[SOLVED] install windows to a hdd with files

[Skwere]

i have pc which the ssd broke so yeah. it has a hdd and i want to use the pc still, can i put windows on it? Will my files be removed or can i keep it? Do i still need to pay for windows 10? im planning on unstalling windows through a flash drive.

 

[Colif]

What are specs of PC? What motherboard do you have?

i have pc which the ssd broke so yeah. it has a hdd and i want to use the pc still, can i put windows on it? Will my files be removed or can i keep it?

yes. you can use hdd.

As for keeping files, we shall see.

Is hdd still in PC? If so, have you got the installer already? if not, on another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

Now lets see what format the hdd is currently
boot from installer, on 2nd screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose command prompt
In the Command Prompt window, first type in diskpart and press Enter. Next, type in list disk and press Enter. So it lists all the disks currently connected to your computer, and their respective properties. Look to see if a disk has a (asterisk) in its GPT column or not. If a disk has a * in its GPT column, the disk is GPT partition style. If a disk does not have a in its GPT column, then it uses MBR partition style.

Now if your drive is formatted as MBR we likely need to change settings in bios to get win 10 to use MBR. Why I asked about motherboard.
If drive is formatted as GPT you should be able to run the installer and choose a partition on the drive to install to without losing any info on other partitions. You likely need to make a blank partition for windows.

Do i still need to pay for windows 10?

No, you can always reinstall win 10 on a PC its been on before. When you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

 

[mkaafy]

Yes, you need to separate enough free space (>40GB) from one of your partitions and install windows on separated unallocated space. This can be done by gparted, for example, which is free and open-source.

You need to make a bootable linux USB flash drive and when you're in live ubuntu, open gparted and resize partitions. There is a low possibility of data loss, so you should back up the files of the candidate partition before proceeding to resize.

No, you can use your previous license.

 

[Skwere]

What are specs of PC? What motherboard do you have?


fh

I5 6400. Cpu
H11h4-ad2. Some random acer motherboard
8gb ram. Different sticks
Rx 570 gpu
1 tb hdd. Ssd is removed

 

[Colif]

what make/model Acer is it?

I would imagine its set up as GPT on boot drive, need to find out how the storage drive was formatted now.
Probably the same. I assume UEFI systems default to GPT, its not obvious as UEFI supports MBR & GPT, but its support for MBR is there for legacy reasons. I think on new drives it defaults to GPT...

if so, you wouldn't need to change anything in the BIOS.