Transfer OS to new SSD

[Monte_Davis]

I've swapped and rearranged many desktop HDDs and SSDs, as well as reinstalling Windows from my own media, but not previously transferred an activated OEM windows installation.

I'm adding a SSD as boot drive to my wife's 17-by0021dx. My first thought was to clone the existing HDD via USB to the SSD with automatic shutdown, then repartition the HDD as a data drive before installing the SSD. What if any effect witll that have on the "legitimacy" of the activated Win10 x64 installation as far as Microsoft is concerned? If that's likely to be problematic, is there a preferred way?

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@Monte_Davis 

Since the license in an OEM PC is tied to the motherboard, not to the hard drive, changing the drives will have no negative effect on the activation.

I've replaced HDDs with SDDs in several HP laptops, doing much what you describe, and I've never run into any activation problems with the SSDs.

[Monte_Davis]

Thanks!