None Genuine Windows on HDD for a Genuine Windows on my SSD.

[lukegosney13]

I am not a very Tech Savy person, nor do I have a lot of knowledge about PC's, so, please don't expect me to understand everything if I get a reply. I also didn't know where else to ask/inquire about this particular problem.

Problem: On my PC HDD, I have a none genuine installation of Windows 10. I have recently bought myself an SSD and would like to install a genuine version of Windows 10 on the SSD instead of it being on the HDD. How would I go about uninstalling this none genuine OS so I can install my genuine OS on my SSD instead?

Thanks for any support, Luke

 

[wpgwpg]

To get a genuine version of Windows you have to either buy it from a store or download it from Microsoft. The simplest would be to buy it at a local store so you'd get a DVD or other media you could insert into your PC. If you do that, you can just tell the install program to put Windows on the SSD.

 

[vrumor]

Look at the top of this forum and there are several stickied posts about installing Windows 10.

 

[USAFRet]

I am not a very Tech Savy person, nor do I have a lot of knowledge about PC's, so, please don't expect me to understand everything if I get a reply. I also didn't know where else to ask/inquire about this particular problem.

Problem: On my PC HDD, I have a none genuine installation of Windows 10. I have recently bought myself an SSD and would like to install a genuine version of Windows 10 on the SSD instead of it being on the HDD. How would I go about uninstalling this none genuine OS so I can install my genuine OS on my SSD instead?

Thanks for any support, Luke

1. Purchase a valid Windows 10 license
2. Create a Windows 10 USB or DVD install. Here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
3. Disconnect all drives except for the SSD
4. Install the OS on the SSD. Here: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10
5. Later, reconnect the old HDD, and wipe ALL existing partitions on it.

 

[lukegosney13]

To get a genuine version of Windows you have to either buy it from a store or download it from Microsoft. The simplest would be to buy it at a local store so you'd get a DVD or other media you could insert into your PC. If you do that, you can just tell the install program to put Windows on the SSD.

See, I have bought myself a proper USB version of Windows just the other day. Would I be able to install that onto my new SSD and have it override my old version, or do I have to uninstall the old version first?

 

[wpgwpg]

The simplest thing would be just to install it on the SSD. That would give you a dual boot with both the version on the HDD and the genuine version on the SSD. The disadvantage of doing that is that (1) the HDD has the old Windows taking up space, (2) when you install on the SSD, Windows has a habit of putting the boot files on the HDD so subsequent formatting of the HDD could be a problem.
The way that USAFret recommends overcomes both the above disadvantages, but requires knowledge of how to disconnect the HDD and then reconnect it after installing on the SSD.

 

[lukegosney13]

I am not a very Tech Savy person, nor do I have a lot of knowledge about PC's, so, please don't expect me to understand everything if I get a reply. I also didn't know where else to ask/inquire about this particular problem.

Problem: On my PC HDD, I have a none genuine installation of Windows 10. I have recently bought myself an SSD and would like to install a genuine version of Windows 10 on the SSD instead of it being on the HDD. How would I go about uninstalling this none genuine OS so I can install my genuine OS on my SSD instead?

Thanks for any support, Luke

1. Purchase a valid Windows 10 license
2. Create a Windows 10 USB or DVD install. Here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
3. Disconnect all drives except for the SSD
4. Install the OS on the SSD. Here: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10
5. Later, reconnect the old HDD, and wipe ALL existing partitions on it.

The simplest thing would be just to install it on the SSD. That would give you a dual boot with both the version on the HDD and the genuine version on the SSD. The disadvantage of doing that is that (1) the HDD has the old Windows taking up space, (2) when you install on the SSD, Windows has a habit of putting the boot files on the HDD so subsequent formatting of the HDD could be a problem.
The way that USAFret recommends overcomes both the above disadvantages, but requires knowledge of how to disconnect the HDD and then reconnect it after installing on the SSD.

Okay, so if I install Windows onto my SSD with the HDD disconnected, then after it's installed on the SSD couldn't I just reconnect the HDD and format/wipe the HDD clean or would that mess stuff up? I Don't want to have to get another OS just in case it messes up. Hopefully I made sense

 

[USAFRet]

Okay, so if I install Windows onto my SSD with the HDD disconnected, then after it's installed on the SSD couldn't I just reconnect the HDD and format/wipe the HDD clean or would that mess stuff up? I Don't want to have to get another OS just in case it messes up. Hopefully I made sense

That is (mostly) exactly the way you should do it.

Only change in terminology...Not just "format", but rather delete all existing partitions on the original HDD.
Just formatting it leaves behind the boot partitions on that drive.
D
Delete all partitions, leaving one large blank space.

 

[lukegosney13]

how would I go about that, will I need a particular program or anything to remove all previous partitions or is it simple enough for a scrub like me?

 

[USAFRet]

how would I go about that, will I need a particular program or anything to remove all previous partitions or is it simple enough for a scrub like me?

Easily done in Disk Management, directly in Windows.
No other software needed.

 

[lukegosney13]

how would I go about that, will I need a particular program or anything to remove all previous partitions or is it simple enough for a scrub like me?

Easily done in Disk Management, directly in Windows.
No other software needed.

Well that seems simple enough, but thank you for helping me out with everything USAFRet I appreciate it

 

[USAFRet]

Well that seems simple enough, but thank you for helping me out with everything USAFRet I appreciate it

WIN+S
diskmgmt.msc
Run as Administrator
Be 100% sure you are looking at the correct drive
Right click on each partition on that HDD, and DELETE