Windows 8 laptop + upgrade to SSD

[kubi789]

Hello,

I just bought a new Windows 8 laptop. I want to improve the overall performance of my laptop by replacing the HDD with an SSD. I am finding this to be more difficult than I had originally thought.

Has anyone had any luck upgrading to an SSD on their Windows 8 machine? If so, how did you do it?

Thanks

[Noir Angel]

Couldn't you use an application like Acronis disk director to simply clone the drives?

[kubi789]

I had thought about cloning the drive (and am still considering it), but I figured the best way to upgrade would be with a clean install. I'd be able to get rid the bloatware with a clean install.

[chconline Veteran]

If you're doing a clean install:

1. Plug it in

2. Install Windows

No different than a regular HDD.

[kubi789]

If you're doing a clean install:

1. Plug it in

2. Install Windows

No different than a regular HDD.

Install Windows 8 from what though? I have no media to install it. And I know that the product key is now imbedded into the system. I am used to the good ol' ways where I was given a CD/DVD to install and reinstall windows.

[Ve7878]

Could you not take an image of the PC, reimage it to the new SSD and then run the Reset computer option from the ModernUI settings app?

[Zumiiiiii]

If you bought a windows 8 laptop can you not make recovery DVD/CDs and just use them on your SSD?

At work we had a test windows 8 laptop it was full of bloat, just did a remove everthing and refresh windows and it installed Win 8 but no Samsung crap.

[lars77]

Install Windows 8 from what though? I have no media to install it. And I know that the product key is now imbedded into the system. I am used to the good ol' ways where I was given a CD/DVD to install and reinstall windows.

Windows 8 media exists. You don't have it b/c your laptop manufacturer didn't give you a CD or anything to do clean re-installs from. You could contact them to order re-installation media, they might charge you some $$ to send that to you. Or borrow/download the disc or ISO. (I think there's a link somewhere to download the ISO from Microsoft)

Otherwise it's very easy to do a re-install once you have a Win 8 disc. Or copy a Win 8 iso onto a USB stick & boot off that.

Supposedly the Win 8 installation will detect the product key automatically, so in theory you won't need to type it in or anything? Granted I haven't tried this yet.

But if you want to be safe, first try to extract the product key from your current installation. Haven't tried this but it could work:

http://forums.mydigi...duct-Key-Viewer

BTW, good thread on this topic here:

http://superuser.com...ded-in-the-bios

[kubi789]

Windows 8 media exists. You don't have it b/c your laptop manufacturer didn't give you a CD or anything to do clean re-installs from. You could contact them to order re-installation media, they might charge you some $$ to send that to you. Or borrow/download the disc or ISO. (I think there's a link somewhere to download the ISO from Microsoft)

Otherwise it's very easy to do a re-install once you have a Win 8 disc. Or copy a Win 8 iso onto a USB stick & boot off that.

Supposedly the Win 8 installation will detect the product key automatically, so in theory you won't need to type it in or anything? Granted I haven't tried this yet.

But if you want to be safe, first try to extract the product key from your current installation. Haven't tried this but it could work:

http://forums.mydigi...duct-Key-Viewer

BTW, good thread on this topic here:

http://superuser.com...ded-in-the-bios

I can definitely find myself a copy of Windows 8, but my issue is what version do I need? There is windows 8, windows 8 pro, windows 8 enterprise. How do I know what version I have?

I may have to just try Zumiiiiii's advice and make recovery disks and install windows 8 onto the SSD that way.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

I can definitely find myself a copy of Windows 8, but my issue is what version do I need? There is windows 8, windows 8 pro, windows 8 enterprise. How do I know what version I have?

just the standard windows 8 install disk is all you need, the edition that is installed is determined by the key used during install so you don't have to worry about using the wrong install disk anymore

[ManMountain]

To find out the Windows version you could move to lower left of screen, right click and choose System or Win + R and enter winver.

[kubi789]

just the standard windows 8 install disk is all you need, the edition that is installed is determined by the key used during install so you don't have to worry about using the wrong install disk anymore

Interesting. I'll grab myself a Windows 8 disk and try this.

To find out the Windows version you could move to lower left of screen, right click and choose System or Win + R and enter winver.

When I run winver, it tells me that I am running

Windows 8

Version 6.2 (build 9200)

I guess it is safe to assume that I running Windows 8 Retail? (IE it isn't win8 pro, it isn't win8 enterprise)

[Ve7878]

Winkey+Pause/Break

Under "View basic information about your computer" and "Windows edition" it will say which version it is. If it's simply Windows 8 and doesn't have Pro or Pro With Media Centre then it's just the standard Windows 8 edition.

[ManMountain]

Here, lower left / System shows "Windows 8 Pro with Media Center" as does Win + R / winver. You could also do Win + R / msinfo32. Though didn't know about the simpler Winkey+Pause/Break, cheers Vince800. I need to brush up on keyboard shortcuts :)

[kubi789]

Just to give a small update - I have currently obtained a copy of Windows 8 and will let everyone know how reinstalling windows with a new SSD goes. I plan on using this online guide to help me through the process

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

perhaps i glossed over this, but isnt your windows 8 product key on the MS sticker on the bottom of the laptop? sometimes the the sticker is hidden under the battery.

[kubi789]

perhaps i glossed over this, but isnt your windows 8 product key on the MS sticker on the bottom of the laptop? sometimes the the sticker is hidden under the battery.

I'll have to take a look later tonight when I get home. But I had the understanding that MS got rid of the sticker and the product key is now embedded somewhere in the laptop's BIOS. Thanks for the heads up... I'll check it out.

[kubi789]

Update - I was successfully able to install my new SSD and reinstall Windows 8 with a Windows 8 iso. I never had to input a product key and I am good to go! It was actually quite easy. Windows 8 takes care of most, if not all of the setup.