How to move your Windows hard drive to a new PC?

Buying a new computer can be fun until you have to migrate all your old applications, preferences and files.Wouldn't it be easier to insert your old hard drive into your new PC and resume where you were?This is technically possible, but there are some drawbacks.

With Windows 7, it was less tenable;This introduced pilot conflicts, in particular with lower level equipment such as the SATA controller of your hard drive.Consequently, a blue screen often appeared as soon as the computer is starting, even preventing you from accessing the desktop.

Microsoft Sysprep could sometimes help you, but it was not really intended for this use and had many drawbacks.It is almost always preferable to make a clean installation.

Windows 8 and 10, on the other hand, manage these conflicts much better.When you launch an existing Windows installation on a new PC, it makes its first configuration as if it were a new computer, collects the drivers for your new equipment and drops you to the desktop without too many problems.

You will have to carry out some operations yourself, but overall it should work-I moved my disc from a machine based on AMD to an Intel/Nvidia machine without the slightest problem.Windows Update was even able to download the new fixes.

This does not mean that you will not encounter any problem.All this can vary from one PC to another, and you never know what pilot conflicts or what performance problems can hide below the surface of a apparently perfect configuration.

All in all, I would always recommend doing a clean installation if you definitely migrate to a new machine, but if you need something fast and dirty - as if your old PC dies and you need to access somedata from your old installation - it should work quite well.

Step 1: Save the entire disc

Before making substantial changes, it is always good to save your data, and this is worth doubly when you tackle hard drives.If you have a backup tool you really like, go for it and use it.

However, for this particular case, I recommend cloning the entire disc.So, if a problem arises and you cannot start, you can restore an exact image of the original disk and try another approach.

In addition, if your new PC uses a different type of disc from that of your old PC - for example, if you migrate with a PC equipped with a 2.5 -inch disc to a PC equipped with a disc of 2, 5 inches - you can use a 2.5 -inch disc.Location M.2 You can clone the old disk on a new disk with the right shape factor, then connect the disk to the M2 connector.that in your new PC.

Note that this can mean buying a new SSD and plug in with a USB to M.2 Sata or USB to M.2 nvme to clone it.Do research on the types of disks supported by your new PC before buying it.

Step 2: Move your disc to the new PC

Once your disc has been safely saved, it is time to transfer it to your new PC, first removing it from the external case (if you used one)).You may have to look for instructions to open your specific machine and install new storage.

Then turn on your PC.There is a good chance that it tries to start automatically from the new disk, but if this is not the case, you may need to press a start to start to enter the operating system.BIOS like F2 or Delete, and change the starting order.

Once the PC has found the right disc, you should be greeted by the Windows logo with the wheel that runs.There will probably be something like "Getting Devices Ready", and you will have to let it do its job - according to my experience, it is quite fast, although others have noted that it might require several restarts.

Step 3: Install the new drivers (and uninstall the old)

Windows will probably install a large number of drivers needed for you, especially when you connect your new PC to the Internet.You may notice a certain sparkle when downloading the display drivers, so give it time to proceed (and restart when you ask you).

You may have to download some drivers manually, if Windows does not do it itself (or if it only downloads screen drivers).Generic pilots instead of the pilots provided by the manufacturer).

For more security, I recommend that you go to your PC manufacturer's manufacturer's website and download the chipset, audio and others yourself.If you have built the computer yourself, go to the website of the motherboard manufacturer.

You can also go to the NVIDIA, AMD or Intel website for graphics pilots, but again, Windows has installed non -generic versions for me without intervention on my part.

Finally, if you want to keep things clean, you can uninstall the old drivers left on your system by looking for "adding or deleting programs" in the Start menu.For graphics pilots, you can use a tool like DDU to really clean them.

Pour tout le reste, cherchez dans le menu Démarrer le Gestionnaire de périphériques dans le Panneau de configuration, cliquez sur Afficher &gt ; Afficher les périphériques cachéset faites un clic droit sur les périphériques que vous n’utilisez plus pour désinstaller leurs pilotes.

Step 4: Reactivate Windows

There is a last problem in this process: when you put your disk in a new computer, Windows will recognize that the equipment has changed, and potentially - depending on the type of license you have - will deactivate.

If this installation is temporary, and you only use it to recover some elements of your old PC, you do not have to worry about activation - Windows should continue to operate normally, with an activation watermark inThe corner and some deactivated functions.

If you plan to use this configuration permanently, you must reactivate Windows.You can try to enter the same product key that you have used before, but this can fail if you have an OEM license which is not intended to migrate to new equipment.I recommend that you try the phone activation option, as it can sometimes succeed when online activation fails.

Again, all this is not an infallible process-there are a lot of little things that can make the process fail, so you may need to do a little troubleshooting if something is not working properly.And even in this case, there is no guarantee that you will get optimal performance if the system is not configured properly for your new equipment.

If you can take the time, a clean installation is the best, but when you need to be operational, it is best to install a new system.Immediately, it is good to know that Windows 10 has simplified the process enough to make it usable.