Upgrading to SSD - Clone vs. fresh install

[davidbright75]

I want to do two things with my ASUS G73sw laptop: I want to upgrade to an SSD, and I want to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7. I have Windows 10 on an USB stick. Questions:
1. Should I install Windows 10 on to the HDD, and then clone to the SSD?
2. If I am to install Windows 10 on to the HDD, can I just plug in the USB and install Windows 10 over Windows 7 - after backup, of course - or will I need to uninstall Windows 7 first?
3. Should I clone the HDD to the SSD, and then install Windows 10?
I am in need of assistance, as you can see. I have procrastinated long enough, due to my fear of screwing things up (perfectionism gets in the way of getting work done, folks...). Please help!

 

[USAFRet]

One at a time.

Either do the Upgrade to Win 10 and then clone.
or
Clone to the Win 7 new drive and then Upgrade to 10

How much data is consumed on your current C drive or partition?
What size/type is this new SSD?

 

[or.at2497]

1. if u gonna use the hdd as an external one, then u dont need operating system on it, so dont do it.
2. if u want to install win 10 from an usb drive, then u should do it like every other install: boot the laptop from the usb drive and install the OS regularly. consider that this act will erase all of your data and u will get a clean OS. theres no need for uninstalling win 7 before win 10 install. win 10 install will automaticly formatt the drive and then install the operating system.
3. if there isnt any way for u to upgrade the os through the existing os, than u should swap the hdd to the ssd and then install win 10 directly on the ssd.
i recommend to u to buy an adapter from sata to usb 3 like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Vanpower-2-5in-Adapter-Converter-Length/dp/B077YC823M/ref=sr_1_2?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1535816510&sr=1-2&keywords=sata+to+usb&dpID=417m9ZPgUfL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

or a case like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWRRMYX?aaxitk=-OElhPAGqcun6beh7yjEmA&pd_rd_i=B06XWRRMYX&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=54dc821a-0937-4e6f-9da9-f8dd5443145d&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=external+hard+drive+case&hsa_cr_id=9732938580801&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41TnFH8h-UL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B06XWRRMYX

this adapter will help u to anyway in case u will decide to clone or to use the hdd an external one.

good luck