Is it possible to just transfer Windows 8.1 to a new SSD from a HDD?

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Ferrariassassin

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I have a windows 8.1 windows install disk from my main build if i can use it but my brother PC i built him which was an HP Pavilion Slimline 400 came with windows installed on it of coarse and before i could write down his Product key from the case my dad threw it away because, well lets just say the case was ruined from over a gallon of Soda from its past owners, lol. So the case got thrown away and i know i can get the product key somehow but i may not need to if you guys can help or have any ideas. I put his all original componets from the Slime line in a Rosewill Challenger case, with a 500W Bronze+ PSU, 2x4 GB of RAM. and an EVGA GTX 750 Ti............Yea, yea call me stupid but hey he is 9 and he hates console and wants to game on PC like me so i did what i could, all he may need in the future is a i5 LGA1155 Socket CPU and he is set, he plays at 720p also, so he handles every game on Ultra at 30-60FPS so he is so happy and it costed me much cheaper than buying him a PS4 considering he already had the HP. But back to the point, his HDD is a WD Blue 1TB HDD, which is by fare a great HDD for its price and performance but dear god the boot time takes up to 10 minutes and it was even this slow when we first got it and reformated it and i have it neatly maintained and runs great but the HDD is just so slow and i want to move his Windows 8.1 to a Samsung 840 Evo 120GB, Samsung 840 Pro 128GB, Samsung 850 Evo 120GB, or a Samsung 850 Pro 128GB and i really do not care which i choose because i just want his OS on an SSD due to it being ages slow. so.............

Is it possible to transfer "Just" Windows 8.1 to an SSD from a HDD or in other words Migrate to an SSD? I really do not want to delete everything he owns and re download windows 8.1 and look for the Product key, can someone please help me out?
 
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The hard drive manufacturers website should have a transfer utility that will repartition and copy the drive.
even though he is 9 120 gb isn't a lot of games, have you considered a cache ssd. like this
http://www.sandisk.com/products/ssd/sata/readycache/
it will cache the os files and the most used applications to the ssd. boot times will increase and the most used applications and data will be read from the ssd. I have one and cs:source loads in less than a second. It will allow him to keep the hard drive as is and still enjoy the benefits of an ssd.
newegg $44
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The hard drive manufacturers website should have a transfer utility that will repartition and copy the drive.
even though he is 9 120 gb isn't a lot of games, have you considered a cache ssd. like this
http://www.sandisk.com/products/ssd/sata/readycache/
it will cache the os files and the most used applications to the ssd. boot times will increase and the most used applications and data will be read from the ssd. I have one and cs:source loads in less than a second. It will allow him to keep the hard drive as is and still enjoy the benefits of an ssd.
newegg $44
 
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Ferrariassassin

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No man i was not going to put any games on an SSD, why would i? I do not thing a millisecond faster game loading times is worth it. We were "Only" putting his OS on the SSD and using his 1TB HDD for his games.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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After reading reviews and watching videos from all over the internet and forums also from Linus and such i have found out that that Cache SSD thet you recomended is one of the slowest SSD to date and is a s slow as a 5400RPM HDD and is the same as a normal every day Thumb drive you can buy ate a local electronic store and that its only purpous it was ever made was when SSD were very expensive, it was a cheap alternative but nowdays SD are somewhat cheap and i can almost get a Samsung 850 PRO 2048GB SSD for only $10-$20 more and is over 100x faster. So my question is, does SanDisk or any other company make newe models of a Cache SSD that is up to date and in speed comparison with other SSD? because i thing it is so awesome how it works and where you do not need to transfer anything but i can not find any other models of it :( The one you sent is just to out dated and slow i hope they make a better one soon because it is so awesome how it works.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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Well it boots up to the log in thing in about 40 sec or 1 min but once its on windows the circle loading thing on the mouse stops in around 5-10 minutes. You can still do everything but its super slow and some icons are still not loaded. Doesnt it mean its done loading then the loading icon on the mouse stops? I may be wrong idk.
 
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First of all I believe you're absolutely correct in your comments re that SanDisk "ReadyCache" SSD. It seems positively absurd to purchase a 32 GB SSD when for $15 or so more you can purchase a 120 GB SSD.

Anyway, back to your situation. It's a pity you can't swing for a 256 GB SSD but if a 120 - 128 GB SSD is your only viable option, so be it. At that size you won't do much better than one of the Samsungs you mentioned, especially the 850 Pro 128 GB model.

