How To Install Windows 10 On New Hard Drive

[Case] I want to install Windows ten on a new SSD

I want to do a clean install of Windows x Os on a new ssd and make this the boot drive. I would like to go on the old WD 1T hard drive as a storage bulldoze. What is the best/easiest process for extracting the former windows 10 OS from the old hard drive. I'grand not sure that I know how to properly place the Bone files.

- Question from Microsoft.com

Should I install Windows 10 to SSD?

It is probably common noesis now that SSDs (short for solid-state disk) can be better boot drives than HDDs. To exist specifc, an SSD is based on NAND flash retention technology and uses integrated circuit assemblies to store data persistently. Information technology doesn't rail downward information by physical spinning disk & movable read–write head, and therefore have quicker access time, lower latency, less noise, etc. compared with HDD.

Due to these benefits, many users would like to upgrade one-time system disk to SSD, or install Os on a new SSD to brand the computer boots upward faster, and runs smoothly even with muliple programs in the background.

So, how to install Windows 10 on SSD? There are unremarkably two ways: i is to make clean install Windows 10 using an installation disc, another is to clone Windows 10 to SSD via reliable disk cloning software. For more details and specific approaches, please proceed reading.

Preparations before installing Windows 10 on new SSD
Method 1. How to reinstall Windows ten on SSD using installation disc
Method 2. How to install Windows 10 on SSD from HDD without CD or USB
Quick fixes: can't install Windows ten on SSD
Further reading: how to install Windows 11 on SSD

Windows 10 SSD Upgrade

Preparations earlier installing Windows 10 on new SSD

How to supervene upon hard drive with SSD and install Windows on information technology? This may be a dubiety for many users. Therefore, I'm here to introduce all the preparations need to be done, and then walk you through every detailed steps to install Bone on a new SSD.

Ensure the security of your data and system. To do fresh or clean install, it's better to backup files that are of import to yous, considering personal data on the quondam difficult bulldoze volition be removed during the process. To prevent unexpected arrangement failures, you could backup the organization as well, this is specially important for a novice.
Initialize and format SSD for Windows 10 install. In general, a disk without initializing cannot be used normally. And, yous may receive error message like "You need to format the deejay earlier you can use it".
Prepare a SATA-to-USB adapter or encloser to connect SSD if you are using a laptop or your computer only has 1 slot. If you need to swap hard drive of Windows 10, please prepare a well-matched screwdrivers.
Put a diet on old bulldoze (*if you want to migrate Windows 10 from sometime HDD to new SSD). Every bit known, SSDs are by and large smaller than HDDs at the same price, and then information technology'due south recommended to free up infinite on HDD by deleting the backed up personal data, removing useless files with Disk Cleanup, uninstalling useless programs, etc.

Method ane. How to reinstall Windows 10 on SSD using installation disc

A clean install gives you a brand new operating system just like the estimator you lot commencement started - it only has all the bloatware installed by manufacturer. And the process will remove the electric current Windows operating organisation and user files during the installation.

Too, all the personal data on the organisation hard disk will exist wiped out. You tin can backup Windows 10 to USB drive or external difficult drive in advance. This method requires a CD or USB drive to boot a computer. If you lot want to install Windows 10 on SSD without CD or USB or keep your data and programs intact, you can refer to Method two to move Windows 10 from HDD to SSD.

The most common situations for cleaning install Windows 10 on SSD:

Want to supervene upon Windows 10 difficult drive with serious bug and install Windows 10 from USB or CD/DVD.
Want to wipe the SSD and perform a clean installation.

To clean install Windows ten on SSD from USB, follow the steps beneath:

1. Create a new and correct installation media for Windows 10.

Download Windows ten Media Cosmos tool, start information technology up, then select "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC" option and follow the wizard to create installation media.

Create Installation Media

ii. Install the SSD and connect the Windows x installation media.

Later creating Windows 10 installation media, shut downward your computer to replace the erstwhile hard bulldoze with the new SSD. If your computer has extra slot, you can also continue the old drive (as the second storage afterwards), and connect the SSD alongside information technology.

three. Prepare the installation media equally the first boot pick.

Start your computer and printing a specified key (unremarkably F2 or F12) to kick into BIOS, and so go to the Boot ab and use "+" to move CD/DVD to the first option, so press "F10" or "Enter" to leave this window and restart from the installation disk.

four. Click "Install Now" in the initial Windows Setup screen.

5. Type your product key (digital license) or skip it.

6. Select installation blazon "Custom". The showtime option "Upgrade" is used to upgrade from a lower version of Windows.

Clean Install

seven. To segmentation SSD for Windows 10 install,click Delete or Format, and then create a sectionalisation with New choice. Then, select the new partition on SSD disk and click Side by side. Wait until the process ends and set preferences equally you like.

Install Windows 10 on SSD

Note: Whether y'all upgrade to Windows ten from Windows vii/8/viii.ane or practise a make clean install on a brand new SSD, you lot have to purchase the product key to activate Windows. If your SSD has installed Windows 10 already, you can skip to side by side footstep, Windows 10 will get activated after fresh installation.

