Do I have to reinstall windows on a new SSD?

[Draekeer]

Hey guys,

I'm planning to buy a new SSD for my computer. Do I have to reinstall windows  onto the SSD so it would boot from it or can I just move the files from my old HDD and set the SSD as a #1 boot option?

[NelizMastr]

You can clone the existing disk to SSD, but just copying files over won't make it bootable. The boot partition is always separate from the data partition. So yeah, either clone or reinstall. 

 

Mind you, the clone will fail when there's more space in use on the HDD than is available on the SSD.

[Draekeer]

Thank you.

[Mooshi]

Just reinstall Windows. Cloning is hit or miss.

[FastRDust]

If you have Windows 10 and you use a microsoft account on your computer you can attached the key to your account instead of your computer.

It will save you from buying a new one.

 

How To: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-link-your-windows-10-product-key-microsoft-account

[Ficeq]

I would recommend cloning - I have switched my notebook HDD for an SDD because it was just too slow and managed to do it without a hitch. I dont remember name of the software, but it was free and easy to use.

 

If you dont succeed with cloning then reinstal but you will loose settings and stuff.

[FastRDust]

Just now, Ficeq said:

I would recommend cloning - I have switched my notebook HDD for an SDD because it was just too slow and managed to do it without a hitch. I dont remember name of the software, but it was free and easy to use.

 

If you dont succeed with cloning then reinstal but you will loose settings and stuff.

Depends if his SSD is the same size or bigger than his HDD.

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, Draekeer said:

Hey guys,

I'm planning to buy a new SSD for my computer. Do I have to reinstall windows  onto the SSD so it would boot from it or can I just move the files from my old HDD and set the SSD as a #1 boot option?

Use Macrium Reflect.

And instead of cloning, use image system to external drive then restore it to your SSD after.

And use bootable version (create USB Rescue usb with Macrium reflect) so your system will be imaging when is not working.

 

If you have no spare external device to store windows image, you may clone, but still - recommend to use bootable Macrium Reflect.

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, FastRDust said:

Depends if his SSD is the same size or bigger than his HDD.

No, it only depends on how many data is stored on HDD.

Only old or not so good cloning software doesn't allow to clone bigger drive to smaller one.

 

[FastRDust]

2 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

No, it only depends on how many data is stored on HDD.

Only old or not so good cloning software doesn't allow to clone bigger drive to smaller one.

 

i meant a hard cloning box but with software you can indeed select the partitions that you want to clone.

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, Mooshi said:

Just reinstall Windows. Cloning is hit or miss.

Is it your personal experience that sometimes you can and sometimes can't clone? Or it's just your opinion not based on experience?

This supposed to be technician forum so I'm surprised that so many people here repeats things that they heard, but never tried.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxNyDBSBNxg

this one everyone should see - it's Linus, guys and yes - he is cloning system!

So you decide - is he amateur and don't know what he is doing or not.

 

But universal solution and tutorial for every drive is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0PyZIqecII

(good one, except I would create that USB bootable media and made clone using USB bootable pendrive, because is always better to clone system that is not already in use).

 

[FastRDust]

1 minute ago, homeap5 said:

Is it your personal experience that sometimes you can and sometimes can't clone? Or it's just your opinion not based on experience?

This supposed to be technician forum so I'm surprised that so many people here repeats things that they heard, but never tried.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxNyDBSBNxg

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0PyZIqecII

(second is tutorial - good one, except I would create that USB bootable media and made clone using USB bootable pendrive).

 

1 bad sector or read from the drive can corrupt a clone so if the software does not verify ( which it should) it is shoddy software

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, FastRDust said:

1 bad sector or read from the drive can corrupt a clone so if the software does not verify ( which it should) it is shoddy software

You realize that sector-by-sector copying/cloning is the past?

Now software is much smarter and, of course, has error correction. And yes - every program has "verify" option.

 

But I ask again, because this question everyone skips here when I discuss about cloning - do you have any experience with that?

 

[FastRDust]

3 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

You realize that sector-by-sector copying/cloning is the past?

Now software is much smarter and, of course, has error correction. And yes - every program has "verify" option.

 

But I ask again, because this question everyone skips here when I discuss about cloning - do you have any experience with that?

 

I have with Acronis Enterprise which have never failed ( well only if i don't set it up the right way).

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, FastRDust said:

I have with Acronis Enterprise which have never failed ( well only if i don't set it up the right way).

So if never failed, then it works, so you can recommend this to other users.

Windows installation may fail too sometimes, so it's not a big difference (only takes longer).

[FastRDust]

3 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

So if never failed, then it works, so you can recommend this to other users.

Windows installation may fail too sometimes, so it's not a big difference (only takes longer).

I can't recommend Enterprise software to Users.

although it works it will probably not be in the reach of the user to get the software

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, FastRDust said:

I can't recommend Enterprise software to Users.

although it works it will probably not be in the reach of the user to get the software

There are other good cloning software. Anyway - it's always good to learn something new. Recommending everyone to install windows from zero every time they change hard drive is not so pro method, especially here.

Greets.