Install new ssd after old HDD died.

[Ihavenojob]

As per previous thread, my sata HDD died and is a total loss. I bought a brand new PC, it was awful, slow and kept freezing and it even re installed windows for some reason. Today it wouldn't boot, so ripped it out and took it back for a refund. I have now decided to whack a ssd drive in my old pc, but how will it work if it has no os (win10) installed ? Tried another HDD from another PC, but it comes up with an error saying "startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically". Would this indicate a fault other than the hard drive as I first thought?

 

[chalkywhite]

From a Linux perspective, whack Linux Mint.on a bootable USB stick, run it from there and then install to SSD.
Not sure whether same is possible with Windows

 

[johnny2007]

Remove hdd and install ssd.
From another computer download a copy of windows 10 on a usb pen drive.
Now, switch your pc on and access the bios (press esc continuously or f12, f10, every pc has its own)
Navigate to boot order and make usb your priority.
Plenty of video on how to do this on YouTube.
Now save your bios settings and restart your pc.
Windows 10 will be installed and it will pick up your licence automatically (your pc had windows 10 if i understand correctly)
Enjoy your fast pc.
If you can, expand the ram as well.
I've done this on my 8 year old hp a couple of weeks ago and it's now faster than ever.
I was advised to get a 1TB Crucial or Samsung ssd.
I went for the crucial £80.
Good luck.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Remove hdd and install ssd.
From another computer download a copy of windows 10 on a usb pen drive.
Now, switch your pc on and access the bios (press esc continuously or f12, f10, every pc has its own)
Navigate to boot order and make usb your priority.
Plenty of video on how to do this on YouTube.
Now save your bios settings and restart your pc.
Windows 10 will be installed and it will pick up your licence automatically (your pc had windows 10 if i understand correctly)
Enjoy your fast pc.
If you can, expand the ram as well.
I've done this on my 8 year old hp a couple of weeks ago and it's now faster than ever.
I was advised to get a 1TB Crucial or Samsung ssd.
I went for the crucial £80.
Good luck.

Just a thought, could I put the new ssd in a dock and connect that to another computer and download win 10 straight to the ssd , and if so, could I then put the ssd into my own computer and boot as usual ?

 

[johnny2007]

I wouldn't do it because when you install w10, the os automatically downloads the drivers for your hardware.
If you do that on another pc and then move the hd to another pc, there might be some conflict and surely there would be some shyte that you don't want in there.

 

[IT Minion]

I wouldn't do it because when you install w10, the os automatically downloads the drivers for your hardware.
If you do that on another pc and then move the hd to another pc, there might be some conflict and surely there would be some shyte that you don't want in there.

This is correct.

Each time you install windows it tailors exactly what it installs for the hardware in use. Pulling a disk from computer X and putting in in computer Y might work if they're similar enough but it won't work if there's much difference between the machines.

As has been said, use the USB key install.

 

[Diver Fred]

And so speaks of the need to create a 'Recovery thumb drive'* when you get a Win10 machine.

*USB stick/key/memory - need a 16Gb one. Simple if follow guidance on PC and takes about 30 minutes.