Are Win 10 Drives Interchangeable?

are win 10 drives interchangeable? I have 2 windows 10, and 2 Linux computers

the drives are all sata drives...are all these drives interchangeable with each other?or if i just give away my computers and take my drives to use on a new computer?

 

Physically and electronically, they most likely are interchangeable. That is, if you move the drives to a different computer, odds are, they will work fine.

HOWEVER - when it comes to the licenses of the software, they may not be. For example, OEM Windows licenses are inextricably tied to the "O"riginal "E"quipment - that is, the original computer they came with and/or were installed on. This means, if those Windows licenses are OEM, they need to stay with the computer.

This is because OEM licenses cannot "legally" be transferred to another computer. I emphasis "legally" because if you did move the drives, they likely will work. But just because it will work that does not make it legal. When you first started using those licenses, you agreed to abide by the terms of the user agreement - and that is contractually, thus legally binding.

If they are full "Retail" licenses, it is your choice - you can sell/give them away with the computers, or you can keep them and use on your new computer.

Now, odds are, if you have OEM and you keep them and use them on a different computer, the cops are NOT going to come arrest you and the software developer is not is not going to sue you in court. But, they could tag the software as unauthorized preventing it from loading.

In either case, all copies, if any, most stay with the license.

Clear as mud, huh?

 

ok but as for the Linux drives there is zero worry?

 

Pretty sure as long as there is no money exchanged for the Linux licenses, then there is no problem.

 

Windows might ask to be reactivated when swapped, eventually you might "run out of activations" if you keep moving it back and forth. There is also the chance that hardware changes will cause Windows to blue screen. I bought two Dells that are the 'same' model and it works fine, I haven't needed to activate again. Linux, I'm not sure if the hardware changes will cause a kernel panic.. not played with it enough.