New PC migration (From old one)

[cell0ne]

Next week I am planning to migrate to new PC from my old one,would welcome member's opinion how to swing old HDD in new PC(Clone? Backup? OS migrate?), this is first time I am doing migration and don't want to put myself in soup so please advice best solution so that I can use old HDD in new pc.

Thanks a lot.

[Kalju]

On 7/6/2019 at 2:53 PM, cell0ne said:

Next week I am planning to migrate to new PC from my old one,would welcome member's opinion how to swing old HDD in new PC(Clone? Backup? OS migrate?), this is first time I am doing migration and don't want to put myself in soup so please advice best solution so that I can use old HDD in new pc.

Thanks a lot.

First tell what exactly You want to do.
Ie do You want copy all data from old HDD to new (Is it HDD or SSD) so that the old one stays on its place?
If so then the best what to do is 
make as much partions as You need to new hard drive, it does not depend what is the new drive.
format all drive or all partitons, make active and primary drive, where You'll install OP system, the others may be aslo primary if needed, but may be also logical drives. You can it change at any time later.
For the next install (clean install) OP system to primary active drive.
If it is done and also all updates are installed, system cleaned etc, after that is possible to transfer all or selected files from old drive to new.
Do not clone, do not copy as disk image like somtimes is recommended, it is very important - copy only personal files and folders.
To transfer files and folder are many ways and methods.
For example I like to use for that Filezilla server, it is free simple local/home server and using it You can transfer all files and folders very fast. Everything depends only how fast can Your new drive write data. If the new drive is SSD, then it usually can write about 5-6 MB/sec.
Setup of this server is very simple and file transfer is the fastest possible. All files will transfered as binary code and all transfered data are also verified. So You'll get new files with very good health.

And what is very important using this thing/this method. You don't need any wires or other accessories. You can always interrupt the transfer and continue from the exact same place later, if You have time or if You want to continue.

Filezilla server install to old computer, Filezilla Client install to new (or old computer, there is no matter. Or install in both, if You want). Both these programs are freeware.

[cell0ne]

If I sumup in one line , I want to put old HDD in my new PC

[DLord]

6 minutes ago, cell0ne said:

If I sumup in one line , I want to put old HDD in my new PC

If your old HDD is supported by the new PC's motherboard then you can do it, if not you have to use an adapter if possible or to move the data to a new and compatible HDD.  Of course this is possible if your old HDD only holds data and not the OS. 

[Kalju]

14 minutes ago, cell0ne said:

If I sumup in one line , I want to put old HDD in my new PC

Then it's much easier. Just put this HDD on a new computer and that's it, everything is done. The only thing is activation. You must activate Windows again and remember - the old key mostly don't work.
If You have key or You used some third party tools, then it is simple. If not, You must have another activation key or You must think how You'll activate.

PS Old HDD fits when the old computer was of the same type, ie how old was the desktop computer and the new one is also the desktop computer, or if old was the laptop and the new one is also the laptop, etc.

[Jordan]

Switch hdd's just like that will not work except on similar hardware (Macrium Reflect Redeploy and Acronis Universal Restore were created to solve this issue)

When windows is installed on a given machine, it installs everything specifically for the detected hardware.

If you just move the hdd to another pc, Windows will "wake up" into another environement! (different mobo, different disk controllers, different CPU, HAL, etc...)

It will detect ALL the new hardware and will strongly protest with a bsod!

 

Personally, as everything is new, i would do a clean install and hook up the old hdd as a slave if i ever need it.

[dhjohns]

1 hour ago, Jordan said:

hook up the old hdd as a slave if i ever need it

Those days are long gone my friend.  You just plug it in to SATA port.  He can try to just boot with old HDD, it may work.  I have had success even with Operating Systems as ancient as Windows 7.  Best bet though is to buy SDD, enable AHCI mode and reinstall.

[lurch234]

3 hours ago, cell0ne said:

please advice best solution so that I can use old HDD in new pc.

 

Good advice would be to follow the one @dhjohns gave you. Buy a SSD. I bought one and cloned my HDD with macrium reflect on it. You'll probably have to activate again because of the new environment.

For myself, I was just upgrading so no problem on that side. Keep your old HDD as storage if you want, as I did, but why bottleneck your new system with your older hardware. You'll be happier with faster hardware. Trust us on this.

 

[coromonadalix]

If you migrate from an old to a new computer with the same series chipset IE :  Intel vs Intel  etc...  you have good chance it may work after a few reboots and upgrade okay and ask new drivers ... works 75-85% of the time for me

 

Will never work if   Ie: Intel to amd, nvidia to intel ...

 

If not:  from the working OLD computer you have to dig out the : Documents, pictures, favorites, stored passwords, all needed files ....   you wont be able to just copy installed programs who leaves infos in the registry or copy files in the user account, windows drivers, windows system folders ...

 

Maybe Macrium Reflect Redeploy can or could do the job, never tried ?

 

When everything is fine and working, you can change your drive to an ssd ...

[Karlston]

5 hours ago, coromonadalix said:

If you migrate from an old to a new computer with the same series chipset IE :  Intel vs Intel  etc...  you have good chance it may work after a few reboots and upgrade okay and ask new drivers

 

A long time ago, I successfully moved boot drives from one PC to another by (1) making sure the new motherboard’s chipset was from the same manufacturer AND (2) installing the latest chipset drivers BEFORE moving it.

 

19 hours ago, Jordan said:

Switch hdd's just like that will not work except on similar hardware (Macrium Reflect Redeploy and Acronis Universal Restore were created to solve this issue)

 

Good thought. Back up your old drive first, and then restore it onto a new drive (SSD!) in the new PC using the feature mentioned.

 

Doubt whether Redeploy is in Macrium Reflect Free, so you’d need to pay for a Macrium Reflect license. Or get it some other way. 

[Kalju]

I would like to warn again - do not transfer / copy the OP system from the old HDD to the new one. By doing this, you will also carry any problems, errors, registry problems, etc to new system.
Make a new clean installation and also reinstall all programs.
Transfer only your personal files and folders if everything else is already done.
There is no need make errors to completely knowingly on a new disk that, with great truth, causes many problems. If not right now, ie immediately, then in the next few days You discover they all. Why do you need such a mess?
Make whole new system so it's all new and flawless!

And forget any kind of Macrium!

[Paft]

If it is Win 7 or older and the old PC is working just uninstall/delete the IDE ATA controllers in device manager, shutdown and put it in your new machine. If you were on Win 10 you don't need to do anything.

 

Dunno why people are making it seem like hard work.

 

As mentioned if it's a different chipset AMD/Intel and you get a BSOD-- then use something like (use the portable):

 

 

@Kalju

I see English isn't your first language but you're being overly dramatic.

[cell0ne]

I am thankful to all who shared their views here,so much thanks!