Installing Windows 8 on SSD and move that SSD to a new PC

TanyaC

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Melbourne
Hi,

My son has had me purchase a copy of Windows 8 for him (I really tried to talk him out of it, but he really wanted it, go figure :shock:). I have a PC with the same model/brand mobo he has. I have a 120gb SSD which is his. His PC has a 1.5TB spinner and a different brand and amount of memory.

He can't bring his computer around for a week, and I want to get a head start. I would like to install windows on his 120GB SSD in my computer, then move the SSD over to his computer.

Given the differences between the two PCs....

Can I do that? Is it allowed?
Will it cause problems with activation?

Tanya
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Made
    CPU
    Intel I7-3770K running @ OC 4.6ghz
    Motherboard
    ASRock Extreme6 Z77
    Memory
    32GB G-Skill CL10Q @ 2400
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX670 SC 4gb
    Sound Card
    Creative XFI Fataility Platinum
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27" x 2 E2742-BV
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    OCZ Vertex 4 256GB (OS) SATA 3
    1TB WD1000EARX SATA 3 Data
    WD15EADS 1.5TB
    PSU
    Corsair HX650 Silver Professional Series
    Case
    HAF 932 ADV
    Cooling
    Corair H100 liquid cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech G110 Gamer keyboard
    Mouse
    Razor Mamba
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ 20.0mbps
    Other Info
    Gigabit infrastructure; Cabling, switches; DSL2750B Modem/Router All PCs connect to Windows 2008 R2 server for website, coldfusion, SQL, Firebird and media sharing & WSUS
You could always sysprep it without activation :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 64-bit and Win8 32-bit in VM (+ others in VM)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus K52F
    CPU
    i3
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    it's an i3 :)
    Sound Card
    Conexant (rubbish - or it may be the speakers)
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Internet Speed
    whatever I can get - G3
Did you purchase upgrade DVD's or OEM system builder software? Also, will he want to be installed under UEFI? Is your Win7 installed under UEFI? Check out installing Win8 under UEFI.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult on DIY; Win8 Pro on MBP/Parallels; Win7 Ult on MBP/Boot Camp; Win7 Ult/Win8 Pro on HP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Rig; MacBook Pro (MBP)/Parallels/Boot Camp; HP Pavilion dv6500t Laptop
    CPU
    Intel i7-2600K (sometimes OC'd to 4.8 GHz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Rev B3
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 570 SC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway
    Hard Drives
    Dual Boot:
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on OCZ Revo x2 and
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on Caviar Black SATA 3's
    PSU
    Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
    Case
    Cooler Master 932 HAF
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9900MAX-B CPU Fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Mouse
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Internet Speed
    20 Mbps Download/2+ Mbps Upload
    Other Info
    Pioneer Blu-ray Burner/DVD Burner
Hi Tanya,

After some playing around with the RP Win8 To Go, I saw that moving that particular drive around PC's no problem was.
I didn't performed that with a regular install but I assume it will work the same way. It always worked in VM's moves from VMware to VBox and vice versa but reactivation was necesary.

At least you can add one positive point to your Win8 experience :) and that is the fact it's more driver-install friendly: it will install all drivers at once when you first boot with it on another PC (fase called "getting devices ready" before you see the desktop).

So after all I saw, yeah it's feasible BUT don't activate it yet, you'll better do that on the destined PC otherwise it is possible to give problems with the reactivation on another PC.

If by some other reason it auto-activates (because it has the key preinstalled and you're online) then you'll have to reactivate it on the other PC BUT I wouldn't recommend to try installing it only on the right PC from the start in this case, just to be safe.

Cheers
Hopachi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
Did you purchase upgrade DVD's or OEM system builder software? Also, will he want to be installed under UEFI? Is your Win7 installed under UEFI? Check out installing Win8 under UEFI.

I purchased it online through microsoft. Windows 8 pro upgrade. Using the tutorial here I was going to do a clean install.

The mobo is a Z68X-UD3R. It is BIOS not UEFI, No, the PC I am going to use is a spare that has the same mobo, with the same BIOS revision as it happens, also BIOS not UEFI.

I guess I can always connect the PC to the server here without connecting to the Internet to install any patches through my WSUS server, and then install the programs that he has, and leave it at that, but will that work with the refresh install as discussed in the tutorial (http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13375-clean-install-windows-8-upgrade.html)?

@NoelDP.. I would do a full install, without connecting it to the internet, without patches and programs, then sysprep it? How would I do that?

When he brings his windows 7 PC over, I'll take out the Win7 60gb SSD and format it so his Windows 7 is gone and doesn't violate the licence terms.

