Recovery Media Process

[P00P34]

Hello, I'm looking to transfer my OS from my hard drive to my new SSD. I was told that I'd have to use Recovery Media to do that without having to buy a new OS, and also use the Windows installation CD. Is there anyone that can help me with a step by step process on how to do this? I've searched this online but it all seems to restoring the OS, not transferring the OS to another drive. Another question, would I have to clear the Windows CD?

 

[USAFRet]

Keeping it all within the same system, just moving to a new drive, you have 2 options:

Migrating from the old drive to the new SSD.
This requires that the current used space be smaller than the new SSD.
Easy, and it usually works. usually.

Clean install on the SSD.
This requires you to have the Windows install media amd license key, or the Factory Recovery DVD's for a prebuilt PC.
This always works.


So....what are we looking at in terms of SSD size and current used drive space?
And what OS is this?

 

[P00P34]

Keeping it all within the same system, just moving to a new drive, you have 2 options:

Migrating from the old drive to the new SSD.
This requires that the current used space be smaller than the new SSD.
Easy, and it usually works. usually.

Clean install on the SSD.
This requires you to have the Windows install media amd license key, or the Factory Recovery DVD's for a prebuilt PC.
This always works.


So....what are we looking at in terms of SSD size and current used drive space?
And what OS is this?

This is Windows 8.1 currently. I purchased Windows 8.1 a while ago, and was told it was one use unless I call Microsoft, which is not worth it, so option 2, unless what I'm told is confirmed otherwise, will be unavailable. The SSD size is 480 GB, completely unused. It was purchased to be the bootup drive, as the hard drive felt too slow.

 

[USAFRet]

Keeping it all within the same system, just moving to a new drive, you have 2 options:

Migrating from the old drive to the new SSD.
This requires that the current used space be smaller than the new SSD.
Easy, and it usually works. usually.

Clean install on the SSD.
This requires you to have the Windows install media amd license key, or the Factory Recovery DVD's for a prebuilt PC.
This always works.


So....what are we looking at in terms of SSD size and current used drive space?
And what OS is this?

This is Windows 8.1 currently. I purchased Windows 8.1 a while ago, and was told it was one use unless I call Microsoft, which is not worth it, so option 2, unless what I'm told is confirmed otherwise, will be unavailable. The SSD size is 480 GB, completely unused. It was purchased to be the bootup drive, as the hard drive felt too slow.

"One use" = one PC. Not "install only once"
On the same hardware, just a new drive...you are fine to reinstall if desired.

So....how much used space is on the current HDD?

 

[P00P34]

Keeping it all within the same system, just moving to a new drive, you have 2 options:

Migrating from the old drive to the new SSD.
This requires that the current used space be smaller than the new SSD.
Easy, and it usually works. usually.

Clean install on the SSD.
This requires you to have the Windows install media amd license key, or the Factory Recovery DVD's for a prebuilt PC.
This always works.


So....what are we looking at in terms of SSD size and current used drive space?
And what OS is this?

This is Windows 8.1 currently. I purchased Windows 8.1 a while ago, and was told it was one use unless I call Microsoft, which is not worth it, so option 2, unless what I'm told is confirmed otherwise, will be unavailable. The SSD size is 480 GB, completely unused. It was purchased to be the bootup drive, as the hard drive felt too slow.

"One use" = one PC. Not "install only once"
On the same hardware, just a new drive...you are fine to reinstall if desired.

So....how much used space is on the current HDD?

Oh, so I'm allowed to reuse the installation package again, since it's the same PC? Alright thanks! The hard drive has 545 GB free of 930 GB.

 

[USAFRet]

Keeping it all within the same system, just moving to a new drive, you have 2 options:

Migrating from the old drive to the new SSD.
This requires that the current used space be smaller than the new SSD.
Easy, and it usually works. usually.

Clean install on the SSD.
This requires you to have the Windows install media amd license key, or the Factory Recovery DVD's for a prebuilt PC.
This always works.


So....what are we looking at in terms of SSD size and current used drive space?
And what OS is this?

This is Windows 8.1 currently. I purchased Windows 8.1 a while ago, and was told it was one use unless I call Microsoft, which is not worth it, so option 2, unless what I'm told is confirmed otherwise, will be unavailable. The SSD size is 480 GB, completely unused. It was purchased to be the bootup drive, as the hard drive felt too slow.

"One use" = one PC. Not "install only once"
On the same hardware, just a new drive...you are fine to reinstall if desired.

So....how much used space is on the current HDD?