Method 2. How to install Windows ten on SSD from HDD without CD or USB

Fresh install Windows x will erase all your data on the computer. Besides, it is time-consuming and troublesome. If you prefer an easier way to add new SSD to Windows 10 without CD or USB drive and keep all your data intact, you could utilize a reliable tertiary-party software – AOMEI Backupper Professional person.

It's all-in-one SSD cloning software for Windows vii/viii/10/11, which contains "Disk Clone", "System Clone" and "Partition Clone" options to meet the needs of unlike users.

The "Deejay Clone" characteristic allows you to clone entire hard drive to SSD, even for new hard drive with diferent partition style, clone MBR disk to GPT, for case.
The "Organisation Clone" feature allows you to clone merely C drive to SSD without efforts, which is especially useful if you want to drift Windows x to smaller SSD.
The software is running in "Intelligent Clone" mode by default, which volition only clone the used sectors to salve infinite. Optionally, you tin also create an intact copy with sector-by-sector mode.
You can tick the "SSD Alignment" option to accelerate the writing and reading speed of target SSD.
You lot can use it to clone all kinds of HDDs and SSDs, regardless of disk brands, deejay size or interface.

Preparations for migrating Bone to SSD in Windows ten:
✎ Insert your SSD into the bulldoze bay and brand sure information technology can be detected. If there is no actress room within the laptop to install more disks, you lot may need to install SSD via a SATA-to-USB adaptor. If you take neither a 2d bulldoze bay nor a SATA to USB adaptor, you tin use "Arrangement Backup" feature to create a organization image, and then restore it to the SSD.
✎ Install and launch AOMEI Backupper. You could observe the complimentary trial bellow.
✎ The cloning process will overwrite everything on the target SSD, so it y'all've stored any important data on it, make a backup first.

To install Windows 10 on SSD without CD/DVD, use the post-obit steps:

1. Click "Clone", then select "System Clone" in the main page. To clone entire deejay, click "Deejay Clone" as instead.

System Clone

ii. Simply select the SSD as the new location, and then click "Side by side" to continue. Considering the programme is designed to automatically select system partition and boot related partitions for you.

Choose Destination SSD

3. Ostend the operations, tick "SSD Alignment" to speed up the performance of SSD and click "Outset Clone" to install Windows 10 on SSD without removing HDD.

Clone System to SSD Preview

Tips ✎...
• "Sector by Sector clone" is only suitable for target disk of the same size or larger than source disk.
• After cloning only OS to SSD, yous can keep the old disk as a second storage, or remove and discard it. To avoid information leakage, it's suggested to wipe system sectionalisation, or make clean a hard drive in Windows x completely.
• If y'all want to install SSD on unlimited PCs within one company, you can use AOMEI Backupper Technician. With the help of AOMEI Image Deploy, y'all tin deploy OS to multiple computers simultaneously. You can too create portable AOMEI Backupper to run system clone on whatsoever computer.

Boot from the new SSD

Afterward the organization clone finishes, shut down the computer. So disconnect the source disk and connect the destination disk to the socket of the source deejay. The source disk could be plugged into another socket as a secondary storage device.

Adjacent, restart your figurer, press specific fundamental to enter BIOS when you lot meet a message like "Press ESC to enter BIOS", go to the Boot tab and change the beginning kicking option to new SSD, at last printing "F10" to save changes and kick your computer.

Bios

Quick fixes: can't install Windows x on SSD

Sometimes, you will receive error messages like "Windows cannot exist installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partitioning style", "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk" when you reinstall SSD in laptop or desktop Windows 10 using installation media. Why tin't I install Windows 10 on SSD? How to solve it?

Windows Cannot Be Installed To This Disk

For the starting time error, it may be caused by a wrong boot mode. Your calculator just supports Legacy BIOS rather than both Legacy and UEFI boot, and the traditional BIOS tin only kicking from MBR disk, then you tin can merely install Windows x on a second difficult drive with MBR. To resolve it, you could consider converting MBR to GPT first, or utilise a disk cloning software that supports cloning MBR disk to GPT without converting segmentation way.

For the 2d error, at that place are two possible reasons. First, your computer has hard deejay protection enabled. Second, the SATA Controller manner was set incorrectly. To set this problem, you demand to read the specification and confirm if the problem is acquired past hd protection. If so, please remove it. If not, please change the controller manner in BIOS. If your BIOS shows AHCI, just alter it to IDE.

Conclusion

No matter which way you choose, make clean make clean or clone System with a reliable disk cloning software, you may already install Windows x on SSD successfully. If yous encounter the Windows 10 non installing to SSD error, gear up it with the given solutions and and then install Windows again.

If you want a time and effort saving method, select the second method. And it will go on all your data as information technology was. In addition, this software also support "Disk Clone" and "Partition Clone" feature, so you can apply it to clone SSD to larger SSD, clone hard drive to WD SSD, clone HDD to samsung SSD, replace ASUS laptop hard drive, etc.

It'due south suggested to keep AOMEI Backupper installed on your computer, which tin can also exist regarded equally fill-in software to protect your personal data or arrangement with its comprehensive features, including, organization backup, disk backup, partition backup,and file backup. In addition, it allows you to enable daily/weekly/monthly and perform schedule automatic fill-in in Windows x, consequence triigers, incremental and differential backup, etc.

Download AOMEI Backupper, employ it to upgrade hard drive to SSD in Windows ten and later protect your data and system security.