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New copy of Windows 10 on external SSD for a different laptop

Anonymous
2019-06-09T03:45:32+00:00

I have a laptop that's hard drive broke and I still want to use that computer. So, is it possible to put a copy of Windows 10 on an external SSD from a different laptop and just transfer that SSD to the other laptop? And if so, how?

Thanks so much for any help.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

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  1. Sumit D - IA 167K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2019-06-09T04:55:58+00:00

    Hi Lucefelando
    I am Sumit, an Independent Advisor and a 2-Year Windows Insider MVP here to help.

    What I can understand from your description says yes because you are just changing the HDD, not motherboard which creates activation problems.

    The best way to achieve this is through a clean install, not clone.

    How to do a clean install
    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/for...

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

    A clone can create many issues like the version doesn't match with the one that was on your laptop that broke so it won't activate automatically.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. DaveM121 872.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2019-06-09T08:07:25+00:00

    Hi Luc

    This is the process you should use . . .

    Create bootable Windows 10 installation media on a flash drive on the other PC (see NOTE below)

    Pop the external drive out of its casing and put that into the laptop that is not working

    Then install Windows on that laptop using the installation media you created . . .

    NOTE

    You can reinstall Windows 10 at any time and it will not cost you anything !

    On the other PC, click this link:

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-downlo...

    to download the Media Creation Tool (Click on Download Tool Now), with that you can download the latest Windows 10 ISO (Select Create Installation Media for Another PC), you can create a bootable USB flash drive (min 8GB) using that tool

    Insert the SSD into the laptop that is not working

    Then, Boot your the from the Installation Media you just created (change Boot Order in your BIOS) to begin installing Windows 10

    Since you previously had Windows 10 installed and activated on that PC during the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 10 on this PC', and activation will not be an issue, your PC will have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers

    Make sure you install the same Edition of Windows 10 (Home, Pro . . . etc.) you previously had installed to avoid Activation issues

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2019-06-09T04:05:19+00:00

    Hello, LucFelando this is sumit

    you can install the windows on your external ssd and you can again use that same laptop 

    here are the steps:-

    1. First Download the windows 10 latest iso from microsoft's official website 
    2. Make a bootable windows 10 device, you can see this link if you need-

    How To Create Windows 10 Bootable USB/Pendrive

    techviral.net/create-windows-10-bootable-usb/

    3.Insert the external ssd and bootable device on your laptop

    1. Open the boot menu by pressing either F2,F8,F10 or you can check on internet about how to open boot menu by searching though your laptop model no.
    2. Make the boot priority to external SSD by scrolling up and down, or again you can check over internet by searching by model no of your device.
    3. Now Install the windows on your SSD- by following the instructions
    4. Remove the bootable device after installation
    5. Here you go and have successfully installed the windows.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Sumit D - IA 167K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2019-06-10T09:02:10+00:00

    Glad to know this, let us know if there is anything else you need help with.

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-06-09T18:29:34+00:00

    Thank you so much!

    I got it working

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