Please help me move Windows 10 from HDD to SDD.

[killerabdb]

OK so I have Windows 10 Pro installed in the only 1TB HDD that I have in my PC. I just bought an Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVME 500GB and I installed it on the M.2 slot. However, Windows is installed on the old HDD, how do I move it into this SSD? Can I just go to the BIOSand boot up my computer by selecting the SSD? I don't even know where to start. Please help me, thanks.

 

[SkyNetRising]

You have to clone contents of hdd to SSD.
Used space on HDD has to be smaller than size of SSD, for this to be possible.

Use solution from this topic.
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-3481307/clone-failed-macrium.html

 

[jay32267]

You need cloning software. I use Aomei Backupper. It's free. There are others.

First...shut down the PC...unplug and connect the drive. Then reboot and go to the BIOS and you should see the Samsung drive recognized.

Then boot to Windows and go to Disk Management. You should see the drive. From here you need to initialize it, partition it, and format it. There are instructions on the internet for this.

Then you need to clone your 1TB over to the Samsung....but obviously it can't be over 500 GB so you need to get the 1TB drive down below 500 GB if it is above it by moving data files or whatever off of it....or uninstall apps....or whatever you need to do.

Once you clone it you need to go back to the BIOS and tell the BIOS to boot from the Samsung. That's basically the procedure I would use. I hope I didn't miss anything.

 

[killerabdb]

You have to clone contents of hdd to SSD.
Used space on HDD has to be smaller than size of SSD, for this to be possible.

Use solution from this topic.
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-3481307/clone-failed-macrium.html

Thanks but I don't understand the space thing. Also it isn't 500GB it's 250GB sorry for the mistake

 

[killerabdb]

You need cloning software. I use Aomei Backupper. It's free. There are others.

First...shut down the PC...unplug and connect the drive. Then reboot and go to the BIOS and you should see the Samsung drive recognized.

Then boot to Windows and go to Disk Management. You should see the drive. From here you need to initialize it, partition it, and format it. There are instructions on the internet for this.

Then you need to clone your 1TB over to the Samsung....but obviously it can't be over 500 GB so you need to get the 1TB drive down below 500 GB if it is above it by moving data files or whatever off of it....or uninstall apps....or whatever you need to do.

Once you clone it you need to go back to the BIOS and tell the BIOS to boot from the Samsung. That's basically the procedure I would use. I hope I didn't miss anything.

Sorry it's 250GB not 500GB. Also what do you mean by "it can't be over 500 GB so you need to get the 1TB drive down below 500 GB if it is above it by moving data files or whatever off of it" I don't understand. Thanks.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Thanks but I don't understand the space thing. Also it isn't 500GB it's 250GB sorry for the mistake

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

 

[killerabdb]

Thanks but I don't understand the space thing. Also it isn't 500GB it's 250GB sorry for the mistake

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

Wait after reading what someone said I changed my mind. All I want to do is just use my current Windows 10 pro license and reinstall the OS into the SSD. I also want to completely remove everything on my HDD, the OS, Games and all other data. I don't want to backup either and I want to keep the HDD for extra storage. How could this be done without using cloning/transfering/backup software? Thanks.

 

[jay32267]

Thanks but I don't understand the space thing. Also it isn't 500GB it's 250GB sorry for the mistake

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

Wait after reading what someone said I changed my mind. All I want to do is just use my current Windows 10 pro license and reinstall the OS into the SSD. I also want to completely remove everything on my HDD, the OS, Games and all other data. I don't want to backup either and I want to keep the HDD for extra storage. How could this be done without using cloning/transfering/backup software? Thanks.

Power down....take out the old drive.....connect the new drive....power up....go to BIOS.....make sure the new drive is recognized.....and set you Boot Order to boot from your Windows 10 media (whatever that is) if it's a USB , make the USB first....if it's a DVD, make the DVD first.

Boot to your Windows 10 install media....it should prompt you to partition and format the drive....do this. If it were me I would make it one big partition. Then let windows install.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Disconnect HDD, connect SSD.
Install windows onto SSD.
Connect HDD and clean it.

 

[killerabdb]

Disconnect HDD, connect SSD.
Install windows onto SSD.
Connect HDD and clean it.

I don't have to take out the HDD, do I? Can I just unplug the wire that connects the HDD to the motherboard and leave it there while I install the SSD and Windows?

