[SOLVED] Switching from HDD to SSD

alliearmstrong

Reputable
Nov 20, 2018
70
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4,535
My current computer has an HDD and I’m thinking of switching to an SSD. If I switched, I’d need to put windows back on the system, correct? I currently only have a windows 8.1 disk so can I load that without any issues?
 
Solution
My current computer has an HDD and I’m thinking of switching to an SSD. If I switched, I’d need to put windows back on the system, correct? I currently only have a windows 8.1 disk so can I load that without any issues?
2 options:

Clean install on the new SSD. THis is a new install of everything. OS, drivers, applications, etc, etc.
or
Clone from the old drive to the new SSD. This has space requirements.
What is the old drive?
How much space is consumed on it?
What is the proposed SSD?
What are the rest of the parts in this system?

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
My current computer has an HDD and I’m thinking of switching to an SSD. If I switched, I’d need to put windows back on the system, correct? I currently only have a windows 8.1 disk so can I load that without any issues?
2 options:

Clean install on the new SSD. THis is a new install of everything. OS, drivers, applications, etc, etc.
or
Clone from the old drive to the new SSD. This has space requirements.
What is the old drive?
How much space is consumed on it?
What is the proposed SSD?
What are the rest of the parts in this system?
 
Solution

alliearmstrong

Reputable
Nov 20, 2018
70
2
4,535
2 options:

Clean install on the new SSD. THis is a new install of everything. OS, drivers, applications, etc, etc.
or
Clone from the old drive to the new SSD. This has space requirements.
What is the old drive?
How much space is consumed on it?
What is the proposed SSD?
What are the rest of the parts in this system?
I’d prefer a clean install on the new SSD as I don’t want any of the old data. Would windows 8.1 be fine to install? That’s the only disk I currently have. Most parts on the system are very old. It’s a Ga-78LMT-USB3 mobo, AMD FX(tm) - 4300 QuadCore Cpu, GTX 1060 6GB Gpu, Corsair 550w psu.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I’d prefer a clean install on the new SSD as I don’t want any of the old data. Would windows 8.1 be fine to install? That’s the only disk I currently have. Most parts on the system are very old. It’s a Ga-78LMT-USB3 mobo, AMD FX(tm) - 4300 QuadCore Cpu, GTX 1060 6GB Gpu, Corsair 550w psu.
If you have an install USB or DVD, sure.
Do you have the license key for that current WIn 8.1?
 
Also, if you have said license key, install Windows 10 and use that key. I think it may work. I've tried installing recently with Windows 7 keys and they worked to install 10.
I'd second this. Windows 8.1 reaches end of support in just 3 years (Jan 2023). For better or for worse, Win 10 is what you'll need going forward.

Worst case you can install Win 8.1, update to Win 10 so your computer is registered as having qualified for the free upgrade, then revert back to Win 8.1. Then when support ends in 2023, you can revert back to Win 10.

Yes the free upgrade still seems to work. I just did it for a client a couple weeks ago .
https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/