what the best way to move SSD from broken Laptop to a new one


  1. halfbit
    Posts : 3
    Windows 10
       New #1

    what the best way to move SSD from broken Laptop to a new one


    Scenario: I am business traveling, and my laptop died (SSD is OK, I think). My possible resources are very poor (Greek island). So I don't see a chance for mirroring, etc. HDs here.

    So I have to buy a new laptop - windows 10 pre installed.

    I have (hopefully) all essential data saved (stick and my servers in internet). I have tons of MB of software and additional data on the SSD or can download again. But I would like to save the time for downloading all this stuff again.

    First idea - works for sure I think:

    1. Finish the installation and activate new Win10 license
    2. Replace HDD with SSD and boot with my Ubuntu Stick OS
    3. Save data on USB device
    4. Replace SSD with HDD
    5. Copy data from USB device
    6. repeat 2 - 5 for all missing information


    Second Idea - good question - will it work?

    1. Finish the installation and activate new Win10 license
    2. Make a repair system DVD (or DVDs)
    3. Replace HDD with SSD
    4. Repair system with booting from DVD
    5. go back to "idea 1"


    Third Idea - very insecure - I think

    1. Finish the installation and activate new Win10 license
    2. Make a repair system DVD (or DVDs)
    3. Find and copy the license key
    4. Replace HDD with SSD
    5. Boot
    6. try to activate the key
    7. go back to "idea 2"


    I think idea 2 is good, but will it work?

    Are there other solutions (no until now I did not find a USB case to put my SSD in) ?
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  3. Samuria
    Posts : 8,107
    windows 10
       New #2

    Welcome to the forum the simple way with no risk is to get a USB enclosure which are very cheap so you can just plug in to the new laptop and copy what you want no danger. Taking the HD out of a new PC under warranty may invalidate it
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  4. halfbit
    Posts : 3
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    I can't find it (USB enclosure) here on the island - till now


    with "no until now I did not find a USB case to put my SSD in" I meant no USB enclosure - if I find it, it's #1
    Last edited by halfbit; 18 Apr 2017 at 12:50. Reason: typo
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. halfbit
    Posts : 3
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    off topic message just for information


    Taking the HD out of a new PC under warranty may invalidate it
    EU consumer laws say "the manufacturer has to prove, that a system fault activating warranty is the direct problem following my action" - opening alone is - at least in EU - not a problem. If I break the sockets while changing the HDD - my fault, if the display dies 2 weeks later, not.

    Sorry for my English
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  7. telepro21
    Posts : 67
    Windows 10 Professional 21H2
       New #5

    halfbit,
    I have read this thread a few times and it seems that the only way to make a choice as to how to proceed is to see if the current SSD is accessible and has any of your software on it that you can retrieve. Here is how I did it when I was traveling for business and the same thing happened: Can you power on your current laptop and reach the BIOS to set it to boot from your Ubuntu USB stick? If yes, then do so and see if Ubuntu can read (and hopefully copy) the files that you need from the SSD. Then all you would have to do is activate your new laptop, leave the HDD inside, for now and copy your files from the USB stick.

    If the above does not work then you are back to downloading everything over the network or finding a USB case for your SSD.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  8. NavyLCDR
    Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       New #6

    As long as the two Windows are the same version (Home, Pro, Single Language, N, etc.) or if the new laptop has a higher version of Windows such as old laptop is Home and new laptop is Pro:

    Export the drivers from the new laptop to a USB flash drive - probably going to need at least an 8 GB flash drive. Make a folder on the flash drive, I just use drivers as an example. Let's say it is G:\Drivers. After completing the activation of Windows on the new laptop:

    Open a command prompt (admin) or powershell (admin)
    Run:
    dism /online /export-driver /destination:G:\Drivers
    change the path in red to match the folder on your USB flash drive.

    Also, download and run SHOWKEY plus from here:
    ShowKeyPlus - - Windows 10 Forums

    Write down the product key from the new laptop.

    Then take the SSD out of the old laptop, install it in the new laptop, and boot the new laptop from the SSD. If any of the new hardware does not have drivers for it (unknown devices in device manager or exclamation points) you can install those drivers from the drivers you exported to the USB flash drive.

    If the Windows versions are the same, it should reactivate as soon as you connect to the internet. If not, then change the product key to what was given to you by showkey. If the Windows versions are different, then the Windows on the SSD won't activate. You may also have to re-activate programs like Microsoft Office that depend on the hardware ID to maintain activation.
    Last edited by NavyLCDR; 19 Apr 2017 at 07:48.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

 

  Related Discussions
So, my laptop has really old and bad specs. You can check it in this post in 'My computers' Section. I am planning to replace the celeron 1000M with an i7-3940xm (due to the socket and chipset) DDR3-1600MHz 2x2GB with DDR3-1600MHz 8x2GB And an...
This is the first time something like this has happened, I dropped my laptop charger. It's for this laptop: Dell Inspiron i5577-7342BLK-PUS,15.6" Gaming Laptop, (Intel Core i7,16GB,512GB SSD),NVIDIA GTX 1050. I was dropped from about waist...
I'm currently buying a used Laptop, that is decent enough to the Specs I'm looking for, but It has a broken bottom case, and I mean really smashed into type. Being that it is one of those expensive type ones, where can one buy replacement cases for...
Broken Laptop?
in General Support

I have dropped my 6 month old laptop on the carpet. About a 4 foor drop. My laptop immedietly started to run a lot slower. I tried to have it self diagnose its self by using chkdsk /R in the cmd. It froze at 10%, I restarted my laptop then tried to...
So It was around Thanksgiving and I opened my Asus Q550lf laptop and I hear a awful horible cracking sound. So to my surprise what do I find a nice beautiful crack on the right side leading all the way to the left side of the laptop. Then I find...
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

 © Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 00:28.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums