Questions about Windows 10 Installation

[Precision-X]

Hey guys, so the basic story of my situation is my Windows corrupted and I have lost admin access to do anything about it, so a clean wipe is the only option at this point.

So here are my questions:

[Main Question] 1: Since this incident, I just learned the lesson to not to put windows on a large hard drive so I don't have to backup as much data. So instead of doing a clean wipe on my current 1TB SSD, I chose to go with a new SSD with less storage space. Now my question is, since I'm not reinstalling Windows on the same SSD that has Windows on it for it to re-initiate, would I have to get a new copy of windows since it's on a new SSD? I upgraded from Windows 7 to 10, so I don't exactly have the product key anymore.

2: Is there any significant difference between upgrading from previous Windows to 10 or just a brand new copy of Windows 10 install?

3: Does anyone know where to get only the product key of windows 10? I seem to only find physical copies of it on Amazon. Because I think all I need is the key, everything else is already set on my USB flash drive.

My storage specs: 2TB of Samsung 850 Pro and 500GB of Samsung 950 Pro (The one that will have Windows on it from now on).

Thanks in advance.

 

[Colif]

1. no, its still same computer, ssd isn't a limiting factor. Only need to buy win 10 again if you replace lots of parts at once, or over a period of years. hdd was never counted on the list as its expected you replace them over a PC life span.
2. fresh install win 10 as its cleaner than upgrading. Functions you never knew existed might start working on a fresh install
3. you don't need it. When you install win 10, and get to screen asking for licence, click "I don't have one" and win 10 should auto activate.

When you upgraded first time you got a digital entitlement to always install win 10 on machine again. Its recorded on a microsoft server and win 10 will check the details and confirm PC is on list

When you fresh install, take 1tb ssd out so win 10 doesn't decide to use it as location for boot info. Might also want to wipe win 10 and its boot sector off the 1tb at some stage or might confuse boot.

this might answer other questions you may have - its handy guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

 

[Precision-X]

1. no, its still same computer, ssd isn't a limiting factor.
2. fresh install win 10 as its cleaner than upgrading. Functions you never knew existed might start working on a fresh install
3. you don't need it. When you install win 10, and get to screen asking for licence, click "I don't have one" and win 10 should auto activate.

When you upgraded first time you got a digital entitlement to always install win 10 on machine again. Its recorded on a microsoft server and win 10 will check the details and confirm PC is on list

When you fresh install, take 1tb ssd out so win 10 doesn't decide to use it as location for boot info. Might also want to wipe win 10 and its boot sector off the 1tb at some stage or might confuse boot.

Thanks for answering.

So if I don't need a product key and that you said fresh install would be better than upgrading again, which option should I go for? Get a brand new Windows 10 or just stick with what is already on my Microsoft account? Since those 2 answers kinda conflict each other, so which would be the better and efficient option in the long run?

How do I completely wipe everything off of my current SSD that has Windows on it? I don't think I have ever done that before. (Optional, I think I'll just Google it if you don't want to answer it).

When I fresh install, can't I just press F8 or something before the mobo's logo BIOs screen passes and tell it which option to boot from?

 

[Colif]

1. Installing win 10 onto a PC that already had win 10 on it means you don't need to know your product key anymore, you don't need to buy it again. I shouldn't have said Fresh, its just an install (fresh is used to describe an install where you wipe an old install, not in the case of a brand new ssd). Its the same as an upgrade, you just don't have windows there to upgrade onto

Wiping current ssd:
Download http://www.dban.org/ and make a USb with it
remove new SSD and any other drives from power - don't want any accidents
boot dban and wipe 2tb ssd
reconnect all drives again and use disk management to format it again

Boot question: probably, some new motherboards have a one use Boot menu so you can set USB here and it won't over write normal boot order

 

[Precision-X]

1. Installing win 10 onto a PC that already had win 10 on it means you don't need to know your product key anymore, you don't need to buy it again. I shouldn't have said Fresh, its just an install (fresh is used to describe an install where you wipe an old install, not in the case of a brand new ssd). Its the same as an upgrade, you just don't have windows there to upgrade onto

Wiping current ssd:
Download http://www.dban.org/ and make a USb with it
remove new SSD and any other drives from power - don't want any accidents
boot dban and wipe 2tb ssd
reconnect all drives again and use disk management to format it again

Boot question: probably, some new motherboards have a one use Boot menu so you can set USB here and it won't over write normal boot order

Alright, thanks a lot for the help, I understand and is good to go now.