New install of windows 10 for a new ssd
 

HI everyone.

Need to pick peoples brains.

My original 64gb ssd has now reached capacity as my general boot disk and i now need a replacement . A 128gb would probably do me fine to be honest and i obvioulsy need to reload windows.

I'm currently on an acquired version of 7, and i read you can get 10 for free . I can either reload what i currently have or either purchase windows 8. 1 i believe to get the free download of 10.

Is there any other way to do this.

Cheers for any advice given.

Col.

Do you have a standard Windows 7 DVD or ISO handy? There is a method of upgrading to 10 without entering any product keys or faffing around too much. You lose UEFI boot and GPT support as you're using a utility to activate the 7 install which doesn't support it but it's free :p

ok, buy your new SSD (I'd get nothing smaller then 240GB/~£65 or 500gb / ~£120 now for win10), and use disk imaging tool to copy your current install to the new drive, set it as your boot, and install. Acronis True Image is perfect tool for this job. My copy came free with the last Crucial SSD I bought.

With this method, you don't need to reinstall windows and lose you presently installed software.

You are then free to upgrade to win10 using the free update offer from microsoft.

Have a read here to get the win10 install media:
https://techjourney.net/download-off...t-product-key/


Alternatively, buy ssd, install it into machine. Do a clean install from your windows 7 media with your existing licence key, then perform the update to get free windows 10.

:thumbsup:

as Neil says above, another clone/backup tool can be:
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

Sticking with 7 on my old lappy, ain't broke........

If you want a clean install, you have to first get on the free upgrade band wagon and get win 10 on. Make sure after its installed it has been activated.

You can then use the upgrade tool from Microsoft to create a usb or DVD boot disk.

Get it on your new ssd (without installing win7 first) skip the parts that ask for your windows key.
Once it's done and has connected to the Internet, it will identify your hardware and activate windows.

This is typically10 the normal way to do it.

There are a few good guides online that will help if you run into difficulties.

I did this on my sons pc and it worked a treat as he was having bother with a faulty Nvidia Gfx card and I wanted to rule out the os.

The only thing is you will get stuck with the size of your ssd as the upgrade leaves a large restore folder of 35 to 45gb depending on what's to back up so yes an imaging tool is the way to go.

Personally I would start from scratch on a new drive with win7 then do the upgrade, then I would format it and start again with the the win10 boot disk and set the old ssd as a secondary drive and drag over whatever files then reinstall my other bits of software, I found that just upgrading to 10 from a win7 install leaves a lot of crap behind if you don't know where to look for it, probably just OCD !

Wow quite a bit more than what I thought . To be honest I'm happy with a fresh install as nowadays there isn't much I use the main pc for .

I don't think I'm eligible for a free upgrade as err this version of 7 was pre installed using a loader tool.

I think I'll go slightly higher with ssd size then as I do t want to do this again in 2 years time lol. I remember getting my 64gb and was like that will be fine alongside my other drive lol .

I'm upgrading as 7 seems dated and slow now and Internet Explorer with java updates failing and iTunes not running as smooth as it should warrants a fresh install me thinks .

loader tool or not as long as its activated it will work

Just an update and a thanks for all your help.

Trip to scan computers today and i drove home with a nice new samsung 250gb ssd and a new additional drive to replace 2 of my smaller drives that are full.

Decided to do a clean install and am literally reloading my favourite programmes as we speak.

So far so good windows 10 looks good .

Cheers.

If your win 7 is genuine/legitimate and have lost the key then 'belarc advisor can easily find it for you.
http://www.belarc.com/products_belarc_advisor

install and run it, scroll down to find your windows product key

you can download the iso for windows 10 from windows and burn on to a cd, then use that as a install disk from scratch using your legitimate windows key that you now have to activate it. (when activating, sometimes you might have to do it by phone but it is easy.)
then install vrc pro which is the only reason for having a half decent pc.

good luck
Phil

I happened to have read about it. I'll checked about it also.