Could I do a fresh install of Windows 8.1 onto a SSD using a Windows USB Recovery Drive?

[Red_Comet]

So a few months ago I purchased Windows 8.1 Pro for Students from the Microsoft store and then downloaded it to and installed it on my HDD. Now I'm considering buying a SSD and would like to do a fresh install of Windows onto it however I do not have any installation discs for Windows. I've created a USB Recovery Drive through Windows onto a USB flash drive and I was wondering if it would be possible to install my SSD, boot from the flash drive, and then use the tools on that to install Windows to my SSD. Would that work or is my only option to clone my HDD?

 

[The_Prophecy]

You cannot install Windows from a recovery drive. It contains only the recovery environment to fix your existing Windows install. It cannot set up a new one.

Cloning would be the better option anyway, as you would not have to reinstall your applications. If by chance that does not work though, you can re-download the Windows 8.1 install disk from the link below, assuming you have your product key handy:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

 

[Red_Comet]

You cannot install Windows from a recovery drive. It contains only the recovery environment to fix your existing Windows install. It cannot set up a new one.

Cloning would be the better option anyway, as you would not have to reinstall your applications. If by chance that does not work though, you can re-download the Windows 8.1 install disk from the link below, assuming you have your product key handy:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

Ah, okay. I'm going to save that link, it might come in handy. I've just done some research and apparently the SSD I'll be buying comes with some decent migration software so I suppose I'll just use that rather than doing a fresh install. Thanks for the information.