Edit: Also, what is the best way to completely wipe a HDD? Is there a proper way to do it or do I have to use some third party software?

 

[USAFRet]

Physically disconnect all other drives.

Then: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10

Later, reconnect the other drive.
In Disk Management, delete all existing partitions on that old HDD.
Reformat and give it a drive letter.

 

[killerabdb]

Physically disconnect all other drives.

Then: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10

Later, reconnect the other drive.
In Disk Management, delete all existing partitions on that old HDD.
Reformat and give it a drive letter.

I don't know anything about building PCs (mine is a prebuilt). So by "Physically disconnect all other drives" do you mean that I should just diconnect the HDD cable from the motherboard, I am kinda reluctant to messing around with the parts (the HDD is under a layer at the bottom). Surely I can just leave the HDD inside the case as long as the cable is disconnected?

 

[USAFRet]

Physically disconnect all other drives.

Then: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10

Later, reconnect the other drive.
In Disk Management, delete all existing partitions on that old HDD.
Reformat and give it a drive letter.

I don't know anything about building PCs (mine is a prebuilt). So by "Physically disconnect all other drives" do you mean that I should just diconnect the HDD cable from the motherboard, I am kinda reluctant to messing around with the parts (the HDD is under a layer at the bottom). Surely I can just leave the HDD inside the case as long as the cable is disconnected?

You don't have to actually take the drive out.
Disconnect both cables from it. Power and data.

 

[killerabdb]

Physically disconnect all other drives.

Then: How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10

Later, reconnect the other drive.
In Disk Management, delete all existing partitions on that old HDD.
Reformat and give it a drive letter.

Hey, thanks for your help man.

I'm a bit confused on one thing. I currently only have one HDD installed. I just bought a 970 evo m.2 ssd. The problem is, if I disconnect the HDD, install the SSD and do a clean installation of Windows on it, then after everything is done reconnect the HDD, won't it conflict or cause problems, because now both the new SSD and old HDD have the OS on them? What if I do this, create installation media on USB, the remove all partitions and empty the HDD, disconnect it, then I install the 970 evo and Windows on it, then I reconnect the empty HDD?

Can I do it this way? Thanks.

 

[SkyNetRising]

The problem is, if I disconnect the HDD, install the SSD and do a clean installation of Windows on it, then after everything is done reconnect the HDD, won't it conflict or cause problems, because now both the new SSD and old HDD have the OS on them?

Not a problem.
You specify in BIOS, from which storage device to boot.
If you set SSD first in boot priority, your pc boots from SSD.
If you set HDD first in boot priority, your pc boots from HDD.

If you did cloning, then this would be different. Then during first boot after cloning only one drive can be present or else cloned one gets messed up and you have to re-clone.

 

[killerabdb]

The problem is, if I disconnect the HDD, install the SSD and do a clean installation of Windows on it, then after everything is done reconnect the HDD, won't it conflict or cause problems, because now both the new SSD and old HDD have the OS on them?

Not a problem.
You specify in BIOS, from which storage device to boot.
If you set SSD first in boot priority, your pc boots from SSD.
If you set HDD first in boot priority, your pc boots from HDD.

If you did cloning, then this would be different. Then during first boot after cloning only one drive can be present or else cloned one gets messed up and you have to re-clone.

No I completely gave up on cloning, too risky. So there's no problem in having Windows 10 on two different drives? Well, I was concerned because someone said that having OS on two drives could cause problems. But one question though, will the method I spoke about before work?

It's this "What if I do this, create installation media on USB, the remove all partitions and empty the HDD, disconnect it, then I install the 970 evo and Windows on it, then I reconnect the empty HDD?

Can I do it this way? Thanks."

 

[SkyNetRising]

Cloning is not risky. You just need a bit of experience, to have done it couple of times and have basic understanding, how it works.

Anyway - there are no problems with having multiple windows installations on same pc. Only one issue - fast boot has to be turned off in BIOS, if you want to use multiple OS. But you're using only one OS, so that's not a problem either.

Yes. You can do your proposed way too.
Only -
if for some reason you can't install windows anymore, your old OS is gone, you can't use your pc;
if there was some data you needed in old windows and you forgot to back it up, it's gone also.

 

[killerabdb]

Hey USAFRet I down voted you by mistake, sorry.
The reply options aren't even showing up on my phone.
EDIT: How do you even remove/undo the down vote?