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Can I use my HDD as a bootable drive to format my SSD?

hiimFred
By hiimFred
in Storage Devices
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The title is pretty much self explanatory. Can I have the Windows image inside my HDD instead of a USB flash drive so I can install them on my SSD from there?

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Sure. If you have an external HDD enclosure with an USB interface, you are good to go.

 

Edit: Of course, if you don't have one laying around a cheaper solution would be to buy a small USB thumbdrive....

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1 minute ago, less_pointy said:

Sure. If you have an external HDD enclosure with an USB interface, you are good to go.

 

Edit: Of course, if you don't have one laying around a cheaper solution would be to buy a small USB thumbdrive....

No it's a regular SATA HDD.

Chasis: Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo || PSU: Seasonic PX 650 || Mobo: MSI Z690 Pro A || CPU: Intel i5 12600K || CPU Cooler: Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 || RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32GB @3200 || GPU: AORUS 4070 ti Elite || Boot Drive: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB || Secondary Drive: Crucial MX300 525GB || HDD: WD Caviar Blue 1TB || Intake Fans: 3x Lian Li UniFan SL120 || Exhaust Fans: 2x Lian Li UniFan SL120 || Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless || Keyboard: Das Keyboard 4Q with Cherry MX Browns || Monitor: Acer Predator IPS 165Hz GSync

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I guess it would be possible to write the windows installation ISO to a HDD as well, if you have the right software. I have no experience with that though.

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No, I don't think the tool to make the install media lets you do that. I wonder why you want to though, you don't have any USB flash drives? You can try to download the tool and see but I don't think it will let you select any internal HDD/SSD to use as installation media. I believe only USB devices will show up.

 

Can't you just clone it from the HDD to the SSD if the HDD have Windows installed already? Or just buy the cheapest flash drive you can find of the appropriate size (I think it must be 8 gigs)?

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@less_pointy Ok, thank you for the replies!

 

@aDoomGuy I have the bad habbit of losing all my USB flash drives. Probably I will have to buy one though. Problem is, last time I did that the PC didn't recognise it because of the brand. When I used another brand it was ok. Weird, right?

Chasis: Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo || PSU: Seasonic PX 650 || Mobo: MSI Z690 Pro A || CPU: Intel i5 12600K || CPU Cooler: Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 || RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32GB @3200 || GPU: AORUS 4070 ti Elite || Boot Drive: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB || Secondary Drive: Crucial MX300 525GB || HDD: WD Caviar Blue 1TB || Intake Fans: 3x Lian Li UniFan SL120 || Exhaust Fans: 2x Lian Li UniFan SL120 || Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless || Keyboard: Das Keyboard 4Q with Cherry MX Browns || Monitor: Acer Predator IPS 165Hz GSync

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Just now, hiimFred said:

@less_pointy Ok, thank you for the replies!

 

@aDoomGuy I have the bad habbit of losing all my USB flash drives. Probably I will have to buy one though. Problem is, last time I did that the PC didn't recognise it because of the brand. When I used another brand it was ok. Weird, right?

Yes that is weird.. I'm thinking maybe it was not formatted? Well, what I have done is I got the cheapest USB 3.0 flash drive I could find which was 16 GB, I put Windows on that and keep it in a shelf. That way I know I always have install media ready to go.

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