[SOLVED] SSD/HDD in Laptop, want to replace HDD with another SSD

Nov 28, 2018
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Hello,

My laptop has one of the small SSD's at 120 GB and a 1 TB HDD. I have an older 180 GB SSD. As a novice, my first attempt was to simply swap the HDD for the SSD. The computer didn't load fully. Obviously some OS file are stored on the HDD.

What method would I use, if possible, to get everything loaded onto the original SSD first ; so then I can plug in the older SSD, have the operating system load, and then go from there?

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
Yes, current SSD and your 180GB SSD (Seems like a lot of work for such a small SSD) need to be plugged in and you need to install windows to it at that point.

You can download the windows 10 media creation tool and then install the windows 10 installation media onto a USB thumb drive.

If you don't have your windows 10 key, you will need to get that before you do this, otherwise you won't be able to activate your windows 10.

Kashimi

Honorable
Apr 14, 2015
730
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11,410
Fresh install of windows, or clone the HDD to the SSD which means the HDD and SSD will need to be plugged in to the same PC/Laptop.

I recommend just doing to fresh install as cloning the HDD to the SSD can come with a ton of problems that you may never fully get worked out and spend tons of time trying to diagnose.
 
Nov 28, 2018
3
0
10


Can you provide a few more details about 'Fresh install of windows'...would I go about that with the original SSD and 'older' SSD both plugged in? The laptop has no Optical Drive and I don't have an installer on a USB stick in order to easily achieve this.


 

Kashimi

Honorable
Apr 14, 2015
730
0
11,410
Yes, current SSD and your 180GB SSD (Seems like a lot of work for such a small SSD) need to be plugged in and you need to install windows to it at that point.

You can download the windows 10 media creation tool and then install the windows 10 installation media onto a USB thumb drive.

If you don't have your windows 10 key, you will need to get that before you do this, otherwise you won't be able to activate your windows 10.
 
Solution
Nov 28, 2018
3
0
10


Thanks. It's just something I have on hand, and I don't use much space on my computers generally.

So without needing to acquire any additional resources, is there some way to migrate whatever OS necessary files remain on the HDD onto the original SSD, to make the system bootable on the SSD itself, and then just plug in the older SSD I have? Or is this not possible.