A few question about installing Windows 10 on another HDD.

[flipsternip1]

Hi, I am going to install windows 10 on a new HDD or SSD that I am going to buy tomorrow. I have a few questions-

1. I am going to install the OS on a new HDD, do I need to uninstall windows 8 from my current HDD, and then install windows 10 on the second one? Or does windows 8 automatically uninstall?

2. I will probably get an SSD, what is the minimum size I should get?

Sorry for my stupid questions, I have only built 1 pc, and installed one OS ever.

Thank you

 

[Darkbreeze]

Are you planning to install Windows 10 preview, upgrade or are planning to buy the full version?

 

[flipsternip1]

Are you planning to install Windows 10 preview, upgrade or are planning to buy the full version?

I plant on upgrading

 

[USAFRet]

1. Bit confused here.
You currently have Win 8 (hopefully 8.1, not 8)
You want Win 10 on the new SSD
At this late date, why? If you install Win 10 Tech Preview today, you'll have to make some decisions in the near future.
Either buy the final release of WIn 10, remain on the Insider program with all it entails, or reinstall Win 8 and upgrade from that to Win 10.

Your existing OS on the HDD does NOT automagically uninstall.
Personally, I would just get your current OS on the SSD, then upgrade to Win 10 when it is available on your device.


2. 120GB minimum. 250GB preferable.

 

[Darkbreeze]

As USAFRet has indicated, your best option is probably to back up any and all important files to another location for later, install Windows 8.1 on the SSD, perform any necessary Windows updates and then upgrade to Windows 10 once the upgrade becomes available. Or, install Windows 10 preview on the SSD leaving your current installation on the other drive alone and separate so you can boot back to it later if you decide Windows 10 isn't for you or there are issues with any of your hardware.

 

[orlbuckeye]

Well the issue here is that in order to do a clean install of Windows 10 you must first do an upgrade to Windows 8.1. When you do an upgrade it reactivates Windows 10 and you get a new key. That new key is used to do a clean install which can be downloaded from MS. Now as far as licensing I'm not sure you can run Windows 10 and WIndows 8.1 as a dual boot because you have an upgrade license for Windows 10.

 

[flipsternip1]

As USAFRet has indicated, your best option is probably to back up any and all important files to another location for later, install Windows 8.1 on the SSD, perform any necessary Windows updates and then upgrade to Windows 10 once the upgrade becomes available. Or, install Windows 10 preview on the SSD leaving your current installation on the other drive alone and separate so you can boot back to it later if you decide Windows 10 isn't for you or there are issues with any of your hardware.

Thank you, how would I go about moving Windows 8.1 to my SSD? I just purchased one at micro center a few hours ago.

 

[USAFRet]

As USAFRet has indicated, your best option is probably to back up any and all important files to another location for later, install Windows 8.1 on the SSD, perform any necessary Windows updates and then upgrade to Windows 10 once the upgrade becomes available. Or, install Windows 10 preview on the SSD leaving your current installation on the other drive alone and separate so you can boot back to it later if you decide Windows 10 isn't for you or there are issues with any of your hardware.

Thank you, how would I go about moving Windows 8.1 to my SSD? I just purchased one at micro center a few hours ago.

Question:
What size is the new SSD, and how much total used space is on the current HDD?

 

[flipsternip1]

As USAFRet has indicated, your best option is probably to back up any and all important files to another location for later, install Windows 8.1 on the SSD, perform any necessary Windows updates and then upgrade to Windows 10 once the upgrade becomes available. Or, install Windows 10 preview on the SSD leaving your current installation on the other drive alone and separate so you can boot back to it later if you decide Windows 10 isn't for you or there are issues with any of your hardware.

Thank you, how would I go about moving Windows 8.1 to my SSD? I just purchased one at micro center a few hours ago.

Question:
What size is the new SSD, and how much total used space is on the current HDD?

250 GB SSD, and I only have 138 GB left out of 1TB on HDD.

 

[USAFRet]

250 GB SSD, and I only have 138 GB left out of 1TB on HDD.

Then your options are severely limited.
2 options:
1. Clean install the OS on the new SSD.
2. Reduce the total used space to below 200GB, and migrate to the new SSD.

 

[flipsternip1]

250 GB SSD, and I only have 138 GB left out of 1TB on HDD.

Then your options are severely limited.
2 options:
1. Clean install the OS on the new SSD.
2. Reduce the total used space to below 200GB, and migrate to the new SSD.

Ok, thank you. But can't you only use the windows Installation Disk/Serial Code once though?

 

[USAFRet]

250 GB SSD, and I only have 138 GB left out of 1TB on HDD.

Then your options are severely limited.
2 options:
1. Clean install the OS on the new SSD.
2. Reduce the total used space to below 200GB, and migrate to the new SSD.

Ok, thank you. But can't you only use the windows Installation Disk/Serial Code once though?

You can reinstall on the same system as many times as you like.
If it is a retail license, you can install on a whole different system. Obviously only one at a time.

("System" = motherboard)

 

[flipsternip1]

250 GB SSD, and I only have 138 GB left out of 1TB on HDD.

Then your options are severely limited.
2 options:
1. Clean install the OS on the new SSD.
2. Reduce the total used space to below 200GB, and migrate to the new SSD.

Ok, thank you. But can't you only use the windows Installation Disk/Serial Code once though?

You can reinstall on the same system as many times as you like.
If it is a retail license, you can install on a whole different system. Obviously only one at a time.

("System" = motherboard)

Thanks. So is this what I should do?

