Installing windows 10 on an ssd vs cloning from hdd

[ethancowankazmi]

I recently bought an ssd, I also have a hard drive with windows 10 and alot of used storage. I ALSO happen to have another product code for windows 10. Can I just install win 10 on the ssd and freely move files from the HDD to the ssd?

 

[Gam3r01]

You can, and should, just do a fresh install of windows onto the SSD, then move files at your leisure.

 

[USAFRet]

I recently bought an ssd, I also have a hard drive with windows 10 and alot of used storage. I ALSO happen to have another product code for windows 10. Can I just install win 10 on the ssd and freely move files from the HDD to the ssd?

Given certain conditions, either way can work.

Cloning
This requires that the total used space on your current drive is smaller than the size of the SSD.
For instance, with a 500GB SSD, your total consumed space needs to be below 400GB.
Cloning usually works.

Clean install
This requires that you also resinstall all your drivers and applications. You'll be starting from a blank OS.
This always works.

 

[USAFRet]

For a clean OS install, here:
How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10


For a clone operation, here:

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
-----------------------------

 

[ethancowankazmi]

I recently bought an ssd, I also have a hard drive with windows 10 and alot of used storage. I ALSO happen to have another product code for windows 10. Can I just install win 10 on the ssd and freely move files from the HDD to the ssd?

Given certain conditions, either way can work.

Cloning
This requires that the total used space on your current drive is smaller than the size of the SSD.
For instance, with a 500GB SSD, your total consumed space needs to be below 400GB.
Cloning usually works.

Clean install
This requires that you also resinstall all your drivers and applications. You'll be starting from a blank OS.
This always works.

My ssd cannot hold all of the files on my hdd at one time, and backing up files to wherever is going to crash my current computer. I'm going to be building a new one in a few days, thats why im trying to get this figured out.

So I need to install windows 10 onto the new ssd, id assume delete the os from the hdd, and not lose any personal files in the process. In what order and how do I do that? (all the while I am still on old hardware that will change in a few days)

 

[USAFRet]

I recently bought an ssd, I also have a hard drive with windows 10 and alot of used storage. I ALSO happen to have another product code for windows 10. Can I just install win 10 on the ssd and freely move files from the HDD to the ssd?

Given certain conditions, either way can work.

Cloning
This requires that the total used space on your current drive is smaller than the size of the SSD.
For instance, with a 500GB SSD, your total consumed space needs to be below 400GB.
Cloning usually works.

Clean install
This requires that you also resinstall all your drivers and applications. You'll be starting from a blank OS.
This always works.

My ssd cannot hold all of the files on my hdd at one time, and backing up files to wherever is going to crash my current computer. I'm going to be building a new one in a few days, thats why im trying to get this figured out.

So I need to install windows 10 onto the new ssd, id assume delete the os from the hdd, and not lose any personal files in the process. In what order and how do I do that? (all the while I am still on old hardware that will change in a few days)

What size is the SSD?
How much total space is consumed on your current drive?
Do you have another drive handy? An external, maybe?

 

[ethancowankazmi]

I recently bought an ssd, I also have a hard drive with windows 10 and alot of used storage. I ALSO happen to have another product code for windows 10. Can I just install win 10 on the ssd and freely move files from the HDD to the ssd?

Given certain conditions, either way can work.

Cloning
This requires that the total used space on your current drive is smaller than the size of the SSD.
For instance, with a 500GB SSD, your total consumed space needs to be below 400GB.
Cloning usually works.

Clean install
This requires that you also resinstall all your drivers and applications. You'll be starting from a blank OS.
This always works.

My ssd cannot hold all of the files on my hdd at one time, and backing up files to wherever is going to crash my current computer. I'm going to be building a new one in a few days, thats why im trying to get this figured out.

So I need to install windows 10 onto the new ssd, id assume delete the os from the hdd, and not lose any personal files in the process. In what order and how do I do that? (all the while I am still on old hardware that will change in a few days)

What size is the SSD?
How much total space is consumed on your current drive?
Do you have another drive handy? An external, maybe?

the ssd i have now is 128gb (i wanted a 256gb but i was already over budget)
i have 765gb used on my hdd, ssd is empty
no external hard drive

 

[USAFRet]

the ssd i have now is 128gb (i wanted a 256gb but i was already over budget)
i have 765gb used on my hdd, ssd is empty
no external hard drive

You're going to have problems. It can be done, but this is tricky.
OS and applications on the SSD. Games and all that other data on the HDD.

The problem is a place to put that data while you wipe the old HDD, after the install on the SSD.

 

[ethancowankazmi]

the ssd i have now is 128gb (i wanted a 256gb but i was already over budget)
i have 765gb used on my hdd, ssd is empty
no external hard drive

You're going to have problems. It can be done, but this is tricky.
OS and applications on the SSD. Games and all that other data on the HDD.

The problem is a place to put that data while you wipe the old HDD, after the install on the SSD.

I have the hdd partitioned if that makes a difference

https://prnt.sc/km8z2f

Maybe there is a way to partition the os from the rest of the drive and delete it?

 

[USAFRet]

I have the hdd partitioned if that makes a difference

https://prnt.sc/km8z2f

Maybe there is a way to partition the os from the rest of the drive and delete it?

Disk 1? That's not partitioned. That's using the whole 1TB drive.

And no, there isn't a way to split it up now.