Help with changing ssd's and clean install of windows 10

[RyanKSG]

Hi, so I just bought the Corsair MX300 275GB SSD. My old 120GB OCZ is running out of space and is quite a few years old so it was time for an upgrade. This will be my first time switching the OS to a new drive so I'm a little nervous. Ideally what I'd like to do (because on my current ssd windows is taking up a total of almost 60gb which seems a little ridiculous) is keep everything on my old drive for now, and just do a clean install of windows on my new ssd. Is that possible? If so, that would be great, as then I would like to just take the remaining files like appdata and other needed files from my old ssd to my new one. Also, currently under "users" the person who previously owned my pc has there initials as the user... I'd like to change that to my name or initials. Can I do that when reinstalling windows? Another thing to note is my os was originally windows 7... then I did the free upgrade to windows 10. So with all that being said, could anyone help me out? Hope I am making sense explaining what I want to do. Thanks in advance to any replies!

 

[RyanKSG]

and where can I get the lan drivers? my mobo is the gigabyte GA-Z68P-DS3

Drivers from here:
http://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z87X-UD4H-rev-1x#support-dl

Thank you! And these ones can just be pasted on the usb?

 

[mjslakeridge]

Do you have the CD/DVD that came with the motherboard? If not you should be able to go to Gigabytes website, under support, and then drivers to download them. I recently did a clean install of Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit onto a spare drive I had, and Windows found the basic drivers for me during the install process. Only later did I find the latest drivers for my GPU and install them.

My fallback option in the event I had no internet access or display, was to keep the previous HDD with Win 8 Pro 32 bit handy in case I had to go searching for drivers (or use my other computer), but that wasn't necessary.

I know it has been mentioned several times by USAF, but I will repeat it. Disconnect all other drives (SSD, HDD) until the new OS install is complete.

 

[USAFRet]

and where can I get the lan drivers? my mobo is the gigabyte GA-Z68P-DS3

Drivers from here:
http://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z87X-UD4H-rev-1x#support-dl

Thank you! And these ones can just be pasted on the usb?

Yes. Download and save to that 2GB USB.

 

[RyanKSG]

Do you have the CD/DVD that came with the motherboard? If not you should be able to go to Gigabytes website, under support, and then drivers to download them. I recently did a clean install of Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit onto a spare drive I had, and Windows found the basic drivers for me during the install process. Only later did I find the latest drivers for my GPU and install them.

My fallback option in the event I had no internet access or display, was to keep the previous HDD with Win 8 Pro 32 bit handy in case I had to go searching for drivers (or use my other computer), but that wasn't necessary.

I know it has been mentioned several times by USAF, but I will repeat it. Disconnect all other drives (SSD, HDD) until the new OS install is complete.

I do have the dvd but I'll just download all from the website as they are all updated. Thank you, I will definitely unplug all other drives!

 

[RyanKSG]

and where can I get the lan drivers? my mobo is the gigabyte GA-Z68P-DS3

Drivers from here:
http://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z87X-UD4H-rev-1x#support-dl

Thank you! And these ones can just be pasted on the usb?

Yes. Download and save to that 2GB USB.

Okay, getting them now. The win 10 intaller is on my usb now as well

 

[RyanKSG]

http://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z68P-DS3-rev-10#support-dl

This is the correct mobo and driver list but not sure if any drivers are missing....which ones are needed, there are quite a few but only 2 drivers, 7 in bios and 11 utility

 

[RyanKSG]

I think I'm making this harder than it needs to be. Thank you so much for your help so far and patience. There were hardly any under windows 10 drivers but there are a bunch including the lan driver under the windows 7 list

 

[mjslakeridge]

I wouldn't update the BIOS just yet (if at all). Since you have the motherboard DVD, and know where to get the latest drivers, I would proceed with the installation and see if Windows finds basic drivers for you. You still will have your old OS on the other SSD in the event something goes wrong.

Edit: One more thing. Plug the new SSD into the sata port on your motherboard that the old SSD was plugged into. It may not matter, but when you boot up with the new install your BIOS may be looking for the OS on that specific port.

 

[RyanKSG]

I wouldn't update the BIOS just yet (if at all). Since you have the motherboard DVD, and know where to get the latest drivers, I would proceed with the installation and see if Windows finds basic drivers for you. You still will have your old OS on the other SSD in the event something goes wrong.

Edit: One more thing. Plug the new SSD into the sata port on your motherboard that the old SSD was plugged into. It may not matter, but when you boot up with the new install your BIOS may be looking for the OS on that specific port.

Okay got it. I'm going to switch over to my phone for messaging on the forum.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Good luck! The install may take quite a while and the computer may restart itself several times during the process. Make sure you don't turn off the power to the computer (or if there is bad weather in your area that could knock out power, you could wait until later).