Oh, so I'm allowed to reuse the installation package again, since it's the same PC? Alright thanks! The hard drive has 545 GB free of 930 GB.

Yes, you can reinstall on that same PC, even if it is a different drive.
Do this with only the new SSD connected.
Later, reconnect the HDD, wipe ALL partitions, and use it as needed.

 

[P00P34]

Keeping it all within the same system, just moving to a new drive, you have 2 options:

Migrating from the old drive to the new SSD.
This requires that the current used space be smaller than the new SSD.
Easy, and it usually works. usually.

Clean install on the SSD.
This requires you to have the Windows install media amd license key, or the Factory Recovery DVD's for a prebuilt PC.
This always works.


So....what are we looking at in terms of SSD size and current used drive space?
And what OS is this?

This is Windows 8.1 currently. I purchased Windows 8.1 a while ago, and was told it was one use unless I call Microsoft, which is not worth it, so option 2, unless what I'm told is confirmed otherwise, will be unavailable. The SSD size is 480 GB, completely unused. It was purchased to be the bootup drive, as the hard drive felt too slow.

"One use" = one PC. Not "install only once"
On the same hardware, just a new drive...you are fine to reinstall if desired.

So....how much used space is on the current HDD?

Oh, so I'm allowed to reuse the installation package again, since it's the same PC? Alright thanks! The hard drive has 545 GB free of 930 GB.

Yes, you can reinstall on that same PC, even if it is a different drive.
Do this with only the new SSD connected.
Later, reconnect the HDD, wipe ALL partitions, and use it as needed.

So I should turn off my PC, unplug my HDD, install Windows 8.1 again with the SSD, and then later reformat it, or...? After that, I should be all set!

 

[USAFRet]

Exactly. (Assuming you have everything off the HDD that you need)

 

[P00P34]

Exactly. (Assuming you have everything off the HDD that you need)

So after I finish setting up the SSD, and I boot up my PC with both drives plugged in. Will I have to choose which drive to boot up from? Cause if I don't, doesn't that mean I can't format the hard drive?

 

[USAFRet]

Exactly. (Assuming you have everything off the HDD that you need)

So after I finish setting up the SSD, and I boot up my PC with both drives plugged in. Will I have to choose which drive to boot up from? Cause if I don't, doesn't that mean I can't format the hard drive?

In the BIOS boot sequence, ensure that the HDD no longer exists there.

 

[P00P34]

Exactly. (Assuming you have everything off the HDD that you need)

So after I finish setting up the SSD, and I boot up my PC with both drives plugged in. Will I have to choose which drive to boot up from? Cause if I don't, doesn't that mean I can't format the hard drive?

In the BIOS boot sequence, ensure that the HDD no longer exists there.

Alright you're probably getting tired of this, so I'll try to wrap things up. I'm formatting the hard drive AFTER I install Windows on my SSD, correct? After that, I should have the choice of which drive to boot up, and I should format the HDD, so it won't appear as a bootup drive anymore.

 

[USAFRet]

Exactly. (Assuming you have everything off the HDD that you need)

So after I finish setting up the SSD, and I boot up my PC with both drives plugged in. Will I have to choose which drive to boot up from? Cause if I don't, doesn't that mean I can't format the hard drive?

In the BIOS boot sequence, ensure that the HDD no longer exists there.

Alright you're probably getting tired of this, so I'll try to wrap things up. I'm formatting the hard drive AFTER I install Windows on my SSD, correct? After that, I should have the choice of which drive to boot up, and I should format the HDD, so it won't appear as a bootup drive anymore.

In your BIOS boot menu options, you can remove the HDD from the process.
Do that, and ensure it boots properly without the HDD, or with the HDD and the HDD is not in the boot priority.

Then...delete any and all partitions on that drive.
Format, and use as desired.

 

[P00P34]

Exactly. (Assuming you have everything off the HDD that you need)

So after I finish setting up the SSD, and I boot up my PC with both drives plugged in. Will I have to choose which drive to boot up from? Cause if I don't, doesn't that mean I can't format the hard drive?

In the BIOS boot sequence, ensure that the HDD no longer exists there.

Alright you're probably getting tired of this, so I'll try to wrap things up. I'm formatting the hard drive AFTER I install Windows on my SSD, correct? After that, I should have the choice of which drive to boot up, and I should format the HDD, so it won't appear as a bootup drive anymore.

In your BIOS boot menu options, you can remove the HDD from the process.
Do that, and ensure it boots properly without the HDD, or with the HDD and the HDD is not in the boot priority.

Then...delete any and all partitions on that drive.
Format, and use as desired.

Thanks. I'll get started now.