Am I even on the right planet?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Made
    CPU
    Intel I7-3770K running @ OC 4.6ghz
    Motherboard
    ASRock Extreme6 Z77
    Memory
    32GB G-Skill CL10Q @ 2400
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX670 SC 4gb
    Sound Card
    Creative XFI Fataility Platinum
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27" x 2 E2742-BV
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    OCZ Vertex 4 256GB (OS) SATA 3
    1TB WD1000EARX SATA 3 Data
    WD15EADS 1.5TB
    PSU
    Corsair HX650 Silver Professional Series
    Case
    HAF 932 ADV
    Cooling
    Corair H100 liquid cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech G110 Gamer keyboard
    Mouse
    Razor Mamba
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ 20.0mbps
    Other Info
    Gigabit infrastructure; Cabling, switches; DSL2750B Modem/Router All PCs connect to Windows 2008 R2 server for website, coldfusion, SQL, Firebird and media sharing & WSUS
@NoelDP.. I would do a full install, without connecting it to the internet, without patches and programs, then sysprep it? How would I do that?

I was afraid you'd ask that (hence the smiley in my post)!

I've never even done a Sysprep in Win7, let alone 8 - people write books about it (lots of them!)

The theory is to create a technician's machine, and get it set up, then sysprep - but with the Zero grace period in 8 I'm not sure how that would impact it.
Have a look in TechNet - there should be a load of stuff in there (or in the OEM System Builder site if you're registered)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 64-bit and Win8 32-bit in VM (+ others in VM)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus K52F
    CPU
    i3
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    it's an i3 :)
    Sound Card
    Conexant (rubbish - or it may be the speakers)
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Internet Speed
    whatever I can get - G3
Did you purchase upgrade DVD's or OEM system builder software? Also, will he want to be installed under UEFI? Is your Win7 installed under UEFI? Check out installing Win8 under UEFI.

I purchased it online through microsoft. Windows 8 pro upgrade. Using the tutorial here I was going to do a clean install.

The mobo is a Z68X-UD3R. It is BIOS not UEFI, No, the PC I am going to use is a spare that has the same mobo, with the same BIOS revision as it happens, also BIOS not UEFI.

I guess I can always connect the PC to the server here without connecting to the Internet to install any patches through my WSUS server, and then install the programs that he has, and leave it at that, but will that work with the refresh install as discussed in the tutorial (http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13375-clean-install-windows-8-upgrade.html)?

@NoelDP.. I would do a full install, without connecting it to the internet, without patches and programs, then sysprep it? How would I do that?

When he brings his windows 7 PC over, I'll take out the Win7 60gb SSD and format it so his Windows 7 is gone and doesn't violate the licence terms.

Am I even on the right planet?
Do you intend to install as a dual boot initially. Doing so might mess with your startup after transferring the drive. Access would be via boot menu. You could unplug your spinner when installing. Might cause you to have to activate via phone if no system already installed on SSD. In principle, upgrading causes forfeiture of some prior license. You could install, say, Vista on the SSD, and then clean install Win8, to get around these issues. Installing Vista after Win7 if installing as dual boot will require booting fixes unless spinner unplugged. Not sure what will happen when drive is transferred to other machine. Should be able to get it working and activated though.

Tune:

"And she'll have fun fun fun

Til her daddy takes the t-bird away
(Fun fun fun til her daddy takes the t-bird away)"
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult on DIY; Win8 Pro on MBP/Parallels; Win7 Ult on MBP/Boot Camp; Win7 Ult/Win8 Pro on HP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Rig; MacBook Pro (MBP)/Parallels/Boot Camp; HP Pavilion dv6500t Laptop
    CPU
    Intel i7-2600K (sometimes OC'd to 4.8 GHz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Rev B3
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 570 SC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway
    Hard Drives
    Dual Boot:
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on OCZ Revo x2 and
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on Caviar Black SATA 3's
    PSU
    Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
    Case
    Cooler Master 932 HAF
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9900MAX-B CPU Fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Mouse
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Internet Speed
    20 Mbps Download/2+ Mbps Upload
    Other Info
    Pioneer Blu-ray Burner/DVD Burner
Did you purchase upgrade DVD's or OEM system builder software? Also, will he want to be installed under UEFI? Is your Win7 installed under UEFI? Check out installing Win8 under UEFI.

I purchased it online through microsoft. Windows 8 pro upgrade. Using the tutorial here I was going to do a clean install.

The mobo is a Z68X-UD3R. It is BIOS not UEFI, No, the PC I am going to use is a spare that has the same mobo, with the same BIOS revision as it happens, also BIOS not UEFI.

