Dual Boot with old SATA SSD with Windows 10

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Just got an Asus Desktop with Windows 11 Home on NVMe.  What do I need to do to move my SATA SSD with Windows 10 and all the apps intact and set it up so I have the option to boot from either drive?  TIA!

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Power down, install the drive in an empty drive bay, connect it with a SATA cable, and power back on.  Download and install EasyBCD (the non-commercial free version) and add Windows 10 to your boot menu.  The EasyBCD Support forum is available to help you with the process.

Create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates, in case you need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do. We don't all have to do the same things.

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WSjaylin

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So are you saying that with EasyBCD I’ll be able to choose to boot from the old drive even though it will still have all the settings and drivers from my old computer?

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WSjaylin wrote:

So are you saying that with EasyBCD I’ll be able to choose to boot from the old drive even though it will still have all the settings and drivers from my old computer?

No, I’m saying that with EasyBCD you can add Windows 10 as a dual boot option.  You won’t be able to boot into Windows 10 just by plugging in the SATA cable.  It has to be added to the BCD Store, and EasyBCD makes that, well, easy.

Whether or not Windows 10 will actually boot depends on several variables, but it will probably boot with a couple of issues, and there’s no way of knowing that without trying.  That’s why I also supplied a link to the support forum.  That’s probably your best bet in getting started and understanding what is involved in what you want to do.

I’ve been dual booting for over 20 years, and I’ve setup dual boot for other people, but every case is different.  Just keep in mind that Windows 10 will not interfere with Windows 11, since they will be on separate drives, and one is dead when the other is booted.

Create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates, in case you need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do. We don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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WSjaylin

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And if it’s an OEM W10 you are not allowed to use it on your new box. Whether MS deactivates, it only time will tell.

cheers, Paul

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Paul T wrote:

And if it’s an OEM W10 you are not allowed to use it on your new box.

That depends.  If the Windows 10 installation is an upgrade over Windows 7/8/8.1 it becomes Retail, and thus portable.  Run slmgr /dlv in a Command Prompt to find out.  I’ve successfully moved four of my own.

Create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates, in case you need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do. We don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

3 users thanked author for this post.

WSjaylin, wavy, geekdom

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It is a retail version.  Should I uninstall components/drivers from Dev Mgr before moving the drive?

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WSjaylin wrote:

Should I uninstall components/drivers from Dev Mgr before moving the drive?

BTDT and you don’t “really” need to worry about it. The whole point of “plug and play“, which MS seems to have finally got right, is to eliminate that problem.

When I moved Windows 7 from my Dell D830 laptop to my new Asus Desktop, it detected the H/W changes and “automatically” installed the appropriate drivers (with no problems) before displaying the Windows desktop.

Windows 10 & 11 are designed to do the same thing when they detect new/updated H/W.

FYI, the initital boot will take considerably longer than normal while it does this, so be patient. Once everything’s been updated, the boot times will go back to normal.

BTW, the drivers Windows installs will be “generic” ones that’ll at least get the new H/W working, so you may need to go back after-the-fact and update some of them to “manufacturer specific” versions in order to gain back all the device’s features (I had to do that with the LogiTech mouse, RealTek sound, and Brother printer drivers on my new desktop.)

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WSjaylin, bbearren

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