How do you move Windows 10 from one hard drive to another???

[MayhemGaming]

So i just got a new ssd and i want to move windows from my hard drive to the ssd. I have researched this but all i can find is how to clone your hard drive but i don't want to do that, i just want to move Windows.

All answers are appreciated

 

[USAFRet]

So i just got a new ssd and i want to move windows from my hard drive to the ssd. I have researched this but all i can find is how to clone your hard drive but i don't want to do that, i just want to move Windows.

All answers are appreciated

You can't move "just Windows". There is no application that I am aware that will do that.

What size is the new SSD?
How much total space is consumed on your current drive?

 

[SgtScream]

Acronis True Image. You can install the software onto the computer you want to want to clone and clone it to the attached ssd.

 

[USAFRet]

Acronis True Image. You can install the software onto the computer you want to want to clone and clone it to the attached ssd.

From the OP:
"i just want to move Windows. "

Acronis does not do that.

 

[Dunlop0078]

You would clone the drive from one to another, I use to use acronis for that. I dont know of anything that will move only your windows install from one drive to another and I would rather just do a clean install even if there was something that did that.

 

[MayhemGaming]

So i just got a new ssd and i want to move windows from my hard drive to the ssd. I have researched this but all i can find is how to clone your hard drive but i don't want to do that, i just want to move Windows.

All answers are appreciated

You can't move "just Windows". There is no application that I am aware that will do that.

What size is the new SSD?
How much total space is consumed on your current drive?

The ssd i want to move it to is 60gb and the hdd that currently has windows on it has about 20gb left out of 1TB

 

[MayhemGaming]

You would clone the drive from one to another, I use to use acronis for that. I dont know of anything that will move only your windows install from one drive to another and I would rather just do a clean install even if there was something that did that.

I'm up for doing a clean install but i lost my windows disk and i don't really want to use a cracked version if i've already got a paid version already on my pc

 

[USAFRet]

So i just got a new ssd and i want to move windows from my hard drive to the ssd. I have researched this but all i can find is how to clone your hard drive but i don't want to do that, i just want to move Windows.

All answers are appreciated

You can't move "just Windows". There is no application that I am aware that will do that.

What size is the new SSD?
How much total space is consumed on your current drive?

The ssd i want to move it to is 60gb and the hdd that currently has windows on it has about 20gb left

1. Unless it was "free", a 60GB SSD was a waste of money. It is simply too small.
2. Not free space....how much is consumed? Presumably way, way more than 60GB.


So...you're left with doing a clean install on this little drive.
Personally, I would send it back and get my money back. Or use it as a secondary drive.

Use that for the OS, and you'll be back in a month or two talking about "no space left".

 

[USAFRet]

You would clone the drive from one to another, I use to use acronis for that. I dont know of anything that will move only your windows install from one drive to another and I would rather just do a clean install even if there was something that did that.

I'm up for doing a clean install but i lost my windows disk and i don't really want to use a cracked version if i've already got a paid version already on my pc

What specific OS is this?

 

[MayhemGaming]

So i just got a new ssd and i want to move windows from my hard drive to the ssd. I have researched this but all i can find is how to clone your hard drive but i don't want to do that, i just want to move Windows.

All answers are appreciated

You can't move "just Windows". There is no application that I am aware that will do that.

What size is the new SSD?
How much total space is consumed on your current drive?

The ssd i want to move it to is 60gb and the hdd that currently has windows on it has about 20gb left

1. Unless it was "free", a 60GB SSD was a waste of money. It is simply too small.
2. Not free space....how much is consumed? Presumably way, way more than 60GB.


So...you're left with doing a clean install on this little drive.
Personally, I would send it back and get my money back. Or use it as a secondary drive.

Use that for the OS, and you'll be back in a month or two talking about "no space left".

Yeah it was free haha. I've used around like 900gb on the hard drive. Is it possible to reinstall it to the ssd and use my product key for the installation (btw, how can i find my product key)

 

[MayhemGaming]

You would clone the drive from one to another, I use to use acronis for that. I dont know of anything that will move only your windows install from one drive to another and I would rather just do a clean install even if there was something that did that.

I'm up for doing a clean install but i lost my windows disk and i don't really want to use a cracked version if i've already got a paid version already on my pc

What specific OS is this?

Windows 10 Home

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah it was free haha. I've used around like 900gb on the hard drive. Is it possible to reinstall it to the ssd and use my product key for the installation (btw, how can i find my product key)

Even if it were "free", I would not use that for the OS drive.

Anyway...what specific OS is this?

 

[MayhemGaming]

Yeah it was free haha. I've used around like 900gb on the hard drive. Is it possible to reinstall it to the ssd and use my product key for the installation (btw, how can i find my product key)

Even if it were "free", I would not use that for the OS drive.

Anyway...what specific OS is this?

Windows 10 Home. It worked absolutely fine for the guy i got it off but the reason i formatted it was because it was a cracked version with an activation issue

 

[USAFRet]

OK..>Win 10 Home.

You do not need the license key for a reinstall in the same system.
You're just putting it on a different drive. No problem.

Obtain a USB flash drive of at least 5GB. If you have one, make sure there is nothing on it you want to keep.
Go here, downlaod this tool to create your own Win 10 install.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Read and do this, to link your OS license to your MS account (probably not needed in this instance, but good to have)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Now, the install....

Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD.
Boot from the flash drive you made, and install on that SSD.
When it asks for the license key, at the bottom of that window is a link for "I don't have a product ID"
Click that, and proceed.
When the system goes online later, it will activate itself.

 

[USAFRet]

After it is all running, reconnect whatever other drives you have.

Then, read here for how to manage space on that teeny drive.
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

 

[MayhemGaming]

After it is all running, reconnect whatever other drives you have.

Then, read here for how to manage space on that teeny drive.
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

Alright Thanks, i'll try it now and get back to you

 

[MayhemGaming]

OK..>Win 10 Home.

You do not need the license key for a reinstall in the same system.
You're just putting it on a different drive. No problem.

Obtain a USB flash drive of at least 5GB. If you have one, make sure there is nothing on it you want to keep.
Go here, downlaod this tool to create your own Win 10 install.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Read and do this, to link your OS license to your MS account (probably not needed in this instance, but good to have)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Now, the install....

Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD.
Boot from the flash drive you made, and install on that SSD.
When it asks for the license key, at the bottom of that window is a link for "I don't have a product ID"
Click that, and proceed.
When the system goes online later, it will activate itself.

It worked thank you

 

[USAFRet]

It worked thank you

Good deal.

Now you get to tell this to the next person who asks this sort of question...