Purchased new PC and looking to use new SSD to instal OS (Win8.1)

Mist3rbl4ck · Apr 22, 2014

I'm finally getting a new PC (upgrading from Vista) which will come pre-installed with Windows 8.1. It comes with 8GB RAM and a 2Tb HD. I've also purchased a 240Gb SSD which I would like to use for the OS.

Question: Before I even turn on the new PC can I pull the 2Tb HD out, copy all the files from the HD to the SSD and swap them so that I start from scratch with the SSD. Or will I have to go through the initial set-up of the OS on the HD and then migrate/swap to the SSD? I'd like to use the 2Tb drive for storage and the SSD strictly for system and OS.

Cheers,
Mist3rbl4ck

SchizTech · Apr 22, 2014

What's the make and model of the new rig? Many new systems have a built-in utility to create a set of recovery disks or a recovery USB drive. If it has one, you can use this to install the factory image on the SSD. Otherwise, cloning is an option.

Mist3rbl4ck · Apr 22, 2014

SchizTech :

HP Pavillion 500-214

Thanks!

SchizTech · Apr 22, 2014

I can't determine if there's a HP utility for this but Windows should let you do it:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-usb-recovery-drive

Mist3rbl4ck · Apr 22, 2014

SchizTech :

But, will I be able to access any of the recovery creation software without running the OS factory set-up or "first boot". I'm looking to start brand new with the "first boot" being from my SSD. I don't know what an OS looks like on a HD before "first boot" from the factory. In all the computers I have ever bought and turned on, there is a set-up process to go through. I'd like to do this clean from the SSD...
Cheers,
Mist3rbl4ck

SchizTech · Apr 22, 2014

You won't be able to create a recovery drive using that method without first booting into the new PC. Cloning could be an alternative, though you would have to use the "proportional" method to copy the contents onto a smaller drive. The clone should be possible since there's presumably less than 240 GB occupied on the drive out of the box. Did the SSD come with any software to help cloning a drive?

Mist3rbl4ck · Apr 22, 2014

SchizTech :

Don't know, haven't received either the new PC or the SSD yet... more of a theoretical postulation if this was possible... I've read all about swapping and migrating and figured it might be easier to start with a factory install to the SSD... I guess cloning the fresh HD from the HP factory to the SSD is my option. Is Windows 8.1 somehow tied to a HD?

SchizTech · Apr 22, 2014

No, it's not tied to any drive

Mist3rbl4ck · Apr 22, 2014

SchizTech :

OK thanks, I'll see how it goes when it all arrives and post here.
Cheers,
Mist3rbl4ck

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