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Is it Possible to Install Windows on a Secondary SSD/HD While in Windows?

EChondo
By EChondo
in Operating Systems
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I want to install Windows on a second drive without shutting down my PC that is already running Windows if possible. My cousin is building a PC soon and I want to install Windows on a SSD that I'm giving him so we don't have to wait for the extraction/installation after putting it together. He already purchased the OS(Windows 8.1) so we will activate it after booting up the machine and installing drivers.

 

So is there a way to install Windows without shutting down? I tried my best Google Fu possible, but alas nothing relevant has been found.

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I want to install Windows on a second drive without shutting down my PC that is already running Windows if possible. My cousin is building a PC soon and I want to install Windows on a SSD that I'm giving him so we don't have to wait for the extraction/installation after putting it together. He already purchased the OS(Windows 8.1) so we will activate it after booting up the machine and installing drivers.

 

So is there a way to install Windows without shutting down? I tried my best Google Fu possible, but alas nothing relevant has been found.

Even if that was possible, it's not like he will boot to windows, moving an SSD with windows to another PC won't usually work, and you would have to reinstall.

  ﷲ   Muslim Member  ﷲ

KennyS and ScreaM are my role models in CSGO.

CPU: i3-4130 Motherboard: Gigabyte H81M-S2PH RAM: 8GB Kingston hyperx fury HDD: WD caviar black 1TB GPU: MSI 750TI twin frozr II Case: Aerocool Xpredator X3 PSU: Corsair RM650

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Unless you're running the exact same hardware (or at least motherboard), no. It'll BSOD on boot.

 

Edit: And you will have to turn your machine off to install it. 

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Even if that was possible, it's not like he will boot to windows, moving an SSD with windows to another PC won't usually work, and you would have to reinstall.

Well it should only take 30 minutes, if that, to install W8.1 on the new system anyway. I was just hoping to save some time haha. At least I'll be able to download drivers and programs to get ready for the install, especially with Ninite.

 

Unless you're running the exact same hardware (or at least motherboard), no. It'll BSOD on boot.

 

Edit: And you will have to turn your machine off to install it. 

Didn't even think about having to restart, welp this was an uneventful question then.

 

Well thanks to both of you for your time!

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Well it should only take 30 minutes, if that, to install W8.1 on the new system anyway. I was just hoping to save some time haha. At least I'll be able to download drivers and programs to get ready for the install, especially with Ninite.

 

Didn't even think about having to restart, welp this was an uneventful question then.

 

Well thanks to both of you for your time!

Just download the drivers and some programs, and to my experience it's only 10-15 minutes to install win on SSD ( Kingston V300 )

  ﷲ   Muslim Member  ﷲ

KennyS and ScreaM are my role models in CSGO.

CPU: i3-4130 Motherboard: Gigabyte H81M-S2PH RAM: 8GB Kingston hyperx fury HDD: WD caviar black 1TB GPU: MSI 750TI twin frozr II Case: Aerocool Xpredator X3 PSU: Corsair RM650

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Just download the drivers and some programs, and to my experience it's only 10-15 minutes to install win on SSD ( Kingston V300 )

Yeah, with SSD's nowadays it's pretty quick. I still remember XP taking over a hour to install. I'm giving him a Intel 520, slightly used, but hey it'll save him $100 and I wasn't using it anyways.

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