Move hard drive without using sysprep?

I have a broken PC running Windows 8.1 which wont start anymore - it's just a PSU problem. I do have a some other hardware which I could move the hard disks to.

Because I can't power the original PC, I can't run sysprep - so is it safe enough to just move the disks without using sysprep? Is there anything to be aware of?

UPDATE: This is just a bare bones install of Windows via an MSDN licence - it doesn't have the traditional myriad of 3rd party software installed on it like new PCs.

Thanks.

Steve Folly

Posted 2016-01-18T08:36:26.213

Reputation: 5 293

1Can you not move the PSU over? – Jonno – 2016-01-18T09:02:36.903

Start in safe mode after installing it in new PC, then run sysprep while in safe mode, reboot. – Moab – 2016-01-18T15:35:27.053

@Jonno - +1 for lateral thinking. :-) – Steve Folly – 2016-01-19T10:03:43.510

Answers

Windows 7 and later are pretty robust regarding hardware changes.

All you should have to do is plugging it in and booting, preferably using the boot drive only for the start.

Make a backup of the disk just to be sure.

Windows should notice running of a different board and update drivers accordingly, especially if the new board uses a similar chip set (e.g. nForce to nforce). Not that this will invalidate your license activation.

If that process fails, Windows will show a BSOD, in which case you should be able to boot and repair using a disk image.

Edit: If it's really just the PSU, I'd only replace that. :)

Mario

Posted 2016-01-18T08:36:26.213

Reputation: 3 685