Can I install Windows 10 on an SSD without the SATA to USB cable and doing so on a single-disk laptop?

Question

I have an Asus laptop with room for only one harddrive. I wish to replace my HDD with a Samsung EVO 850 SSD. However, I do not have the SATA to USB cable...

I plan to

1. Reset my ASUS to factory settings (fresh windows install)
2. Download and run the "MediaCreationTool.exe" to create a USB installation media of Windows 10
3. Swap HDD with SSD
4. Boot Windows from USB
5. Download the Samsung Data Migration Tool
6. Migrate from USB to SSD
7. Boot from SSD

I am not particularly confident in this approach. For instance, there has been some cases where an additional software (e.g. Rufus) is used to make the bootable USB but the Microsoft instructions for creating the installation media mentions no such thing. Also, please consider that I am not more than average skilled in computer science ...

Do you think this approach will yield a seamless and problem-free migration-procedure ?

Answer 1

Before you reinstall windows, use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB stick to reinstall or troubleshoot your windows.

Next, power down your laptop, unplug the battery and powercord.

Turn the laptop upside down so you can open the backplate.

Depending on your make and model, it may take a bit of work to open the laptop. Refer to the manual that came with your laptop or look for instructions online specific to your make and model.

Locate where your old harddisk is and remove it.

Insert the SSD into its place.

Close up everything to the state it was (plate and screws and stuff)

Insert battery.

Turn the laptop around once more and connect the powercord again.

Now insert the USB stick you created earlier using the Windows Media Creation Tool.

Start up the laptop and boot from the USB. It will start the Windows 10 installation medium.

If it asks for a serial code, press skip. If you have an UEFI style bios, it should have the license key stored in the UEFI and not ask this. If it asks for a version of Windows, make sure you select the same version you had before, otherwise Windows will not automatically activate itself afterwards.

When windows is installed, verify it got activated. To do this, go to start, gear icon (settings), Updates and security, Activation. If at this point windows is not activated and you do have a license key, you can change it now and try to activate it, but this happens only once every blue moon.

Answer 2

I did this for my mother-in-law recently (HDD was piling up bad sectors), and this is the basic rundown. I used a specific software package (Macrium Reflect Free), but many of these types of programs have the same functionality: please do not take this post as a recommendation of the specific software.

You want something with the following capabilities:

• image the HDD to a local network location (you said you have no usb external enclosure)
• allow you to boot to a special OS environment using USB or CD without reliance on HDD/SSD.
• be able to restore an image from the network location while in that environment

The steps are:

• make a bootable USB using the imaging software's utility. This will boot into a "LiveCD" style OS specific to the imaging application.
• ensure this bootable device boots
• boot to windows (i.e. current HDD operating system)
• make a backup image file of the entire HDD, with all partitions, to a network-attached storage location. Configure the image so that the main partition will fill the extra space, if any.
• remove the old HDD, install the new SSD, probably better to disable WIFI using the wireless disable button on the laptop and use ethernet if possible.
• boot to the Live USB OS, point the software at the image on the network, let it run.
• boot to the SSD

Everything should "just work." Usually a hard drive change will not precipitate re-upping your license.

If the image will not boot, you can simply put your HDD back and then try some different options when preparing the image..