Move to SSD - Product key ?

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  1. Posts : 71
    Windows 7 64 bit
       #1

    Move to SSD - Product key ?


    Hi

    I want to get a new ssd drive and do a clean install of win 7 to it.

    I already have 7 running on my pc so can I use the same product key on the clean install ?

    The drive that curently has win 7 on it will be unplugged for the new install then powered up again and the old win 7 removed.

      My Computer


  2. Posts : 197
    Windows 7 Enterprise x64
       #2

    fergiet said:
    Hi

    I want to get a new ssd drive and do a clean install of win 7 to it.

    I already have 7 running on my pc so can I use the same product key on the clean install ?

    The drive that curently has win 7 on it will be unplugged for the new install then powered up again and the old win 7 removed.

    I did the same thing you did. When I entered my key, I had to activate it by phone. Worked with no problem, you'll be fine.

    Bill
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  3. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #3

    As an alternative to a new installation (unless you want to do that for other reasons), you can move your current system from the HDD to the SSD.

    There is an easy way that costs $19.95 or a more involved way where you have to do some work that I have described in this PDF file - just download and unzip it.

    In both cases the product key question is irrelevant.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,653
    Windows 10 Pro. EFI boot partition, full EFI boot
       #4

    Since you have a western digital drive, you can use their free version of true Image Home to clone your current system rive to the SSD drive. You can download it from their support pages. It is easy to do, and you will not have to re-activate I expect.

    Gene
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  5. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #5

    GeneO said:
    Since you have a western digital drive, you can use their free version of true Image Home to clone your current system rive to the SSD drive. You can download it from their support pages. It is easy to do, and you will not have to re-activate I expect.

    Gene
    Gene, I have never used that program. Is that copying from an image and how about the SSD alignment?
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  6. Posts : 240
    Windows 7 Enterprise x64 SP1, Ubuntu 11.04 x64
       #6

    whs said:
    GeneO said:
    Since you have a western digital drive, you can use their free version of true Image Home to clone your current system rive to the SSD drive. You can download it from their support pages. It is easy to do, and you will not have to re-activate I expect.

    Gene
    Gene, I have never used that program. Is that copying from an image and how about the SSD alignment?
    Forgive my jumping in here. Acronis True Image Home 2011 will maintain partition alignment, but earlier versions will not. See this: Solid State Drive Support in Acronis Products | Knowledge Base

    I have a few of the earlier versions (TI 10 & 11) and they don't maintain partition alignment. I just used version 2011 today to restore my notebook's HDD image to a new SSD and it did maintain partition alignment.

    And, as GeneO said, I did not have to re-activate.
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  7. Posts : 1,653
    Windows 10 Pro. EFI boot partition, full EFI boot
       #7

    Good point. I believe the Western Digital version is based on TIH 10. So that is probably a no-go.
    Gene
      My Computer


  8. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #8

    WiFi Ed, Hmm, that is not quite clear yet. What you are saying is that it maintains partition alignment. So I guess you copy an image to a predefined partition that has been defined and aligned with e.g. Diskpart. So it is not a real clone - it is just an image we are talking about.

    Then how about the 100MB active partition. How do you deal with that?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7,683
    Windows 10 Pro
       #9

    whs said:
    As an alternative to a new installation (unless you want to do that for other reasons), you can move your current system from the HDD to the SSD.

    There is an easy way that costs $19.95 or a more involved way where you have to do some work that I have described in this PDF file - just download and unzip it.

    In both cases the product key question is irrelevant.
    Big vote for this program - Paragon Migrate OS to SSD (easy way that costs $19.95). Copies your drive and doesn't require reactivation of Windows 7.

    Best 20 bucks I was ever talked into spending - thanks whs :)

    whs said:
    WiFi Ed, Hmm, that is not quite clear yet. What you are saying is that it maintains partition alignment. So I guess you copy an image to a predefined partition that has been defined and aligned with e.g. Diskpart. So it is not a real clone - it is just an image we are talking about.

    Then how about the 100MB active partition. How do you deal with that?
    I don't have 2011... yet, but I'm quite sure he means the program will copy both partitions and maintain/align partitions according to Acronis - Solid State Drive Support in Acronis Products | Knowledge Base
      My Computer


  10. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #10

    Yeah, Sygnus did you see what it reads in the Acronis document - although I am not sure how to read that for their program because they do not say.
    In other words when you restore an image to an SSD drive, it will get the default 63 sectors offset instead of 64kb (or a multiple of 64kb) offset recommended for SSD drives even if this offset was in place when the image had been created. This may result in a drop of performance on certain models of SSD drives after the restore;
    That's what I was afraid of. There is no proper alignment (they keep the 63 sectors normal for HDDs) and you end up with a BIG performance hit (they say up to 300%).

    BTW: I am glad you like the Paragon tool. Did I talk you into it? - LOL. The alternative is for the "experts". Download my tutorial and you will see what I mean.
      My Computer


 
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