Swapping SSD from Desktop to Laptop - Possible?

wapow

Hi All


I am wanting to dismantle my PC. I don't want the hassle of faffing about with formats etc so simply put, can I put my SSD, which currently runs in my PC, into my laptop....Whats gonna happen - Im guessing mobo bios issues?


To answer your questions :
1. I have a very powerful laptop which has 3x SSD's on a removable board which is connected to one Sata III
2. It has a mechanical HD but I think this might be Sata II
3. I have a Samsung SSD 830 in desktop I want to move into the laptop.
4. The laptop wont let me install Win7 from ISO. Its really causing me problems and Google has bought up a GAZILLION fixes.
5. I have a key that will work in all.
6. My desktop and laptop have NVIDIA GPU and Intel 47**
7. I want to dismantle my desktop, sell it and use the laptop until my next new build which will be after the summer...or if DOOM rocks!
8. The laptop is fully wiped in its current state. It had Win8 & Win10 but hated it.


Questions to you dear readers :


1. How do I find out my current Win License key?
(The piece of paper I had it scribbled on is somewhere...Don't make me look for it lol)


2. Can we discuss further about snapshots/imaging etc? Can I clone this SSD and just...Copy it to my Laptop SSD then boot and worry about drivers etc later? Bearing in mind the laptop has no OS on it at the moment?

Johnmcl7

Without knowing the hardware in either machine it's difficult to say, depending on how different the hardware is the machine may blue screen on startup, boot but need new drivers or largely work fine. Due to the change in hardware if it's Windows it will need reactivated which may or may not be possible depending on the license, OEM operating systems licenses which are sold with the machine are usually meant to stay with that machine and not to be transferred.

It would be a better approach to back up any data and reinstall the operating system on the SSD inside the laptop.

John

GunJack

the first obvious question....
Will it fit??

second...
both same connectors, SATA/IDE?

Then the issues as per John's post

csgohan4

best to reformat as their two different setups. If your swapping it in the same system that would be fine via cloning software

poppellerant

If you're trying to give your laptop a free speed boost by recycling your desktop's SSD in the laptop, then as long as the laptop has SATA ports the SSD should be able to go in. But I would format the SSD and image the existing laptop setup from it's harddrive to the SSD - if your desktop PC is still assembled, you could use something like Macrium Reflect to do this.

googler

wapow wrote: »

I am wanting to dismantle my PC. I don't want the hassle of faffing about with formats etc so simply put, can I put my SSD, which currently runs in my PC, into my laptop....Whats gonna happen - Im guessing mobo bios issues?

What do you actually want to do, in the long run? Upgrade the PC? Dispose of it?

wapow

Thanks All, I have updated my thread post above so have a read and let me know!

Johnmcl7

wapow wrote: »

Questions to you dear readers :


1. How do I find out my current Win License key?
(The piece of paper I had it scribbled on is somewhere...Don't make me look for it lol)

What operating system is installed on the desktop? There's free tools like licensecrawler or magical jellybean keyfinder that will get it for you

2. Can we discuss further about snapshots/imaging etc? Can I clone this SSD and just...Copy it to my Laptop SSD then boot and worry about drivers etc later? Bearing in mind the laptop has no OS on it at the moment?

If you're meaning clone your desktop SSD and restore it to the laptop SSD then no, you'd be in the same position as if you'd moved the SSD straight into the laptop. It may work, it may not - there's no simple answer as it depends on the two pieces of hardware.

If you had an existing drive in the laptop and you wanted to use that install on a new SSD then you'd be able to image the older drive and restore it to the new one but as your laptop drive is blank you can't do that.

John