How to install Windows 7 from HDD to SSD?(NO DISC):

[catchme247]

Hey guys I am a click away from buying a new Samsung SSD. I have Windows 7 Home Premium with a license on my HDD right now. I want to install Windows on my SSD but I have no disc. How can I get around this problem? Thanks in Advance.

 

[scout_03]

if it is a legal copy you should have a disc that came with your license number.

 

[catchme247]

if it is a legal copy you should have a disc that came with your license number.

This was a pre-built computer I bought, It has a 5400 rpm HDD, and a little sticker on the side with license number. IT DID NOT COME WITH A DISC. Please dont leave responses that are not helpful. Thanks

 

[unksol]

Licenses don't necessarily come with disks, prebuilts don't.

Download the correct official.iso from here

Http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/3316.2-1-microsoft-windows-7-official-iso-download-links-digital-river.aspx

Burn to disk or use the Microsoft USB tool here

www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

And install it using your product key. It should be on a sticker on the machine. If you lost it with the disk you'll have to read it from the registry.

Before installing windows disconnect the HDD and make sure your SATA Ports are in AHCI mode

 

[catchme247]

Best answer selected by catchme247.

 

[catchme247]

Licenses don't necessarily come with disks, prebuilts don't.

Download the correct official.iso from here

Http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/3316.2-1-microsoft-windows-7-official-iso-download-links-digital-river.aspx

Burn to disk or use the Microsoft USB tool here

www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

And install it using your product key. It should be on a sticker on the machine. If you lost it with the disk you'll have to read it from the registry.

Before installing windows disconnect the HDD and make sure your SATA Ports are in AHCI mode

Now thats the answer I am looking for! Awesome man! Thanks

 

[catchme247]

And btw whats an AHCI mode? and what happens if I dont?lol Thanks man you have been great!!

 

[Trixanity]

And btw whats an AHCI mode? and what happens if I dont?lol Thanks man you have been great!!

AHCI is a disk setting in the BIOS. If your computer is not configured to run in AHCI mode, it will reduce the performance of your SSD.

If the BIOS disk settings are set to IDE mode, then your Windows installation will also be set to IDE meaning that before you change the setting in the BIOS, you have to do a registry edit. If you change the BIOS setting to AHCI and Windows is set to IDE, you will get a BSOD when booting.

 

[unksol]

AHCI should be covered in the manual/support docs for your PC in the BIOS section. Its generally set on newer machines already, older ones not so much. SOME boards don't even have the option though. It will still work in IDE mode. But as said you take a small performance hit. The Samsung tuning software that comes with the drive also won't see the drive if is not in AHCI.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

I expect your Dell has a recovery partition and a Windows recovery DVD disk builder

There seems to be two options:-
if you can build a set of recovery DVD Windows disks

disconnect hard disk, install SSD and use recovery disk to install Windows 7 on SSD. (you loose user programs & account data)

or if SSD has enough capacity
get hold of disk cloning software from Samsung and clone boot manager partition, recovery partition and C: onto SSD

once this is up and running you can re connect old hard disk

many hard disk & SSD manufacturers supply a oem copy of disk cloning/duplicating/formating software from Acronis.
This will work if old or new disk is supported.

I used a 120GB SSD to replace 80GB 10k rpm WD hard disk so did not have problem of new disk being smaller than old hard disk

regards

Mike Barnes