As you may be aware Samsung bundles their SSDs with their Samsung Magician software which contains their Data Migration software. It's a very nice disk-cloning program especially when it's used to "migrate" the TOTAL data from a HDD to the SSD. It carries out this function in a simple, straightforward way.

While that program does have the capability to exclude files during the migration of data process so that the user's objective to clone only the OS over to the SSD (and possibly some other programs/files) is not jeopardized, many users have found the process awkward to the point that they opt to fresh-install the OS onto the new SSD and then reinstall whatever programs can "fit" on the new SSD.

 
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USAFRet

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There is only one application I've seen that purports to migrate 'just the OS' from one drive to another.
Paragon Migrate. http://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/

But from reading in here, actual results have been mixed. Sometimes it works, sometimes it fails horribly.

Couple of considerations, though:
1. If the current data size does not fit within the new SSD size with plenty of room to spare, you will have issues.
2. If the current drive takes 10 minutes to boot up.....there are major issues with the install. It should not do that. Migrating that install to a new SSD is simply moving the problem to the new SSD. It does not fix anything.
No matter what size SSD you get.

Recommend a full reinstall on the new SSD.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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Ahhhhh can you guys please keep in mind that i will "Only" be putting windows 8.1 ont eh SSD and never will i put anything else on the SSD. On my main build i have a 120GB SSD with 50GB of Skyrim and Skyrim mods with my Windows 8.1 OS and i have been ok for 1 year i use my WD Black HDD for my games. Windows 8.1 is only 20GB and 120GB-128GB is more than enough space for "Just" Windows 8.1.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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Ok you are totaly right i guess ill just buy a new SSD and back up his important things like pics, Game saves, etc and alsa scan them for infected stuff to be sure they are safe just in case. After i do that it will reformatt his HDD and reinstall Windowes 8.1 to the SSD but i wish i knew how to get his Windows 8.1 product key his HP Slimline 400 came with and is it even possible to put your Windows 8.1 OS on an SSD if youw PC is from HP and such?
 
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USAFRet

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Yes, we get this.
But transferring 'only Windows' from one drive to another is problematic.

Clean install on that drive? No problem.
Migrating 'only Windows' ? Problem.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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OK :) and read my other reply to you i wrote about the Product key and such. I will do what you said i just never installed windows 8.1 from a hadd to an SSD. I have windows 8.1 CD but if i downoad it to the new SSD wont i need a product code? How do i get that product code from their HP Slimline 400? Is the code insinde the PC or something?
 
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Ferrariassassin

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Ok it came pre installed on his HP so is it possible to deactivate it on it and put it on another PC?
 
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USAFRet

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Nope.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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So i guess this is my only option?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008U3038I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3LGJ9ZB5RSN9T
 
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USAFRet

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No.
Which drive, and what OS are two completely different concepts.

That particular small SSD for $50? No...just don't.
120GB Samsung for $20 more
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-75E250B-AM/dp/B00OAJ412U

As for the OS....you need to buy it as well.
 
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Ferrariassassin

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No its a Cache SSD man. I mean i am not going to waste $120 on a new Windows 8.1 Key just so i can use an SSD so it hought a Cache SSD would be my last resort. If i was buying an SSD i would buy an M.2 Samsung 850 EVO 250GB when it comes out. But i just want to speed up my brothers PC as much as possible without spending hundreds of dollars and the guy above recomended it so i guess it is my only option.
 
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USAFRet

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Well, yes. You could use that cache drive. It will speed up the PC a little bit.
But not nearly as much as an actual SSD.

Your original question talked about moving to a 120GB SSD, in the same system.

What do you have, and what do you want the end result to be?
 
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The cache drive I chose as a for instance was the cheapest I could find. I have a 64GB corsair adrenaline and love it. I suggested this as the simplest and cheapest way to get the system to boot faster without transferring the install. install software, shut down, install drive, boot. enjoy
A cache ssd would decrease boot time significantly, the most often used data will be cached, meaning the things he uses most on the pc will be the fastest, and as his preferences change the data is changed automatically, so no moving the old games from ssd to hdd to make room for current/future new games.
as fast as a dedicated ssd no.
it will take three or four boots before the speed becomes apparent, it will need that time to build the data in the cache.
 
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