[SOLVED] Question regarding replacing SSD with M.2 SSD

[Larsbree]

I was wondering if I can just unplug my old SSD from my computer with the OS on it. Plug in the M.2 with no OS on it and just do the windows install like it is a new computer?

 

[SkyNetRising]

I was wondering if I can just unplug my old SSD from my computer with the OS on it. Plug in the M.2 with no OS on it and just do the windows install like it is a new computer?

Yes. That works too.

Usually, when migrating storage devices, people use cloning instead.
That's way faster than full reinstall. Takes minutes instead of hours/days to set everything back, as it was before.

 

[Krotow]

Disk cloning will work much faster indeed. Only make sure that new M.2 drive are in the same size as old SSD or more. Otherwise clean old drive from unnecessary files and shrink it to M.2 drive size before cloning.

The reason behind fresh OS and software reinstall on new drive is when old drive is clogged with long forgotten programs and configuration remnants of stuff used ages ago which no one want to find and clean manually anymore.

 

[Larsbree]

Thanks guys! I think i'm going to try the cloning method. Didn't even know you could do that haha.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks guys! I think i'm going to try the cloning method. Didn't even know you could do that haha.

Some questions first:

What is the size/make/model of your new drive?
How much space is consumed on your old drive?
Desktop or laptop?
Windows 10?