How do I format two drives from different PCs and swap them?

tsilva · 10 May 2018

Hi there!

I have a small dilemma and I would like some help.

I'm currently using an old laptop that has a HDD of 750 GB. My brother is giving me its newer laptop and I would like to give this laptop to my mother. Unfortunately, my brother's PC only has 500 GB. So, I would like to swap the hard drives and as such, I would need to format both HDDs and then install Win 10 on both laptops.

Usually, I always formatted the disk while doing a Clean install during the Windows set up. When I searched on Youtube about formatting a hard drive, people would always use the Disk Management program and connect the HDD with an adapter to the laptop. I don't have this adapter and I wanted to do this right away because I'll be going back home in a few days (I live on a different country from my mother).

Is it possible to start the Clean install procedure, format the disk and just stop the procedure there before the windows set up starts installing everything? This is one of main problems, I can't just install Win 10 normally because it'll install the drivers of the laptop where the HDD is in.

I really would like to just do "Reset this PC" on both laptops and simply swap them. But I guess that's impossible. The two laptops have more then 5 years of difference. Even though, both are ASUS.

Thanks in advance.

NavyLCDR · 10 May 2018

Why not just make a Windows 10 installation USB flash drive and boot the computer from that after you put the "new' hard drive in it, then you can delete the existing partitions on the hard drive and install Windows 10.

Download Windows 10 ISO File | Windows 10 Tutorials

Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Clean Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

tsilva · 11 May 2018

NavyLCDR said:

Why not just make a Windows 10 installation USB flash drive and boot the computer from that after you put the "new' hard drive in it, then you can delete the existing partitions on the hard drive and install Windows 10.

Download Windows 10 ISO File | Windows 10 Tutorials

Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Clean Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Thank you for the tutorials. They are great.

I guess I have no other way than just simply swap them and use a usb to install windows 10.

I simply was reluctant to do this because then I have to do this on both computers at the "same time". So I have to get a third computer so I can follow the tutorials.

Just two small (maybe stupid) questions. I guess with the Clean install using a USB, windows will ask for a product key, right? How can I retrieve my Windows key? Because the product key that is under my laptop is not the same anymore. I already installed a new Windows 7 on the past and used a key from the Windows Imagine page (they had a partnership with my university). I tried going to my account to see the download details but there is not a product key on the invoice.

On the past I would need to go to my BIOS and select to boot up from the USB. This is still needed, right?

Samuria · 11 May 2018

You don't need a product key if it asks skip it is licensed on ms servers you will have to set the BIOS to boot USB. Are both windows the same ie pro , home 32 or 64 bit?

NavyLCDR · 11 May 2018

If both computers already have Windows 10 on them, they have a digital license for Windows 10 stored on Microsoft activation servers. Skip entering the product key, install the same version of Windows 10 as before, and it will activate once it connects to the internet.

Bree · 11 May 2018

NavyLCDR said:

... install the same version of Windows 10 as before, and it will activate once it connects to the internet.

That mean Home or Pro, it must be the same as the PC had before or it won't activate.

Just to confuse us, Microsoft use the term 'edition' for that, as opposed to 'version' which is how 'new' the W10 release is (current version is 1803, before that was 1709). The digital license is valid for any version, but only the one edition.

cereberus · 11 May 2018

Bree said:

That mean Home or Pro, it must be the same as the PC had before or it won't activate.

Just to confuse us, Microsoft use the term 'edition' for that, as opposed to 'version' which is how 'new' the W10 release is (current version is 1803, before that was 1709). The digital license is valid for any version, but only the one edition.

Edition is even more subtle - there are multiple editions of Home eg Home, Home SL and Home N, and that has to match as well.

AddRAM · 11 May 2018

You don`t need to go into the Bios to choose the usb stick, just use the 1 time boot menu, usually F8, the usb stick should be on/in the list. And when it reboots pull the stick out or it may start all over again.

Read the tutorials 1st, you really don`t need them, you`ll do fine.

But you should get the network (Ethernet) driver for each laptop and put them on the usb stick before you start, W10 is great with drivers, but you are doing laptops, they can be very finicky.

I feel for ya, installing windows on a laptop is no fun at all, and you have to do 2

I hate laptops

Bree · 11 May 2018

cereberus said:

Edition is even more subtle - there are multiple editions of Home eg Home, Home SL and Home N, and that has to match as well.

True - and not just Home, all editions from Education to Enterprise have the N edition for the European market, and if the OP is in Korea there's a KN too.

tsilva · 11 May 2018

Do I really need to put the ethernet driver on the usb too? And also be careful with the versions/edition type? This seems more complicated than on the past with Win 7.

Unfortunately, they have different editions. Mine's a Pro and my brother's laptop has a Home edition. But both are version 10.0.16299 and x64-based.