SSD Noob. Some help please?

APoc184

APoc184

Honorary Master
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
24,941
Reaction score
13,316
Location
Tshwanetoria
So it has been years since I played around with upgrading hardware.

Finally bit the bullet and invested in a SSD for the laptop. Been frustrated with startup times for quite some time now.
Picked up a 250GB Samsung 850 EVO.

Would you guys suggest I do a clone of my current HDD and Windows?
Or do a clean install of Windows and reinstall all software and copy personal files over from the old HDD?
Any massive difference in choosing one over the other?

If I do go the clean install route... How do I activate my Win10 again? Laptop came preloaded with Win8 and no key or anything. If it was on the box it is long gone.

Thanks guys.
 
If you do go the clean route.. win8 keys are stored in BIOS, so when you install win10 it will find the key automatically.

(provided you are installing the correct version of win10 corresponding to the original version of win8 you had on the laptop)

(ie: if you had win8 home then make sure you get the win10 home ISO etc)
 
I would clone. And do fresh install when I am ready to. Small steps. There's always something you forget to backup when you rush things
 
Hey bud

Id personally recommend you do a clean install of windows 10. This reduces the amount of junk you clone over to your SSD and provides better performance compared to cloning the drive. You can then copy over all the desired files, but to ensure optimal performance, ensure that you dont fill more than 80% of your SSD.

With the clean install route, if you already have windows 10 installed on the machine (which you do), when reinstalling windows 10 to the SSD, on the 'enter product key' page, simply click ' I dont have a product key' and continue with the install. The next time you run your PC and connect to the internet, windows should automatically pick up the previous licenced install and automatically reactivate itself.

And also, just remember never to defrag your SSD!

I hope this helps
Good luck!
 
I've used Macrium Reflect to clone my HDD. Windows was activated and all my programs were intact. :)

It is easy to Refresh Windows 10 if you are not happy with the clone.
 
Thanks guys.

Not that I can clone anyway now. I should have checked that the SSD includes a USB to SATA cable in the box. It doesn't. Oops.

So no matter what it will have to wait till tomorrow. Win10 ISO is busy downloading for probable clean install and I will only be able to get a cable tomorrow should I deicide to go the cloning route.
 
easeus software free did mine the other day worked like a charm I run everything on ssd...Just need an external case for the ssd though.
 
Clone worked for me i tried a fresh re install but failed tried using windows 10 asked me for the key though i had it already installed on the previous hdd...SSD is the way the only way...
 
CamiKaze said:
Nothing like a clean install imo.
Click to expand...

+1 to this.

I've done em all sometimes cloning did the trick, but most of the times I just do a clean install it always feels snappier. Granted all my stuff is cloud based including programs so a clean install is effortless on my part.
 
LaraC said:
I've used Macrium Reflect to clone my HDD. Windows was activated and all my programs were intact. :)

It is easy to Refresh Windows 10 if you are not happy with the clone.
Click to expand...

I second this. Ive used it to clone the c drive while windows is running -works well.

APoc184 said:
Thanks guys.

Not that I can clone anyway now. I should have checked that the SSD includes a USB to SATA cable in the box. It doesn't. Oops.
Click to expand...

Using Macrium - I pretty sure you can use it to clone your disk to a image file (copy it to your external) and then - once you've installed the new drive, use the rescue media utility (boot from it) on a USB flash drive to write the image to the new drive ...
 
Only got around to picking up a external enclosure today to do the cloning.

Going the clone route for now and if I feel there are any jitters I will do clean install from there.

Also want to use the 1TB HDD I take out as a network storage device connected to the router. Which is why I went with the enclosure and not just a cable.

Macrium seems to be highly rated so downloaded that last night already. Looks pretty straight forward.

Thanks again for all the help.
 
biometrics said:
In my case it will take three days just to get everything I use installed and configured.
Click to expand...
One of the reasons for me going the clone route. Not in the mood to install and set up everything from scratch at this point.

Clone in progress now via Macrium.
 
APoc184 said:
One of the reasons for me going the clone route. Not in the mood to install and set up everything from scratch at this point.

Clone in progress now via Macrium.
Click to expand...

If your Windows install was fine then there is no advantage to a fresh install. That rule was useful with XP and before, not really relevant anymore. In any case if it was an issue it will become one soon after you've got everything installed again.

In any case that SSD will give you such a boost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X