Question Upgrading Surface Pro 8 SSD - question on re-installing/imaging Windows 11

[sirhawkeye]

Not sure where this goes, but I bought a Surface Pro 8 with a 256GB SSD and bought a Corsair 1TB SSD to fit the tablet.
My question is re-installing Windows 11 (which it comes with).... should I image the original SSD, download the installation image from Microsoft (which creates a bootable USB drive), or should I just use a base Windows installation (using installation media -- downloaded ISO -- from MIcrosoft)?

I'm not sure if the Surface needs a custom OS or the same OS it came with (ie. requiring me to image the original SSD) or not.... I thought about booting it with the original SSD to let Windows activate itself with the tablet so I can then either use a generic (base) install image which doesn't have any bloatware on it.

 

[COLGeek]

Have you actually opened the Surface to verify that you can remove the SSD? In previous versions, those were soldered into place. My knowledge is dated on these devices, so really just wondering.

 

[SkyNetRising]

bought a Corsair 1TB SSD to fit the tablet.

What model SSD is that?
Are you sure, it's compatible with surface 8 pro?

so I can then either use a generic (base) install image which doesn't have any bloatware on it.

Prepare windows installation media on USB flash drive, boot from it and install.
For Surface 8 pro you'll need either USB-C type flash drive (at least 8GB size) or
USB-C to USB-A adapter with regular USB flash drive (since it has only USB Type-c ports)

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[sirhawkeye]

OK thanks. That's what I figured I'd probably need to do a clean Windows install.

 

[USAFRet]

Not sure where this goes, but I bought a Surface Pro 8 with a 256GB SSD and bought a Corsair 1TB SSD to fit the tablet.
My question is re-installing Windows 11 (which it comes with).... should I image the original SSD, download the installation image from Microsoft (which creates a bootable USB drive), or should I just use a base Windows installation (using installation media -- downloaded ISO -- from MIcrosoft)?

I'm not sure if the Surface needs a custom OS or the same OS it came with (ie. requiring me to image the original SSD) or not.... I thought about booting it with the original SSD to let Windows activate itself with the tablet so I can then either use a generic (base) install image which doesn't have any bloatware on it.

You MUST boot it up and get it activated before you )potentially) change the drive and OS.

After that, probably a vanilla Win 11 will work.
Do a Full drive Image (macrium Reflect?) of the original just in case.
Or whatever System Reset function it gives you out of the box.

But the real question is...is the physical drive changeable?

I have a Surface Go 3. It came with NO bloatware, other than a vanilla Win 11 S. Which was tehn upgraded to Win 11 Home.