Swapping OS bootable NVMe drive to new motherboard

[Ulfisch]

I'm planning to upgrade my current system (ASUS z97 pro gamer MoBo, BIOS updated to v.2203) which runs with a 500GB SATA SSD and two RAID1 1TB HDDs under Windows 7.

I'm want to get a 1TB NMVe (PCI connector is PCIe 3.0x4) and install it via adapter in one of my PCIe 3.0x16 slots, put Windows 10 on it and make it the new OS boot drive (info on web says I need the adapter/PCIe solution as it doesn't install as bootable drive via M.2 slot)

My question: I'm not yet able to splash out for a whole new system, but when the time comes in about two years, will I be able just to take out the NVMe drive from my current MoBo and stick it as bootable OS drive into the new Motherboard or will this be more complicated, for example would it require a whole new Win10 reinstallation / reformatting of my NVMe drive, requiring me to back everything up, wipe drive clean etc?

Also, at present, using the Z97 MoBo, my SATA SSD and the new NVMe, would I be able to dual boot into either Win10 or Win 7 , or do I need to remove Win 7 comepletely from my current system?

Thanks for help

 

[JR1]

Hi Ulfisch,

It should be no problem to have a dual boot system for W10 and W7.

However, taking a W10 boot drive to a new system is unlikely to be successful. It may boot if you are very lucky but I doubt it. Software, such as Acronis True Image claims to support the transfer of an OS from one system to another. I think it does this by resetting switches so that the OS knows it needs to load new default drivers when it first boots in the new system. However, you would still need to re-authorize Windows and all your licensed software because of the change in motherboard. I've always ended up doing a fresh install.

Regds, JR