I'm sure this question has been answered before, but if you could refer me to a thread or give me some quick tips it would be much appreciated!!! I just purchased a new Dell desktop which was pre-loaded with Windows 10. All I have done to this point is activate and update Windows. I want to install a Samsung 850 EVO SSD and then make the HDD a storage drive. Would it be better to migrate Windows to the SSD or perform a fresh install by using the media creation tool?
migrate or fresh install to ssd on new computer
- Thread starter mddawg
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I think.... In order to use the media creation tool, you would need to have a qualifying operating system on the SSD to start with. You could use the media creation tool to save an ISO or you could use this link to download the ISO https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench
Whatever method you use.....
Once you have the ISO, you can use ImgBurn to burn it to a DVD or Rufus to burn it to a USB ThumbDrive, either of which you can use to boot your computer, and install Windows 10 fresh and clean.
Since it is a new computer it is probably a UEFI BIOS and likely a GPT partition scheme, which you'll probably want to duplicate.
I like to use Rufus to create the install media from the ISO, if you use this method you'll want to configure it as follows......
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I feel the best way to move an OS is by transferring via a System Image. I have a new XPS AIO with a 2 TB drive, which would be hard to move using the Windows utility but might be able using a Third party Imaging utility.
The fact they installed the Recovery partition just before the Recovery Image partition may also cause a problem relative to how the image can be reproduced on a new drive.
Did the SSD come with software to allow you to move the OS?
You could do a clean install if you can do without the included software.
The fact they installed the Recovery partition just before the Recovery Image partition may also cause a problem relative to how the image can be reproduced on a new drive.
Did the SSD come with software to allow you to move the OS?
You could do a clean install if you can do without the included software.
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Agreed.... although I do make a distinction between "a System Image" and a Disk Image.
It's only been a month or two since I used Acronis to image the disks in my wife's machine and my second machine. I had purchased new SSDs for both and I just wrote the image from the old spinners to the new SSDs and all was well.