How to replace windows 10 drive with windows 7 drive

[help-pete]

I have a desk top PC, CK6YR55AA the came with a windows 10 hard drive and I want to replace it with a SSD that has a windows 7 system. I tried just simply disconnecting the win 10 and connecting my win 7 drive but just get an error that the OS needs to be installed. How can I install my win 7 drive in this computer? Thanks.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

The hardware is probably way too different in the W10 PC to simply plug in the SSD and expect the PC to boot from it.

There are other complications as well.  If your PC has secure boot enabled, secure boot is not compatible with W7.

If your PC can even run W7, you will have to reinstall W7 on it.

The CK6YR55AA info you posted does not identify your PC.

it does not show up in the partsurfer database.

HP PartSurfer

[help-pete]

Thanks for the info. The other ID data that I have is thus: ID CK001L215COGG7, ser.no. 2MO1193FPK, HP Desktop M01-F003w PC.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

Here are the specifications I found on your M01-F0033w PC.

HP M01-F0033w Desktop PC AMD Ryzen 3 3200G 3.6GHz 8GB DDR4 1TB HDD DVD

Unfortunately, the hardware is too new for you to clean install W7, and there would be no drivers for most of the hardware components even if you could.

But that is definitely the reason the W7 drive you installed didn't work.

If you want to use the SSD in your PC, you can clean install W10 on it since the parts list indicates that it came with a 3.5" mechanical hard drive.

HP PartSurfer

Your PC is also supported by the HP cloud recovery tool which you can use to create a bootable USB recovery drive that will reinstall Windows, the drivers and the software that originally came with your PC on the SSD you just installed.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility.  You will need a 32 GB USB flash drive to create the recovery media with.

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support

You can download the software from the Microsoft Store:

HP Cloud Recovery Tool - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store

If you have to use the tool on another PC you will need to enter the full product number of the PC you have in the tool's search window in order to proceed.

Your PC's product number is 6YR55AA#ABA.

[help-pete]

Thanks again for of the additional helpful info. I think the best route here would be to simply keep the HP system as is and find a refurbished desktop that will accept the W7 OS, as a replacement for the PC that is failing. I rarely use the W10 unit, mainly because I dislike Windows 10 😞 Thanks again for all of your help.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime. 

Glad to have been of assistance. 

You will need to find a PC that has a similar processor and chipset to the W7 PC you removed the drive from