getting windows 10 on ssd (uninstall windows off hdd?)

w1418826

Honorable
Mar 25, 2015
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10,545
Hey,

So I was thinking of just uninstalling windows 10 from my old hdd, removing that drive, installing the ssd, Install windows 10 off a usb drive, then putting back in the old hdd, and maybe then reformatting that hdd. is this a feasible way to go about doing this? If so then do I need to do anything special to the ssd before I uninstall windows 10? I only have the one pc to use for this, no other hardware to help with the switch..
 
Solution
Well, technically you have the heart of it.

Download Win 10 onto a USB before you start. Take out your HDD, install the SSD and install just like a new install. Get all your drivers, etc. up and running.

For the next part, the EASIEST thing to do would be to use a drive caddy and just delete all the partitions on the old HDD.
In lieu of that, go into your boot order screen and set that SSD as your FIRST device. Reinstall your HDD (leaving the SSD in). According to your system you may or may not have to enable the SATA port it's hooked to, I leave that aspect to the knowledge of your own system. But once you are booted up, from the SSD, then use disk management to just delete all the partitions on the HDD, reformat, and...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


There is no "uninstall" for Windows.
And you can't "delete" it from within that running windows instance.
And if you have the OS on the SSD, you do not need nor want the OS on the HDD as well.

Please give us a full list of all parts in this system.
 

punkncat

Champion
Ambassador
Well, technically you have the heart of it.

Download Win 10 onto a USB before you start. Take out your HDD, install the SSD and install just like a new install. Get all your drivers, etc. up and running.

For the next part, the EASIEST thing to do would be to use a drive caddy and just delete all the partitions on the old HDD.
In lieu of that, go into your boot order screen and set that SSD as your FIRST device. Reinstall your HDD (leaving the SSD in). According to your system you may or may not have to enable the SATA port it's hooked to, I leave that aspect to the knowledge of your own system. But once you are booted up, from the SSD, then use disk management to just delete all the partitions on the HDD, reformat, and whammo...storage disk.

Another way to do this is to use a clone software to make a copy of the HDD onto the SSD. These programs vary greatly between freeware and paid. Do a bit of reading on that, but in essence much the same as I have said above. The fresh install will be the better option so long as you have already backed up info you want to keep.
 
Solution

punkncat

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As a side note. Before you do the install, since you only have one computer, make SURE to go and get your LAN/WiFi driver. If the generic driver for Win10 doesn't work for your motherboard you could be stuck without internet and having to put your HDD back in to go find it.
 

w1418826

Honorable
Mar 25, 2015
86
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10,545


Thank you for this. lol yea I thought you could install/uninstall windows at will. I also didn't know if having two drives (the ssd after windows install and original hdd) with the os on it would be an issue when initially putting the hdd back in.. Does it matter which sata port I plug the ssd into? Do I create partitions on the ssd? I assume the answers for the sata ports questions depend on the motherboard..
 

punkncat

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Start off with the SSD just empty and ready. Windows will set up it's own partitions. Unless you have a need for additional ones, I wouldn't mess with it.
The reason I mention to set your SSD as the primary boot is so that it will come up on that drive, first. In some cases where you have two OS it will show an option screen on post as to which OS you want to boot from (dual boot). People use this oftentimes when using Linux and Windows, etc.
Typically, it really doesn't matter where you plug in, just pay attention to which slot such that if you do have to enable that particular SATA plug in BIOS you know where it is.
 

punkncat

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on a mobo that new, you should not have to worry about enabling SATA.

Go here:
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-AORUS-PRO-WIFI-rev-10#support-dl-driver-lan
Look under "LAN" and download the driver (Win 10) to a USB. Chances are good that Win10 will support that on a generic driver, but better to be safe since you only have one machine.

It's honestly not a bad idea to go ahead and download all the applicable chipset, SATA, etc. drivers to that USB and save yourself some time.
 

w1418826

Honorable
Mar 25, 2015
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so when we say delete all partitions are we leaving the c: drive and system alone under disk management? or delete those as well? the following is what the list looks like under disk management:

disk 0 partition 3
disk 0 partition 4
C:
System
 

USAFRet

Titan
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In Disk Management, you cannot delete the current C partition.

Once you get the system running on the SSD, then you reconnect the HDD and delete all partitions on it. It will be some other drive letter.
 

w1418826

Honorable
Mar 25, 2015
86
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10,545
I am coming to the end here, I am deleting partitions and wanting to reformat the disk, but a couple things, First, when i booted up with the ssd under this pc it does not show the hdd. it is listed however under disk drives and whatnot..

also, it won't seem to let me just delete two of the partitions on the hdd. and then where do I format it from..
 

USAFRet

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Pictures please.