clarification on transferring everything to new desktop computer W10

@xyz,

Might want to look at the thread next to yours:
Moving Hard drive to new Laptop With Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums

This is what I would do:
Using a program such as Macrium Reflect Free, backup the existing C: drive partition to an external drive.
Boot from the Macrium Reflect Free rescue drive, restore the C: drive partition to the new computer, overwriting the existing C: drive partition.
Run the Fix Windows boot problems utility on the Macrium Refect Free rescue drive.
Boot into Windows 10 Home. It probably will not be activated on the new computer.
Upgrade the Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro on the new computer by changing the product key to:
VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Windows should pick up the digital license for Windows 10 Pro for that computer from Microsoft's activation servers and activate.

Since you are moving only the C: drive partition only over and not the entire drive (all partitions), the difference between legacy BIOS and UEFI does not matter. You do want to check the SATA disk controller mode, though.

Okay thanks dalchina,

maybe I am not yet completely at the best solution = but I have already learnt a lot = thanks a lot for that.

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Okay NavyLCDR sounds really good

BUT what about all the installed software (on old computer) which I want to move over = without having to re-install (download) these again?

This is the essential part of my query

all my software is all legal and purchased but might not be able to re-download some and I just want to move everything over on to my new computer (only this time onto an SSD)

xyz said:

BUT what about all the installed software (on old computer) which I want to move over = without having to re-install (download) these again?

This is the essential part of my query

all my software is all legal and purchased but might not be able to re-download some and I just want to move everything over on to my new computer (only this time onto an SSD)

That depends on the individual programs whether they check to see if they have been moved to a new computer or not.

NavyLCDR said:

That depends on the individual programs whether they check to see if they have been moved to a new computer or not.

Okay but if they are all purchased and most/all registered that should not be a problem (I hope)?

But what I was asking in my reply to your first answer was: How, when I follow your first reply description (which only covers system partition), do I get all my software moved over (without having to re-download/re-install)?

Your reply seems to cover only an install of my Windows System (which I can then change to W10 pro _ which to be honest I am not sure I really need? Or at least would be nice but I am willing to do without if need be)

Priority is getting my software and everything else over onto the SSD of the new computer. For example could I even first install the SSD into my old computer and then clone everything over into the SSD, and then install it back into the new computer =okay I lose the W10 Pro, but if I have everything else I am happy enough, but do not know if this will work, is a good idea.

If I do your described way, how do I get everything?

I checked my old computer BIOS Mode is set at UEFI = is this the right setting for an SSD? And would my backup copy contain this Bios Mode (making it unusable if this is not correct for an SSD)?

Are all your programs installed on the C: drive partition? If you "cloned" your C: drive partition, EVERYTHING that was on C: drive would move with it. "Cloned" = backed up and restored.

ignatzatsonic said:

Are you positive that is a 200 GB drive rather than a 2000 GB drive???

Sorry my tipping mistake = correction = HDD is 2000 GB

NavyLCDR said:

...Boot into Windows 10 Home. It probably will not be activated on the new computer.
Upgrade the Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro on the new computer by changing the product key to:
VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Windows should pick up the digital license for Windows 10 Pro for that computer from Microsoft's activation servers and activate...

@xyz, Just to make it clear, your first step should be to run and activate the supplied Windows 10 Pro that came with the new computer in order to get a digital licence stored on the activation servers.

NavyLCDR said:

Are all your programs installed on the C: drive partition? If you "cloned" your C: drive partition, EVERYTHING that was on C: drive would move with it. "Cloned" = backed up and restored.

MOST! There are probably one or two I installed on the second drive (old computer). These I would have to see if I can download/reinstall again later.

so would it be possible to use the backup I already have of C drive and stored on an external drive?

Although to be honest not sure how to do this.

a) do I need to remove SSD from new and fit into old computer and then run the backup software and let it install on the SSD, or clone C drive?
b) I don't think it would be possible to install backup software onto new computer (SSD) and then connect backup external drive = because I would be installing the backup to the same drive (SSD) which has the backup software
c) another way?

(and would I need to change any BIOS settings?)

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Perhaps the best solution is after all the software that dalchina mentioned Laplink PCMOVER PROFESSIONAL (https://web.laplink.com/product/pcmo...ssional/#tabs2) which is a bit expensive but designed to do this kind of job?

Pity I could not just install the whole old C drive in the new computer, and then move the system partition onto SSD ( I know, a novices wishful thinking I guess)

I'd weigh the disadvantages of doing a clean install and reinstallation of applications on the SSD of your choice in the new PC against the frustration and time involved in some other idea with an as yet unknown outcome.

You might find that you can live without many of the applications currently on the old drive. You can likely find newer and possibly superior replacements for many of them----possibly free versions. Do a software inventory and rank them in order of importance. What are the top 5? I wouldn't let the lower-ranked items drive the decision.

xyz said:

Although to be honest not sure how to do this.

First...if the old computer would die right now, what would you do with the backup?

What program did you use to create the backup with? If it was Windows built-in system imaging then it likely won't work. I recommend Macrium Reflect Free.

This is what you would do to make the easiest transfer:
1. Install Windows 10 Pro on the new SSD installed in the new computer. This will establish all the proper boot files, etc., and make sure the computer is booting fine from the new SSD.
2. Boot the new computer from a rescue USB flash drive for whatever backup program you used to create the backup with. You need to have a rescue drive created anyway, otherwise having the backup image is useless without a way to restore it.
3. Delete only the existing C: drive partition on the new SSD installed in the new computer. Connect the external drive containing the backup image to the new computer and restore only the C: drive partition.
4. Run whatever utility there is to fix Windows booting problems which will point the existing boot files on the new SSD to the restored partition to load the OS from.
5. Upgrade the Windows 10 Home that was restored to Windows 10 Pro.

One thing to watch for is that the used space on the existing C: drive partition on the old computer cannot be larger than the space available for it on the new SSD.