The ASRock Extreme6 Z77 has a uEFI/BIOS firmware.
ASRock > Z77 Extreme6
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
She may have been saying only that she's not going to install under UEFI. Not sure.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult on DIY; Win8 Pro on MBP/Parallels; Win7 Ult on MBP/Boot Camp; Win7 Ult/Win8 Pro on HP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Rig; MacBook Pro (MBP)/Parallels/Boot Camp; HP Pavilion dv6500t Laptop
    CPU
    Intel i7-2600K (sometimes OC'd to 4.8 GHz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Rev B3
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 570 SC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway
    Hard Drives
    Dual Boot:
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on OCZ Revo x2 and
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on Caviar Black SATA 3's
    PSU
    Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
    Case
    Cooler Master 932 HAF
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9900MAX-B CPU Fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Mouse
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Internet Speed
    20 Mbps Download/2+ Mbps Upload
    Other Info
    Pioneer Blu-ray Burner/DVD Burner
Did you purchase upgrade DVD's or OEM system builder software? Also, will he want to be installed under UEFI? Is your Win7 installed under UEFI? Check out installing Win8 under UEFI.

I purchased it online through microsoft. Windows 8 pro upgrade. Using the tutorial here I was going to do a clean install.

The mobo is a Z68X-UD3R. It is BIOS not UEFI, No, the PC I am going to use is a spare that has the same mobo, with the same BIOS revision as it happens, also BIOS not UEFI.

The ASRock Extreme6 Z77 has a uEFI/BIOS firmware.
ASRock > Z77 Extreme6

@THEOG: Lol, You are right, the Extreme6 is a UEFI. But there were two clues in what I said. The PC is "a spare" and it is a "Z68X-UD3R". That is Traditional BIOS. ;)

@ZNOD. No I wont be dual booting. I am using a "SPARE" PC I have lying around, not my PC. It has no spinner, just an SSD. There are no issues with the bootmgr being placed anywhere than on the new SSD, as it will be the only drive in the system.

I think we are getting off track.

I have seen on some systems that replacing various components invalidates the activation state of a machine, requiring you to contact Microsoft and if they are feeling generous they'll phone activate it, otherwise you have to buy another licence. That's the scenatio I'm trying to avoid.

I dont know when the machine hash is created. At activation time, or install time. If the latter, even if I don't activate the hashes won't match. The question then is how different does Microsoft allow them to be before it fails activation? If only memory and the additional spinner are different, is that enough to break activation?

Perhaps I should just wait for for him to get here next week. He can just wait out the extra time it takes to install from scratch

@NoelDP: I'll have a read up on syspreps. I believe there is a tutorial by Shawn on seven forums. I too have never had a need to do one.

thank you all for your help.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Made
    CPU
    Intel I7-3770K running @ OC 4.6ghz
    Motherboard
    ASRock Extreme6 Z77
    Memory
    32GB G-Skill CL10Q @ 2400
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX670 SC 4gb
    Sound Card
    Creative XFI Fataility Platinum
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27" x 2 E2742-BV
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    OCZ Vertex 4 256GB (OS) SATA 3
    1TB WD1000EARX SATA 3 Data
    WD15EADS 1.5TB
    PSU
    Corsair HX650 Silver Professional Series
    Case
    HAF 932 ADV
    Cooling
    Corair H100 liquid cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech G110 Gamer keyboard
    Mouse
    Razor Mamba
    Internet Speed
    ADSL 2+ 20.0mbps
    Other Info
    Gigabit infrastructure; Cabling, switches; DSL2750B Modem/Router All PCs connect to Windows 2008 R2 server for website, coldfusion, SQL, Firebird and media sharing & WSUS
I don't think you have a problem on the change-in-machine issue. Changes used to be an issue on the Windows OEM system builder type software (not still the case), but not on the "regular" retail software.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 Ult on DIY; Win8 Pro on MBP/Parallels; Win7 Ult on MBP/Boot Camp; Win7 Ult/Win8 Pro on HP
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Rig; MacBook Pro (MBP)/Parallels/Boot Camp; HP Pavilion dv6500t Laptop
    CPU
    Intel i7-2600K (sometimes OC'd to 4.8 GHz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8P67 Deluxe Rev B3
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 570 SC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway
    Hard Drives
    Dual Boot:
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on OCZ Revo x2 and
    Win7 Ult RAID 0 on Caviar Black SATA 3's
    PSU
    Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
    Case
    Cooler Master 932 HAF
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS9900MAX-B CPU Fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Mouse
    Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500
    Internet Speed
    20 Mbps Download/2+ Mbps Upload
    Other Info
    Pioneer Blu-ray Burner/DVD Burner
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