[SOLVED] Clean Install of Windows 10 to a SSD from HDD.

[TheNoobGamer]

Hi guys, so I just bought a new SSD and want to to move Windows over from my HDD to the SSD but also perform a clean install at the same time. Would this be possible by simply 'resetting the PC', wiping the files and selecting a Custom Install of Windows 10 and selecting the SSD. I'm not really one for using a migration or cloning application, thanks.

 

[DSzymborski]

Have only the SSD installed and boot to your Windows media. Only after Windows is running and you have all the drivers installed do you then connect your HDD as a secondary directory. Most applications will need to be reinstalled, though Steam is very cooperative and outside of installing Steam on your SSD and telling Steam where the games are, you shoudln't have to do much.

 

[TheNoobGamer]

So wipe the hard drive after everything is backed up, of course, then boot with only the SSD installed and install windows to that?

 

[USAFRet]

So wipe the hard drive after everything is backed up, of course, then boot with only the SSD installed and install windows to that?

Yes.
Disconnect the HDD, install on the SSD.
Reconnect the HDD later and wipe it clean.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[TheNoobGamer]

Righto, thanks guys.

 

[britechguy]

First and foremost, the advice you've received is correct, so I have nothing to add.

What follows is hair splitting, but I have seen topics like this be the source of ongoing confusion. You initially wrote: "I just bought a new SSD and want to to move Windows over from my HDD to the SSD but also perform a clean install at the same time. "

You cannot do this, at least not logically. Any time you clean install you have nothing left of what you "moved."

I believe you mean you wanted to keep your Windows 10 license on this machine, but start afresh with a different system drive, the new SSD. That is easily done by reinstalling Windows 10 to the SSD (with the old HDD disconnected) then connecting the HDD as a secondary drive afterward. But nothing with regard to Windows itself has been "moved" in any meaningful way. You have a brand, spankin' new Windows 10 installation, licensed using the digital license associated with the machine via its motherboard.

When I hear "moved" and see "moved" I consider that to be picked up, as is, and ported lock, stock, and barrel from location one to location two (in this case HDD to SSD). That's not what's going to occur here.

 

[TheNoobGamer]

Yeahp,thats correct. So I wipe the HDD after i’ve installed windows on the SSD, which leaves me with a clean HDD and a clean SSD with windows installed on it.

 

[britechguy]

Yes, but I'd be cautious about being too hasty about wiping the HDD. Once you're sure things are going as you wish them to with the SSD hardware configuration in place, then you can nuke anything (or everything) you'd like from the HDD.

 

[TheNoobGamer]

Righto, thanks for the help mate. Quick question though, having windows installed on the SSD and then reconnecting the HDD with windows also installed wont have any detrimental effects though?

 

[USAFRet]

Righto, thanks for the help mate. Quick question though, having windows installed on the SSD and then reconnecting the HDD with windows also installed wont have any detrimental effects though?

As long as the system isn't trying to boot from the HDD, no.

 

[britechguy]

No.

There is, and only can be, one drive recognized as the system drive, and the boot loader on that drive will make no attempt to load an OS from anywhere else (under typical circumstances).

The HDD will now be considered an auxiliary drive just like any other you would add to the system.

 

[TheNoobGamer]

Absolute legends, cheers for the much needed help lads.

 

[TheNoobGamer]

Hi guys, just installed windows on my SSD and everything seems to be working. I was thinking, would it be possible to remove windows from the HDD without having to wipe it entirely? If so, how would I go about doing this, thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi guys, just installed windows on my SSD and everything seems to be working. I was thinking, would it be possible to remove windows from the HDD without having to wipe it entirely? If so, how would I go about doing this, thanks.

It is much better to locate and copy the stuff you do want, wipe the whole drive, then copy that stuff back.
"Windows" is much more than just the Windows folder.

 

[britechguy]

It also tends to be much easier to locate "your user(s) stuff" to copy it off for safekeeping before doing a drive wipe.

Unless you are the odd user who creates a lot of folders outside the C:\Users\{insert account designation(s) or Public here} folder structures it's very easy to know where all the user data is. Even if you create some outside those structures, those some should be easy to locate and copy off, too.

Most former system drives really benefit from a thorough cleaning before being put back into service as data-storage-only devices.

 

[DSzymborski]

Hi guys, just installed windows on my SSD and everything seems to be working. I was thinking, would it be possible to remove windows from the HDD without having to wipe it entirely? If so, how would I go about doing this, thanks.

Let me give you an analogy to your problem here.

Imagine you're making a cake. You've mixed together all the eggs, flour, sugar, butter, and salt and put the cake in the oven and it comes out of the oven looking like a perfect TV cake.

OK, now try and get the eggs back.