Connect the SSD

Uninstall windows (If so, how would I go about doing this)

Install windows 8.1 on my PC

Upgrade on July 29th

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks. So is this what I should do?

Connect the SSD

Uninstall windows (If so, how would I go about doing this)

Install windows 8.1 on my PC

Upgrade on July 29th

1. Connect the SSD.
2. Install the OS. The current install on the HDD can be removed later.
3. Windows updates, install your applications, etc, etc.
4. Upgrade to Windows 10 sometime after July 29. Highly unlikely your particular PC will be one of the first to get the upgrade.
Read this: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-windows-10-is-coming,29498.html

And it is advisable to wait anyway. Let other people test the upgrade process and shake out any bugs.

 

[jovcenaum]

Best and most secure is procedure:
1 - attach new SSD and from Disk Management (right click on Start or Computer) make new partition and format it (quick)
2 - download ISO Windows 10 pro Insider Preview (last build is 10162, quite good) and burn it with Microsoft DVD tool to USB flash
(min 4 GB formatted as NTFS)
3 - shutdown computer and disconnect HDD
4 - attach USB flash and tap F12 when booting up computer and choose from boot menu USB flash ( usually is F12, it is shown on
the first screen)
5 - install Windows 10 and when it is everything OK (wait one day or two) attach HDD and follow procedure
for adding Windows 8 to multi boot.

 

[USAFRet]

Best and most secure is procedure:
1 - attach new SSD and from Disk Management (right click on Start or Computer) make new partition and format it (quick)
2 - download ISO Windows 10 pro Insider Preview (last build is 10162, quite good) and burn it with Microsoft DVD tool to USB flash
(min 4 GB formatted as NTFS)
3 - shutdown computer and disconnect HDD
4 - attach USB flash and tap F12 when booting up computer and choose from boot menu USB flash ( usually is F12, it is shown on
the first screen)
5 - install Windows 10 and when it is everything OK (wait one day or two) attach HDD and follow procedure
for adding Windows 8 to multi boot.

If we were talking about installing the Win 10 Tech Preview, your steps might be relevant.
As we're not...

 

[flipsternip1]

Thanks. So is this what I should do?

Connect the SSD

Uninstall windows (If so, how would I go about doing this)

Install windows 8.1 on my PC

Upgrade on July 29th

1. Connect the SSD.
2. Install the OS. The current install on the HDD can be removed later.
3. Windows updates, install your applications, etc, etc.
4. Upgrade to Windows 10 sometime after July 29. Highly unlikely your particular PC will be one of the first to get the upgrade.
Read this: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-windows-10-is-coming,29498.html

And it is advisable to wait anyway. Let other people test the upgrade process and shake out any bugs.

Okay, so as long as I set the pc to boot from the SSD, the other copy of windows on my HDD won't mess anything up, will it?

 

[jovcenaum]

And don't worry for license, it will be simple and on time.

 

[USAFRet]

Okay, so as long as I set the pc to boot from the SSD, the other copy of windows on my HDD won't mess anything up, will it?

Correct. Just ensure the HDD is not in the boot order, and it won't boot from it. No matter what is on it.

 

[flipsternip1]

Okay, so as long as I set the pc to boot from the SSD, the other copy of windows on my HDD won't mess anything up, will it?

Correct. Just ensure the HDD is not in the boot order, and it won't boot from it. No matter what is on it.

Thank you. How would I delete the OS off of the HDD when the time comes?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay, so as long as I set the pc to boot from the SSD, the other copy of windows on my HDD won't mess anything up, will it?

Correct. Just ensure the HDD is not in the boot order, and it won't boot from it. No matter what is on it.

Thank you. How would I delete the OS off of the HDD when the time comes?

Assuming there is nothing on that drive you need to keep, Disk Management. Select each partition, Delete. Ending up with one large unallocated space. Make the whole thing one partition.
Be SURE you've selected the correct drive when you do this...

 

[flipsternip1]

Okay, so as long as I set the pc to boot from the SSD, the other copy of windows on my HDD won't mess anything up, will it?

Correct. Just ensure the HDD is not in the boot order, and it won't boot from it. No matter what is on it.

Thank you. How would I delete the OS off of the HDD when the time comes?

Assuming there is nothing on that drive you need to keep, Disk Management. Select each partition, Delete. Ending up with one large unallocated space. Make the whole thing one partition.
Be SURE you've selected the correct drive when you do this...

Thank you for the help! 1 Final thing, so you have to clear the whole HDD, you can't just remove the OS?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay, so as long as I set the pc to boot from the SSD, the other copy of windows on my HDD won't mess anything up, will it?

Correct. Just ensure the HDD is not in the boot order, and it won't boot from it. No matter what is on it.

Thank you. How would I delete the OS off of the HDD when the time comes?

Assuming there is nothing on that drive you need to keep, Disk Management. Select each partition, Delete. Ending up with one large unallocated space. Make the whole thing one partition.
Be SURE you've selected the correct drive when you do this...

Thank you for the help! 1 Final thing, so you have to clear the whole HDD, you can't just remove the OS?

To prevent future confusion, you also have to delete the System Reserved partition.
Best way is to start with a known fully clean drive.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I generally back up anything that's needed to another separate drive and then follow the steps at the following link which will result in the same final result as what USAFRet has described, just in a different way. Of course, it requires that you have installation media and that you know the product key. If you don't know the product key or don't have installation media like a disk or USB ISO image, then you can't do it this way. Be sure to follow every step EXACTLY as outlined:

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html