 

[USAFRet]

I think I'm making this harder than it needs to be. Thank you so much for your help so far and patience. There were hardly any under windows 10 drivers but there are a bunch including the lan driver under the windows 7 list

Right.
The other stuff you might need:
GPU and mouse/keyboard

 

[RyanKSG]

Okay, almost finished the driver downloads... now I have to redo the windows installer tool as it didn't work.... maybe a waited too long.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Did you go into your BIOS to specify the boot order so the USB is first? What exactly didn't work?

 

[RyanKSG]

So, just to be sure, when I start installing my new ssd and after its been setup, can I go back onto my old ssd, plug it in and transfer my files, like my desktop background pictures, and the other applications that are currently on my desktop? I just really don't want to lose anything on my old ssd yet.

 

[RyanKSG]

Oh, not that. Just that it didn't end up downloading to the USB. I'm not there in the bios yet!

 

[mjslakeridge]

Pictures, documents, videos, mp3 files - yes. Just copy/paste them. The programs/applications on your old SSD will have to be re-installed onto the new one. I made a list of all of the programs I had on my old drive (at least the ones I would want to re-install), so I could re-create the desktop on the new install. It actually took longer to re-install all of the programs I wanted than the Windows install. Of course, you can spread it out over several days.

 

[USAFRet]

So, just to be sure, when I start installing my new ssd and after its been setup, can I go back onto my old ssd, plug it in and transfer my files, like my desktop background pictures, and the other applications that are currently on my desktop? I just really don't want to lose anything on my old ssd yet.

Applications? No.
And what is on your 'desktop' is almost certainly just shortcuts to the actual .exe for those applications.
Those are of no consequence, and cannot be transferred tot he new OS.

Your personal files? Sure.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Download from Microsoft the Media Creation Tool and the version of Windows 10 (Pro, home, etc.) iso file to your desktop. Launch the Media Creation tool and specify the usb drive as the destination. Note that this will erase everything on the usb drive. I used a blank DVD drive rather than a USB drive, since I didn't have an empty one.

 

[RyanKSG]

Okay great! Ya, the applications I'll reinstall that's fine, I just meant like my folders and documents and this which you both mentioned I can copy them so that's good. The installer is still downloading to the use... Hope it will finish this time. I'll let you guys know when I'm ready to put in the new sad. And I will unplug all the others!

 

[mjslakeridge]

I think you will want to download the installer (media creation tool) to your desktop, along with the Windows iso file. As I said above then you will launch the media creation tool and specify the usb drive as the destination for the installation media.

 

[RyanKSG]

I think you will want to download the installer (media creation tool) to your desktop, along with the Windows iso file. As I said above then you will launch the media creation tool and specify the usb drive as the destination for the installation media.

Okay, it's not on my desktop but it is installing to the usb. Crap.... Okay it just said "there was a problem running this tool". I'll put it on my desktop and run it from there then. And then the iso file, what about that?

 

[mjslakeridge]

Have you already downloaded the iso file? If you know where it is stored on your computer, just point to that location once you launch the media creation tool from your desktop. It will not work with the media creation tool on your USB drive, because that drive is going to be erased in the process of creating the Windows Installation media file from the iso file.

 

[USAFRet]

I think you will want to download the installer (media creation tool) to your desktop, along with the Windows iso file. As I said above then you will launch the media creation tool and specify the usb drive as the destination for the installation media.

Okay, it's not on my desktop but it is installing to the usb. Crap.... Okay it just said "there was a problem running this tool". I'll put it on my desktop and run it from there then. And then the iso file, what about that?

You must run that MediaCreation tool from an Admin account.

 

[RyanKSG]

Have you already downloaded the iso file? If you know where it is stored on your computer, just point to that location once you launch the media creation tool from your desktop. It will not work with the media creation tool on your USB drive, because that drive is going to be erased in the process of creating the Windows Installation media file from the iso file.

Woah... I'm really sorry, I'm confused. So I have the installer tool downloaded, it's on my desktop, I opened it and it's currently downloading on to my usb. I don't have the iso file... Unless the tool is what you are talking about?

 

[RyanKSG]

I think you will want to download the installer (media creation tool) to your desktop, along with the Windows iso file. As I said above then you will launch the media creation tool and specify the usb drive as the destination for the installation media.

Okay, it's not on my desktop but it is installing to the usb. Crap.... Okay it just said "there was a problem running this tool". I'll put it on my desktop and run it from there then. And then the iso file, what about that?

You must run that MediaCreation tool from an Admin account.

Okay, I think I did it right... I ran as administrator so it should work now lol. Just waiting on it, currently 42%