Moving windows 10 to a new m.2 drive

Mutant

Hello
When i built my computer i installed windows 10 on a standard ssd. There is nothing else on this drive.

I recently bought a small m.2 drive that i wanted to transfer my windows too. Can anyone tell me how to transfer windows from one drive to another in the same computer.
Can i use the back up or anpther method or would it be easier to buy a new copy of windows 10.
Thanks for any help

seamus

You can use tools to clone the drive onto the new one. Afterwards you plug in the new one, disconnect the old one and Windows will boot. The process is a lot more stable than it used to be, and you won't get hit with any activation issues.

The recommendation from system builders is that you install a new version of Windows on the new drive and then move across whatever files and settings you need. This results in a cleaner system and usually better performance. But it does mean that you will have to reinstall stuff. You don't need to buy a new copy of windows, just use the one that you installed before.

https://www.howtogeek.com/413193/how-to-migrate-a-windows-user-to-different-windows-10-pc/ - see option 1 here on how to migrate (most) settings and files from one Windows install to another.

Mutant

seamus wrote: »

You can use tools to clone the drive onto the new one. Afterwards you plug in the new one, disconnect the old one and Windows will boot. The process is a lot more stable than it used to be, and you won't get hit with any activation issues.

The recommendation from system builders is that you install a new version of Windows on the new drive and then move across whatever files and settings you need. This results in a cleaner system and usually better performance. But it does mean that you will have to reinstall stuff. You don't need to buy a new copy of windows, just use the one that you installed before.

https://www.howtogeek.com/413193/how-to-migrate-a-windows-user-to-different-windows-10-pc/ - see option 1 here on how to migrate (most) settings and files from one Windows install to another.

Thanks for the reply.
So from my understanding i will have 3 drives
Drive A is currently holding my windows 10 and Microsoft package
Drive B has all my other software
Drive C is my new drive that i wish to have Windows 10 on.

So if i do a clean install on drive C and wipe/remove drive A. Logging in my Microsoft account should move over my personal settings. I have no other files on Drive A so dont need to make a backup of anything. Does that sound correct to you.

Also if i do that will everything on drive B be left alone and work once the reinstall finishs.
Thanks for the help

awec

Mutant wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
So from my understanding i will have 3 drives
Drive A is currently holding my windows 10 and Microsoft package
Drive B has all my other software
Drive C is my new drive that i wish to have Windows 10 on.

So if i do a clean install on drive C and wipe/remove drive A. Logging in my Microsoft account should move over my personal settings. I have no other files on Drive A so dont need to make a backup of anything. Does that sound correct to you.

Also if i do that will everything on drive B be left alone and work once the reinstall finishs.
Thanks for the help

It depends what it is.

The software files might live on B, but the registry settings etc will all be gone once you wipe A. None of it will show up in your programs list.

If it's things like games, then usually the program you use to install the games (e.g. steam) lets you restore games from local files.

Mutant

awec wrote: »

It depends what it is.

The software files might live on B, but the registry settings etc will all be gone once you wipe A. None of it will show up in your programs list.

If it's things like games, then usually the program you use to install the games (e.g. steam) lets you restore games from local files.

Makes perfect sense, completely forgot about the registry. Might just use easeus to clone it to save time doing all that.
Thanks for the help

awec

Mutant wrote: »

Makes perfect sense, completely forgot about the registry. Might just use easeus to clone it to save time doing all that.
Thanks for the help

Is the stuff pretty onerous to reinstall?

Personally I'd just backup all the personal files that I wanted and go from scratch.

Mutant

awec wrote: »

Is the stuff pretty onerous to reinstall?

Personally I'd just backup all the personal files that I wanted and go from scratch.

Over 2 tbs of games and different applications unfortunately.

Skerries

I still would start from scratch as you will get rid of dross you have installed

wotzgoingon

Keep the old windows install on the one drive. And transfer all games to the second drive. You can do that with steam not sure on others. The same drive that has the games transfer pics or files you want to it. And then disconnect.

Wipe the Windows drive and install from scratch on new drive. So you will have the old windows drive plus new windows drive on computer. Once everything is back up and running plug the third drive with games and files in and install steam and show steam all the games.

wotzgoingon

I didn't read the full thread just did now. Fresh install is obviously best but if you cannot with work files or what not then clone will have to do.