[Urgent / Specialist Response Please] How can I continue to use the same windows 10 on my current SSD on another higher generation PC/Laptop

Is it an OEM Windows that came with the the hardware? or Did you purchase a retail version of the windows and activated it with a 25-character product key?

If it is an OEM Windows, it stays with the hardware. Older OEM PCs/Laptops used to have a product key sticker at the back, newer hardware has the product key embedded in the UEFI BIOS. Either way, even if you change the HDD/SSD the key is picked up from the BIOS and activated. But you cannot migrate an OEM license to another hardware.

If you purchased a retail version, you can migrate the license to another hardware by two methods. Easiest method is, Link your Product key to your Microsoft Account (Hotmail/Outlook/MSN etc) and sign in to newly installed windows with that account and it will activate to your linked key.


Second method is a legacy method where you use phone line provided for Microsoft customer service.

Zeus MK said:

The question is that would I be able to use the same OS on the same SSD on the other higher gen laptop/pc?

Click to expand...

License/activation aside, using Windows OS which is configured and has drivers of particular hardware and using it in a different hardware setup will either BSOD, won't boot, crash a lot or would give sub-optimal performance. It is recommended to always perform a fresh install on new hardware.

A lazy work around would be that when windows BSODs a lot then it will give you recovery options, select "Erase Everything in C:", it will format OS partition and reinstall Windows.