i cant migrate my windows license onto my new ssd?

[DarqFX]

so i had been using a hdd, although recently got an ssd, however just plugging in the ssd alone does not detect my windows license. so i then put back in my hdd and made a bootable usb drive for the new ssd and booted up from it, i chose the drive i wanted to install windows to (the ssd) and it literally just gets stuck at “getting files ready 1%” and ive left it for a straight hour. am i seriously goung to have to continue using my hdd even after buying
this new drive?

 

[geofelt]

Your windows license is tied to your motherboard, not the device windows is installed on.

If you want to use the ssd as just another fast drive, just connect it and continue to boot from your windows HDD.
But, that is a waste.
I think what you really want is to have windows C drive on your SSD.

If you want to do a clean install, make note of your current windows activation code and use your USB install media to do a clean install.
Do not have your old HDD connected during the process.
Any apps installed on the HDD will need to be reinstalled.

If your new SSD is as large as your HDD, you can probably clone your HDD to the new SSD.
What ssd did you buy?
Many have free migration utilities.

 

[InvalidError]

The OEM windows license follows the motherboard. Moving from HDD to SSD on the same system should be a non-issue. It can take a little while for Windows' authentication servers to re-authorize Windows after the re-install but it should happen automatically.

 

[10tacle]

If you have a valid copy of Windows, you should be able to easily clone the HDD to your SSD. I've done this countless times. Did your new SSD come with cloning software? If not, you can download a free version of one of them like from Macrium. However, you must have fewer files on that HDD than the space on the SSD. In other words, say if your 500GB HDD has 390GB of data and you are trying to clone to a 250GB SSD, it won't work. If that is your case, back up your extra files and remove everything but the Windows installation on the HDD before cloning.

 

[das_stig]

You don;t say what version of WIndows, but you should don't have to input a licence key straight away.
Disconnect the HDD, boot from the USB if you made it from one of Microsoft's Media Creation Tools
Once at desktop and drivers loaded, if Win7 enter licence key and activae, if it fails, use the telpehone option. If Win7 the licence is held by Microsoft and should autoactivate, as changing from HDD to SSD should not invalidate the licence.

 

[DarqFX]

Your windows license is tied to your motherboard, not the device windows is installed on.

If you want to use the ssd as just another fast drive, just connect it and continue to boot from your windows HDD.
But, that is a waste.
I think what you really want is to have windows C drive on your SSD.

If you want to do a clean install, make note of your current windows activation code and use your USB install media to do a clean install.
Do not have your old HDD connected during the process.
Any apps installed on the HDD will need to be reinstalled.

If your new SSD is as large as your HDD, you can probably clone your HDD to the new SSD.
What ssd did you buy?
Many have free migration utilities.

I bought the samsung 850 EVO.
and yes you are correct, i do want to have windows c drive on my ssd,i used a program to find my key and tried it through the usb program, but now i get an error saying something along the lines of " a necessary file wasnt found and therefore cannot continue to install"
Which makes zero sense because I only JUST made the bootable usb so im confused what file is missing

 

[DarqFX]

The OEM windows license follows the motherboard. Moving from HDD to SSD on the same system should be a non-issue. It can take a little while for Windows' authentication servers to re-authorize Windows after the re-install but it should happen automatically.

Going by that, then i wouldnt even need a bootable usb drive because it "follows the motherboard" however if i boot with just the ssd (not usb) then it literally says "there is no OS". And if i try from usb i get the error "a necessary file is missing.. cannot continue installion"

 

[USAFRet]

so i had been using a hdd, although recently got an ssd, however just plugging in the ssd alone does not detect my windows license. so i then put back in my hdd and made a bootable usb drive for the new ssd and booted up from it, i chose the drive i wanted to install windows to (the ssd) and it literally just gets stuck at “getting files ready 1%” and ive left it for a straight hour. am i seriously goung to have to continue using my hdd even after buying
this new drive?

1. What OS is this?
2. Where did it come from?

With just changing drive in this same system, the license is not an issue.

3. Just plugging the SSD in does nothing.
You need to install the OS on the drive.
Thusly: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10

Or, you can clone from the old drive to the new, if space requirements meet.
A. How much total space is consumed on your current drive?
B. How large is the new SSD?
If A is significantly smaller than B....clone it.

Like this:
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

 

[geofelt]

Samsung has a nice free ssd migration app.
Go to the samsung web site and download the app and instructions:
http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

You run the app which will move the contents of the HDD to the ssd.
When done, switch the boot order to the ssd.
You can then delete windows folders from the HDD or reformat it if you wish.
In the event that the contents of the HDD will not fit on the ssd, you can exclude large data folders.

 

[DarqFX]

Samsung has a nice free ssd migration app.
Go to the samsung web site and download the app and instructions:
http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

You run the app which will move the contents of the HDD to the ssd.
When done, switch the boot order to the ssd.
You can then delete windows folders from the HDD or reformat it if you wish.
In the event that the contents of the HDD will not fit on the ssd, you can exclude large data folders.

the samsung migration worked!, still unsure why the usb didnt but who cares, feeling the speed increase dramatically, its actually great, thanks.

 

[geofelt]

Love that app.