How To Install An SSD Without Reinstalling Windows?

When installing a new SSD without reinstalling windows on a PC, there are few steps to follow. Connect the SSD to your computer, clone the system from the HDD to the SSD, then replace the old hard drive. We’ll go over each process’s precise steps one by one here.

Part 1: Connecting An SSD To A Windows Computer

What you’ll Need:

• A screwdriver is required (optional)
• An SSD case and a SATA-to-USB cable

To properly connect the new SSD to your computer, you’ll need to use the compatible connection method for both desktop and laptop. It is sufficient to connect the SSD as an external hard drive without removing your desktop computer from its chassis installation. When you prepare a new SSD, Windows may ask you to format it to GPT or MBR before using it. This step should not be skipped.

To set up a new SSD in existing Windows, follow these steps:

1. Go to My Computer/This PC > Storage > Disk Management to manage your hard drive.

2. “Not initialized” should be displayed on the SSD. Choose “Initialize Disk” from the context menu when you right-click on it.
3. Continue to the end of the wizard to select the MBR or GPT style.
4. before cloning the system, initialize the SSD
5. Ensure that the new SSD partition style matches that of the old HDD. Otherwise, the copied SSD will most likely have boot problems.

Read also: How To Open Bios in Windows 10?

Part 2: Constructing The Clone

Simply click the “Clone this disc” link beneath your primary hard drive, which should be selected by default, to get started. On the next screen, select your new SSD by clicking the “Select a disc to clone to” option in the enormous box of empty white space.

You might have the same number of divisions as my example or fewer. In any case, you’ll want to get them set up on your new SSD. You might just be able to replicate selected partitions and have everything map out precisely on your new SSD by clicking “Copy selected partitions.”

If your data is larger than the available SSD capacity, you may need to partition manually. To do so, go to “Undo” and manually transfer your partitions from your old hard drive to your new SSD, reserving the largest for last.

Click “Next” when you’ve done that.

Part 3: Activate The Clone

You’ll now see a screen with a fairly comprehensive overview of what Macrium Reflect will perform once your clone starts. No, it hasn’t done anything yet; all you’ve done is put it up.

You can go over these options if you want, but it’s usually safer to just select “Finish,” which will start the procedure:

This moving process may take some time depending on the size of the drive. You’re moving to—how much data Macrium Reflect needs to move—as well as its speed. My cloning took a little more than a half-hour. However, I was cloning an SSD (where my Windows partition resides) to an empty SSD for this demonstration. To put it another way, the transition was relatively quick. It could take four times as long to upgrade from a hard disc to an SSD (or more). If you’re impatient, set your clone to run overnight, and everything will be in place when you wake up.

Read also: How To Find Large Files on Windows 10?

Part 4:  Complete The Installation Of Drive

Don’t do anything on your drive that puts data on your computer that you’d normally want to save now that you have a clone of your original disc because that data won’t appear on your cloned drive. I recommend creating a text file on your desktop that reads something like “THIS IS THE OLD HARD DRIVE” and then shut down your computer.

If you’re replacing an old hard drive with a new SSD, remove the old drive from your desktop or laptop (most likely using a SATA and power cable) and replace it with your new SSD in the same location. You shouldn’t have to do anything else in the BIOS to get your machine to boot to your new SSD’s primary Windows partition.

If you still want to keep your old HDD, attach it to another SATA connection on your computer. Check to see that the overall size of your C: disc matches the capacity of your new SSD, not your old hard drive, to ensure your computer doesn’t boot to it instead of your new SSD. If you didn’t skip that step, look for the text file “THIS IS THE OLD HARD DRIVE” in your BIOS. You’ll need to adjust your system’s boot order in your BIOS if you’re booting to your old HDD instead of your new one.

Assuming your computer is properly booting to your new SSD, open Computer Management, click Disk Management, locate your old hard drive, right-click on its various partitions, and pick “Delete Volume” for each one. If this option is greyed off, you may need to use a third-party tool instead, such as Paragon Hard Disk Manager (free version). It’ll allow you to erase your old volumes and re-partition the drive as a big fat piece of space, but it’ll be the same concept.

Part 5: How To Take Care For Your Solid State Drive (SSD)

Click the Start button, type in “defragment,” and select the first option: “Defragment and Optimize Drives” to ensure that Windows 10 correctly recognizes your new SSD and regularly conducts all of the necessary TRIM functions.

Windows should notice that your primary C: drive is a solid-state drive in the screen that appears.

You can also make use of the Command Prompt to see if TRIM is activated. Open a Command Prompt with Administrator privileges (right-click the shortcut in the Start Menu and choose “Run as administrator”) while also type the following command: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify.

If this is not the case, use the following command to force Windows to enable TRIM: fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0.

While you’re at it, also check to see if your SSD manufacturer has any software that will help you guarantee Windows (and your motherboard) are properly set up for maximum performance. This is also the fact that these apps normally allow you to check for and install fresh firmware for your SSD. Visit the website of your SSD manufacturer, or the product page for your specific SSD, to see if an app is available for download and installation.

What If The Cloned SSD Fails To Boot?

The cloned SSD won’t boot up normally in a few circumstances. In a nutshell, there are several potential factors to consider.

The boot device is not the cloned SSD. In order to solve the problem, change the boot order in BIOS.

The boot mode is incorrect. If you cloned to a GPT disc, please change Legacy to UEFI.

There are faulty sectors on the source drive that can be replicated to the SSD. To double-check, run CHKDSK.

There could be various reasons for the boot-up failure. Please see cloned hard drive won’t boot for additional information.

Conclusion

How can I install an SSD without reinstalling windows 7/8/10? It is quite simple if you rigorously follow the instructions. We hope with this guide you succeed in achieving the best results without hassle.