Moving from HDD to SSD - windows 8

[JJ!]

I have a Samsung 500gb HHD installed and want to swap this for a SSD. Laptop has no DVD drive.Laptop has windows 8 installed. No documents or apps or programmes have been added.Any easy way to do this?Or should I ditch 8 and go for 7? This is a non touch screen laptop. If that's the best option, how do I put windows 7 on to the SSD?

 

[sbridgey]

Install a fresh copy of Windows 8.1 on the SSD using a memory stick and then transfer the documents you need from the HDD using a caddy/enclosure.

 

[Gareth]

^ That, although you arguably don't need a caddy if you can fit it on USB stick. Go with 8.1 though, it IS better than Windows 7 despite what people say.

 

[JJ!]

Nothing other than windows 8 on the drive so that's quite simple. How do I get laptop to boot from USB?

 

[Toypop]

You obviously want an SSD for faster load times.

So it would be daft to then go from Win 8 to Win 7 which takes longer to load on my SSD than Win 8 does on my spare HDD.

Wasting money on the SSD if you go back to Win 7.

 

[JJ!]

Had a quick google this looks like it may not be as simple as first thought!

 

[sbridgey]

Had a quick google this looks like it may not be as simple as first thought!

What makes you think that?

Just get a copy of the windows 8 ISO, maybe from a torrent site. It's not illegal if you have a product key which you do.

Use the windows 7 USB/DVD tool to create a bootable flash drive.

Press the correct f key on startup to allow you to select the flash drive to boot from

 

[TrophyClio]

You could use something like Acronis True Image to clone the drive along with a USB to sata cable for the 2nd drive.

 

[dajones]

You could use something like Acronis True Image to clone the drive along with a USB to sata cable for the 2nd drive.

Would this work if the hdd is multi partition?

 

[JJ!]

Product key is in the BIOS not on sticker but apparently if I make sure I am using the exact same version of windows 8 that is installed it will retrieve code from BIOS on install.

 

[Gareth]

Lookup Magic Jelly Bean key finder, that should be able to tell you your key

 

[JJ!]

Anywhere I can download a clean version of windows 8 (not 8.1) 64bit?

Tried google but so many dead links!

 

[TrophyClio]

Would this work if the hdd is multi partition?

Yes it should do, it takes a direct copy of the HDD.

 

[dajones]

Awesome, I'm due a ssd but was worried about loosing the alienware recovery partition which has saved me a few times

 

[JJ!]

I don't need to worry about cloning as laptop has not really been touched. Just need to find an ISO of windows 8 64bit thats clean and virus free. Some torrents can be a bit dodgy.

 

[Toypop]

I was having problems installing the 8.1 upgrade the other day (well a month or so back). So I was googling that and found an official MS download page with 8.0 and 8.1 64bit.

I actually bought 8.1 for another machine and it took me to the same page I believe to download it and I created a DVD from it just fine.

Buggered if I can find it now though!!!!

 

[sbridgey]

Try this page if you can find your product key

http://pcsupport.about.com/gi/o.htm....com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

 

[TrophyClio]

I think you can download from Microsoft as a ISO if you have the product key. As previously said you can create a bootable USB key they copy the ISO onto this, set the bios to boot from USB then swap the drive for the SSD. It should install from there.

 

[JJ!]

Laptop didn't come with key - its built in to the bios which seems a common microsoft thing now! Will see if magic jelly bean works.

 

[Darren S]

You obviously want an SSD for faster load times.

So it would be daft to then go from Win 8 to Win 7 which takes longer to load on my SSD than Win 8 does on my spare HDD.

Wasting money on the SSD if you go back to Win 7.

Not really sure why people bleat on about the loading times so much? Yes - even me, who is an avid anti-Win8 person cannot deny that it loaded much quicker than when I had Windows 7 installed.

But then you're left with an O/S that you either bastardise to make it look like the older version in order to retain your sanity. OR - you become a keyboard short-cut wizard. Either path doesn't exactly strike me as the way I want to go.

It's only the prevalence of Windows 2012 Server that's making me glance (occasionally) at Windows 8. If on the surface of it there appeared to be no similarity between the two, I wouldn't even be touching Windows 8 with a shitty stick. It's not an evolution of Windows 7. Nor is it a balls-out jump to a new standard of interface. It's a contorted, weird and at times downright, irrational hybrid of the two.

D.

 

[Gareth]

It doesn't take much to make 8.1 act like 7, I'm not talking installing Classic Shell or anything, just a series of shortcuts setup on the desktop and your pretty much set. 8.1 itself doesn't add anything new really, but I'd rather install it over 7 if I was rebuilding, the right-click on the start button alone is very useful.

 

[sbridgey]

There is an update coming out soon that will bring a Windows 7 esque start menu back.

 

[Gareth]

8.2

 

[Darren S]

8.2

Would rather have SP2 for Windows 7

D.