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!

 

[Rocky Bennett]

If you do a clean install of windows 10 and try to use your windows 7 key it will not work. You are either going to have to use a 3rd party tool like acronis to clone your old drive to the new drive or purchase a windows 10 license. This is because Microsoft is no longer offering the free in place upgrades.

This is absolutely 100% incorrect.

 

[RyanKSG]

If you do a clean install of windows 10 and try to use your windows 7 key it will not work. You are either going to have to use a 3rd party tool like acronis to clone your old drive to the new drive or purchase a windows 10 license. This is because Microsoft is no longer offering the free in place upgrades.

This is absolutely 100% incorrect.

We already established that, but thanks anyways.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Go to this link and follow the instructions for "using the tool to create installation media to install windows 10 on a different PC". This is because you are installing on a new SSD. If you don't do this, it will install Windows onto the current SSD, overwriting the current OS.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

[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.

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%

It sounds like you have already started an in-place re-install of Windows on your current SSD. If you still have the option to cancel this, I would do so. If not, select "Save my old files" or something similar, and it will create a windows.old directory where your existing files will be saved. And see my immediately previous post.

 

[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%

It sounds like you have already started an in-place re-install of Windows on your current SSD. If you still have the option to cancel this, I would do so. If not, select "Save my old files" or something similar, and it will create a windows.old directory where your existing files will be saved. And see my immediately previous post.

Okay, I'm not understanding why I need the ISO file or where to get it from. What I thought I had to do was Download the installation media tool to my desktop, then run it. select install for new pc option. Then download it to my usb. Is this correct?

 

[USAFRet]

It sounds like you have already started an in-place re-install of Windows on your current SSD. If you still have the option to cancel this, I would do so. If not, select "Save my old files" or something similar, and it will create a windows.old directory where your existing files will be saved. And see my immediately previous post.

He is in the process of writing the install to a USB.
Do try to keep up.

 

[mjslakeridge]

It sounds like you have already started an in-place re-install of Windows on your current SSD. If you still have the option to cancel this, I would do so. If not, select "Save my old files" or something similar, and it will create a windows.old directory where your existing files will be saved. And see my immediately previous post.

He is in the process of writing the install to a USB.
Do try to keep up.

Well, I'm hoping that is the case, but am not fully confident. It appears that the process for Windows 10 is different from Windows 8, where you could find a Windows 8 iso file for a discreet download, separate and apart from the Media Creation Tool download process. This is based on the fact that the OP said that he has not downloaded the iso file.

 

[RyanKSG]

I believe the only reason why the tool hasn't installed yet is that I had tried to put it on a usb that was not fully 4gb. I'm trying it on a 32gb usb so if it doesnt work now then there is another issue.

 

[USAFRet]

It sounds like you have already started an in-place re-install of Windows on your current SSD. If you still have the option to cancel this, I would do so. If not, select "Save my old files" or something similar, and it will create a windows.old directory where your existing files will be saved. And see my immediately previous post.

He is in the process of writing the install to a USB.
Do try to keep up.

Well, I'm hoping that is the case, but am not fully confident. It appears that the process for Windows 10 is different from Windows 8, where you could find a Windows 8 iso file for a discreet download, separate and apart from the Media Creation Tool download process. This is based on the fact that the OP said that he has not downloaded the iso file.

With the Win 10 tool, you can either write directly to the USB, or download the ISO file, and write that to DVD or USB later.

 

[USAFRet]

I believe the only reason why the tool hasn't installed yet is that I had tried to put it on a usb that was not fully 4gb. I'm trying it on a 32gb usb so if it doesnt work now then there is another issue.

It would have told you if the USB was not large enough.

What is specifically happening right now?

 

[RyanKSG]

Oh that is true... hmm. well currently it is still downloading to the usb, if it doesn't work again I'll tell you exactly what it says.

 

[mjslakeridge]

It sounds like you have already started an in-place re-install of Windows on your current SSD. If you still have the option to cancel this, I would do so. If not, select "Save my old files" or something similar, and it will create a windows.old directory where your existing files will be saved. And see my immediately previous post.

He is in the process of writing the install to a USB.
Do try to keep up.

Well, I'm hoping that is the case, but am not fully confident. It appears that the process for Windows 10 is different from Windows 8, where you could find a Windows 8 iso file for a discreet download, separate and apart from the Media Creation Tool download process. This is based on the fact that the OP said that he has not downloaded the iso file.

With the Win 10 tool, you can either write directly to the USB, or download the ISO file, and write that to DVD or USB later.

OK, that's good to know. I just didn't want the OP to somehow overwrite his current OS, deleting his personal files if he didn't select "save my existing files", if that is still an option. I haven't ventured into WIndows 10, due to my reliance on Windows Media Center to record TV programs, although I have started to look at alternatives using my old Windows 8 Pro install on a spare drive.

 

[USAFRet]

Oh that is true... hmm. well currently it is still downloading to the usb, if it doesn't work again I'll tell you exactly what it says.

OK...just let whatever process is running do its thing, and then report back here.

 

[RyanKSG]

Oh that is true... hmm. well currently it is still downloading to the usb, if it doesn't work again I'll tell you exactly what it says.

OK...just let whatever process is running do its thing, and then report back here.

Yup! Currently creating windows 10 media on the usb.... almost finished. Hope it works this time

 

[RyanKSG]

OMG it worked!Okay, so... umm... finally, wow. Thank you so much for your time and help! Now I need to shut down my pc, unplug all drives, put in new ssd and plug into previous ssd slot. then go into bios and boot from usb?

 

[mjslakeridge]

Great! Looks like you are on your way to a clean install of Windows 10 on your new SSD.

 

[RyanKSG]

Thanks! So are those the steps I need to take?

 

[mjslakeridge]

Yes.

 

[USAFRet]

OMG it worked!Okay, so... umm... finally, wow. Thank you so much for your time and help! Now I need to shut down my pc, unplug all drives, put in new ssd and plug into previous ssd slot. then go into bios and boot from usb?

Correct.

 

[RyanKSG]

OMG it worked!Okay, so... umm... finally, wow. Thank you so much for your time and help! Now I need to shut down my pc, unplug all drives, put in new ssd and plug into previous ssd slot. then go into bios and boot from usb?

Correct.

Well, I'm in the windows setup now. Only have my new ssd plugged in, and it's installing to that drive.

 

[USAFRet]

OMG it worked!Okay, so... umm... finally, wow. Thank you so much for your time and help! Now I need to shut down my pc, unplug all drives, put in new ssd and plug into previous ssd slot. then go into bios and boot from usb?

Correct.

Well, I'm in the windows setup now. Only have my new ssd plugged in, and it's installing to that drive.

Then proceed like any other clean OS install...

 

[RyanKSG]

Okay, so not sure what now. I've gone through setting up windows, like putting in email changing setting etc. Now my screen is blank... It's dark but blank. And I can hear some noises like when you plug something in and it jingles...

 

[USAFRet]

Okay, so not sure what now. I've gone through setting up windows, like putting in email changing setting etc. Now my screen is blank... It's dark but blank. And I can hear some noises like when you plug something in and it jingles...

It finished installing?
At some point, the screen said "Hi" ?

Then what happened?

 

[RyanKSG]

Sorry... Figured it out. Gpu isn't on as no drivers are installed... Lol. Going to install drivers now

 

[RyanKSG]

It's all ready to go now! And there's only 25gb used up on my ssd so far. On my previous one, windows took up almost 60gb. Much, much better. Now I need to plug in my other drives right? Then move my files over, install the rest of my programs and then I'll have to erase my old drive.