Operating System switch from HDD to SSD

Honey_Badger

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Apr 22, 2015
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Hello!

Currently I am running Windows 8.1 on my HDD because I don't have enough money for an SSD lol. Anyway, my SSD will probably be with me within a month and I was wondering whether I could download Windows 10 on my HDD, then later swap this to my SSD?

At the moment, everything is stored on my HDD, from games to the operating system, is it perfectly fine to transfer this all to an SSD?

Thank you!
 
Solution
A windows 10 free upgrade takes away your 8.1 license and replaces it with windows 10.
You could do the upgrade and start using windows 10.

When the time comes that you want to have windows on a new ssd, buy a Samsung ssd of sufficient size and use their free ssd migration utility to copy the old windows to your new ssd.
Later you can repurpose your hard drive for other uses.

bliq

Distinguished
it's not as easy as copying all the files. the best way I know to do this is to use something like Aconis True Image to create a bootable image (assuming the SSD is big enough to hold all the data on the HDD). Another way would be to use a linux live CD or DVD and use dd command.
 

Honey_Badger

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Apr 22, 2015
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So what your suggesting is copying all my data from my HDD to a CD then transferring it over that way? Or is Linux live some sort of software?
 
A windows 10 free upgrade takes away your 8.1 license and replaces it with windows 10.
You could do the upgrade and start using windows 10.

When the time comes that you want to have windows on a new ssd, buy a Samsung ssd of sufficient size and use their free ssd migration utility to copy the old windows to your new ssd.
Later you can repurpose your hard drive for other uses.
 
Solution

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You just need one of the current cloning/migration tools.
You can do this before or after Upgrading to Windows 10.

Acronis Trueimage, Macrium Reflect, Casper, Easus Todo all can do this more or less easily.
Personally, I prefer a clean install on a new SSD, but the migration thing usually works.

The main consideration is size. The new SSD must be larger than the total used space on the existing C partition.
 

Honey_Badger

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Apr 22, 2015
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Cool, thanks geofelt, I was going to get the Samsung EVO-850 ssd 500GB so your instructions are ideal!

If the Samsung migration utility softawre doesn't work, I will be sure to try bliq or USAFRet ideas. Thank you all!
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


I've used the Samsung tool. It works just as well as the other ones.
 

Honey_Badger

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Apr 22, 2015
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Great news! Thanks for the reassurance ;)