New Pc - use old C: drive?

[Phoenix]

I am nuying a new pc. It will have Windows 11 pro on it, but mine is already set up with
that, including all of my main programs and apps
I was thinking of simply using my boot drive SSD to save some cash (by not buying W 11 again)
Is this a good decision?
Hoping not to be forced into reinstalling everything..
Any thoughts?

 

[Bighorn]

Is the new machine an OEM, SystemBuilder or Custom? If an OEM it should have Win11 which is coded to the motherboard and just need activating during setup. Sometimes the SystemBuilder is the same but Customs need a copy of Windows that may or may not be included in the price, depending upon what is ordered. A Retail version can be used on replacement machines but not both/two at the same time. I'd try the old drive but leave the new drive on the shelf until/unless needed later, have had success with SATA HDD and SSD drives but haven't tried the NVMe with the different socket/s on the motherboard yet. A big thing is whether the old drive will work with activation with the new hardware, may have to discuss it with Microsoft.

 

[Phoenix]

Is the new machine an OEM, SystemBuilder or Custom? If an OEM it should have Win11 which is coded to the motherboard and just need activating during setup. Sometimes the SystemBuilder is the same but Customs need a copy of Windows that may or may not be included in the price, depending upon what is ordered. A Retail version can be used on replacement machines but not both/two at the same time. I'd try the old drive but leave the new drive on the shelf until/unless needed later, have had success with SATA HDD and SSD drives but haven't tried the NVMe with the different socket/s on the motherboard yet.

Ah Thanks The cost of purchasing a new copy of Win 11 is not prohibitive, yet the thought of reinstalling stuff is quite scary and time consuming. Guess I best just get the new issue. Hope they provide the key. Sometimes in the past decades it was not...

 

[Bighorn]

Guess I best just get the new issue. Hope they provide the key. Sometimes in the past decades it was not..

The new ones I got didn't have a printed Product Key like Win7 and earlier, was a change with Win8 and later. My 2 new ones came with Win10, set up and activated then upgraded to Win11, both Pro. I was later given a Desktop and a Notebook for parts originally from 2019 and Win10 Home, now running Win11 but both did properly meet the Win11 System Requirements.

 

[Phoenix]

The new ones I got didn't have a printed Product Key like Win7 and earlier, was a change with Win8 and later. My 2 new ones came with Win10, set up and activated then upgraded to Win11, both Pro. I was later given a Desktop and a Notebook for parts originally from 2019 and Win10 Home, now running Win11 but both did properly meet the Win11 System Requirements.

Thank you. Considering putting the old C drive (the ssd) into new one's 2nd ssd slot, and copying that way...if it allows me.

 

[Henk]

But you won't have the drivers for your new processor and MoBo. And if the network won't start with the old drivers Windows won't be able to download the correct ones.

 

[Bighorn]

Thank you. Considering putting the old C drive (the ssd) into new one's 2nd ssd slot, and copying that way...if it allows me.

That can work but the basics are that Windows-based programs don't copy well because during install of a program files are copied to the drive, icons are created, support files are copied to the Windows folder and Registry entries are made so Windows knows how to run the programs. I've done it when not having the disc or download to reinstall from but it is tedious, had to have both computers close by and when trying each program copy over files that were missed into the right place.

 

[Phoenix]

Excellent insight. Yep. Thank you

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Windows 11 is much more intelligent than some will give it credence. If it finds itself on a strange PC, it will adapt!
Almost like a Borg!
My last install of Win-11 was to a very old Dell Latitude D820. I cloned the SSD on my main PC, a much later model desktop, to a new 120GB SSD, and then put the SSD into the Dell. And when I booted it up, it asked me to wait, or some such thing,
(I forget the actual verbage) and within just a couple of minutes, it had installed some drivers, settled in and was running like it had been Clean Installed there. Absolutely everything was in-tact. I don't keep my data files on my main drive, so they did not copy over, just the OS and Programs. I can always add my data files to that old Dell, later on, if I ever so desire.
In the mean time, I've got a very old Dell laptop running Windows 11, like a champ. It's no speed demon, but it actually does run good, with only 2GB of RAM memory, and a 120GB SSD.
Actually, this is not the first time I've used this technique to install Windows of any version, to a new PC.
I started doing this back in the early days of Windows 8.1 x86.
I was really surprised, at how easily Windows 8.1 could be moved (copied) from one PC to another PC, even when the two PC's used different brands of motherboards, CPU's, etc. And, they were made over a decade apart!

Cheers Mates!
Shadow

 

[bassfisher6522]

Nice tip and advice.