Question Which Windows version to make USB bootable drive

yanna1

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I would like to get a new M.2 SSD as I am down to my last 100GB free on my current Samsung 1TB 860 evo SSD. I recently had a terrible time trying to update an old laptop from Win 7 to 10 using the USB bootable drive method. I managed to do it but it took ages and was very stressful. It knocked my confidence a bit.

Anyways, I am currently on Windows 11. I know I upgraded from 10 but I may have even upgraded from an earlier Windows on the same licence. I cant mind that far back. Does this make a difference to anything?
My Windows 11 says it is activated with a digital licencing linked to my Microsoft account. I assume I would just create a Windows 11 bootable USB, is that right? I have done this before I'm just not clear if I'm doing a Win 10 or Win 11 USB.

Also thinking of going for the
"WD BLACK SN770 2TB SSD M.2 2280 NVME PCI-E GEN4 SOLID STATE DRIVE" if I get a good prick(UK).

Thank you


AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Gigabyte B450 AORUS M
Corsair 16GB (2x 8GB) 3200Mhz DDR4 Vengeance

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 Super

1TB 860 evo SSD(main)
1TB HDD

650W Seasonic FOCUS Plus Gold
 

yanna1

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Thanks for that. The 1tb ssd has the OS on it, about 10 games, 50+movies, probably a 1000 photos. Plan was to retire my 1tb HDD and use the new m.2 for the OS, games and programs. Movies,photos and other crap on the old 1tb ssd.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Thanks for that. The 1tb ssd has the OS on it, about 10 games, 50+movies, probably a 1000 photos. Plan was to retire my 1tb HDD and use the new m.2 for the OS, games and programs. Movies,photos and other crap on the old 1tb ssd.
Another option is to clone from the current C drive to the new larger drive.
We can go into specifics on this if you want.

(the 50+ movies are why it is full)
 

yanna1

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I think I would prefer to do a clean install. Definitely to many movies.lol.

How do u get the OS off the old ssd? Do u just format it? Of course after moving across the stuff I'm keeping onto new ssd.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I think I would prefer to do a clean install. Definitely to many movies.lol.

How do u get the OS off the old ssd? Do u just format it? Of course after moving across the stuff I'm keeping onto new ssd.
After it is up and running on the NEW drive, and after you've copied everything off the old OS drive...Disk Management and delete all existing partitions.

When you do the OS install on the new drive, have only that drive connected.
Reconnect any others later.

This is for Win 10, but very similar for Win 11:
 

yanna1

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Hi. Could someone help please. I got my m.2 ssd and I can see its installed in the bios. Now when using the windows 11 USB boot after the main screen then selecting win 11 home I get a message saying Windows 11 can run on this machine. Any ideas. I was running Windows 11 before putting in the new drive.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Hi. Could someone help please. I got my m.2 ssd and I can see its installed in the bios. Now when using the windows 11 USB boot after the main screen then selecting win 11 home I get a message saying Windows 11 can run on this machine. Any ideas. I was running Windows 11 before putting in the new drive.
Not sure what you're saying here.

"I get a message saying Windows 11 can run on this machine"

'can' or 'can't' ?
 

yanna1

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Sorry. I was rushing. Can't run. Just looking through the bios and enabled Amd cpu ftpm which is what I'm sure I done before when I installed windows. Is there anything else I'm missing?