Moving Windows OS from new PC to SSD

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hellagrant

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Jul 6, 2009
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New PC, not custom built, so Windows already installed on a HDD
New SSD, that did not come with the PC

Use the manufacturers disk to install Windows onto SSD, then manually delete Windows from HDD? simple as that?
 
Solution
Eximo
That is one way, yes. But will wipe all installed programs and settings. If you want to keep that stuff you'll want to clone the hdd to the ssd.

Most SSD suppliers will offer a free version of Acronis True Image, or another alternative, that will work for a one way transfer from any device with their manufacturer's hardware ID.
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Eximo

Eximo

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May 27, 2010
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That is one way, yes. But will wipe all installed programs and settings. If you want to keep that stuff you'll want to clone the hdd to the ssd.

Most SSD suppliers will offer a free version of Acronis True Image, or another alternative, that will work for a one way transfer from any device with their manufacturer's hardware ID.
 
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ZippyPeanut

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Dec 26, 2012
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Best to clone the HDD to the SSD. Acronis is popular. Another great cloning program is Macrium Reflect.

(By the way, if you don't remove Windows from the HDD, then you can always use it (even without updates) to boot from in the future if your SSD has a catastrophic failure.)
 
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Phillip Corcoran

Phillip Corcoran

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"By the way, if you don't remove Windows from the HDD, then you can always use it (even without updates) to boot from in the future if your SSD has a catastrophic failure"

Strictly speaking that would be in breach of Microsoft's EULA which states you are allowed to have only one copy installed on one drive at any one time (unless the second copy is installed using a different Product Key & Licence).

You can, however, keep a backup copy in the form of a disk image. Indeed, Windows has a utility to do that.
 
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John_VanKirk

John_VanKirk

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Hello,
By far the best way is to clone the HDD to the new SSD. Remember the SSD has to be as big, or bigger than the HDD. You can shrink the HDD OS partition, as long as the data is not larger than the SSD, till the partition is <= to the SSD size, then clone it over. If you have a newer MB with a EUFI, you will need to also clone the ESP, the RE partition, and the hidden MSR partition along with the OS partition. Check to see if that is possible with the SSD cloning app that came with the SSD, or as the other fellows said, Macrium Reflect or EaseUS partition master will do that.
 
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