the drive for sale: diskpart list disk Verify the disk number for the M.2 drive you intend to wipe according to its capacity. I assume it’s disk 1 here, but adjust to the number Windows PE indicates if needed. Using the "all" option will clear the entire volume, making data unrecoverable. Select disk 1 clean all
Cloning involves duplicating everything on the drive, so you’d need to replace it if necessary. I’m not familiar with the process, but I understand it’s meant to make backups.
I retain the drive because it held a variety of items, and after purchasing an HDD, I have a combination of data on each storage device. Cloning the old M.2 to the 980 should replicate everything as if it were a single drive, meaning deleting the old M.2 won’t erase any installations. You’re safe to sell it as long as you transfer the relevant files to the new drive.
Cloning involves duplicating each segment one-for-one onto another storage device. Advanced cloning tools adjust the size of the data partition automatically, making it bigger if the target drive has more space than the source.
It depends on the method used. Cloning usually requires a new key, but some processes can create multiple versions without needing additional credentials.
If you possess an OEM key, it's recommended to purchase a replacement when transferring it to a different machine. However, the cloned operating system should function properly even without a retail key.
I don’t recognize the key I have; it seems like an OEM designation based on the name, but my setup is a ready-made system so no installation was needed.
The license is linked to your motherboard but can be transferred. Cloning should function until Window's activation service detects a hardware change.