New Build or buy already built?

[Runfox]

Time for a new gaming PC, my current build is 2013, so 10 years old, yeah. I usually build my own, but see some iPason-built PCs on New egg that look like good values, maybe.
My main question is, whether I build one or buy one, how do we install windows on PCs these days? My old machine has a DVD drive, which I used to load the operating system with a DVD. I'm guessing without a DVD drive, I would have to download a new copy of windows 10, on a new SSD drive. But then can I download windows 10 onto a new SSD drive using my current windows 7 pc? Another question, I have a backup hard drive in my current PC with windows 7, can I somehow take that backup drive and use it in a new PC with windows 10??
Also, I was told by an IT friend that a good way to get a copy of windows is to search online for windows authentication codes, which some people sell, buy one then download the operating system and then use the code. Is that still possible??

 

[Joe C]

last I have heard... you can still use your Windows 7 COA key to activate Windows 10

 

[Runfox]

All right found out how to install windows 10 on a new build with a USUB drive, and get a new activation key. Still not sure if I will have any problems installing my windows 7 backup HHD in a new Windows 10 pc.

 

[Joe C]

I will have any problems installing my windows 7 backup HHD in a new Windows 10 pc.

not sure if I follow you on that statement but...no. not a good idea to put your W7 onto a new W10 pc. I'm almost sure that ain't gunna work at all.
now if your just going to use the drive as extra storage with your data on it and use a different drive for W10, then it should be o.k. to do that.

 

[Runfox]

Ok, I apologize for my ambiguity. My question is, can I take my HDD backup drive from my windows 7 PC and use it in a new Windows 10 PC? Will a new windows 10 PC be able to read and use a backup drive from a windows 7 PC? This is a backup drive with files on it, no operating system. I ask because I have had some issues in the past transferring a drive from an older windows PC to a newer one, sometimes windows doses not want to cooperate.

 

[PP Mguire]

Ok, I apologize for my ambiguity. My question is, can I take my HDD backup drive from my windows 7 PC and use it in a new Windows 10 PC? Will a new windows 10 PC be able to read and use a backup drive from a windows 7 PC? This is a backup drive with files on it, no operating system. I ask because I have had some issues in the past transferring a drive from an older windows PC to a newer one, sometimes windows doses not want to cooperate.

A non OS drive with NTFS partition should have 0 issues moving between computers.

 

[Joe C]

Ok, I apologize for my ambiguity. My question is, can I take my HDD backup drive from my windows 7 PC and use it in a new Windows 10 PC? Will a new windows 10 PC be able to read and use a backup drive from a windows 7 PC? This is a backup drive with files on it, no operating system. I ask because I have had some issues in the past transferring a drive from an older windows PC to a newer one, sometimes windows doses not want to cooperate.

If you want to access this W7 back up folder, what software did you use to make this back up? Chances are...it is in a file extension that was made to access by the software used to create this back up. If it was encrypted by the backup software, then you'll need to decrypt it from the W7 pc first using the software that was used to make this back up