How to install Windows on New SSD Storage?

Wanna know how to install Windows 11/10 or a new SSD then stick with us till the end. After buying a brand new SSD, it is the first step to make it primary storage for your system. As SSD is way faster in terms of performance and stability.

With SSD you can boot your system faster and can expect more from your system. SSD (solid-state drive) is based on NAND flash memory technology that is uses integrated circuit assemblies. This not only improves the performance but also makes the drivers work while making less noise.

For installing Windows OS on a new SSD, there is no need to remove your WD 1T storage from your system. In fact, you can use it as secondary storage for your files.

How to install Windows 11/10 on New SSD Storage?

There are two ways to use your new SSD on your system

• You can either perform a clean installation of Windows 11 or 10 on your new SSD.
• Or you will use third party application for moving all your system and personal files to your SSD.

Prerequisites before installing Windows

Before you start the procedure of installing Windows on SSD, let’s make sure you complete a few tasks.

Backup files: make sure you have backed up your files as during the installation all your files on SSD will be removed. If you wondering about creating a backup then this will help you; How to Create a full Windows 10 Image Backup?

Format SSD: on connecting your SSD for the first time, you will need to format your SSD at least once. If you don’t format your SSD and perform the installation, then you will experience “You need to format the disk before you can use it”.

Check for size: if you are connecting your SSD to a laptop, make sure there is size compatibility. As the laptops are getting slimmer, there is a slight chance that your new SSD might not fit on your laptop.

Ensure the connectivity: check for all the wires and screws on your SSD drive is connected properly. Make sure there are no loose ends wires.

Check Slots: before connecting your SSD to your system, make sure your system has a free slot for your new SDD. If you find only one slot, then you will need to perform the clean installation on your SSD. You can’t use third-party applications to migrate your OS to a new SSD.

Note: if you want to use third-party applications for migration and have only one slot then you can use a SATA USB adapter. This will help you to connect to your machine and perform the migration/cloning.

Related Topic: How to Create Windows 11 Bootable USB?

Method 1: how to Perform installation of Windows on new SSD?

Start the procedure by creating a bootable USB of Windows 10. For this purpose, you will need to download Windows 10 ISO and burn it on a USB (of at least 16 GB storage) with third-party tools as Rufus or UUI. You can also use Windows 11 ISO file for this purpose too.

Once created, you will connect the bootable USB to your system and will restart your machine. Here you will boot your USB and perform the installation of Windows 11/10 on the new SSD.

Reminder: As we mentioned before the clean installation will remove any file on your new SSD. And if you can’t boot your USB then you will need to get into BIOS which can be by pressing F10 or F12 (on different systems the keys might differ). Then go to the boot section and change the boot sequence to USB; save the change and exit BIOS.

Now start the installation of Windows 11/10. Go to the Installation phase, then skip the Product key phase. select the Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) option. Delete then perform the partition; format the new SSD and begin the installation.

When the installation got completed, you can use your new Windows OS on SSD.

Method 2: Use third party application for installing Windows 10 on new SSD

If you are someone who wants a quicker way to use their new SSD without losing any files or Windows personalized features, then you can this method. For this method, you will need third-party applications as AOMEI Backupper Professional, CloneZilla, Minitool Partition, or EaseUS Partition Master.

There are features inside the applications that you can use for Migration or Cloning the disks. You will need to perform the installation first then you will connect your new SSD to your machine. Here instead of installation of Windows on a new SSD, you will select either migration or cloning option inside the app.

Follow the procedure as the application guides and you can easily use your new SSD. For those who find the process challenging, we have demonstrated with Macrium Reflect on cloning drives. We recommend you use cloning instead of direct migration, to not lose files during the procedure.

Recommendation: To make the procedure even faster, it is recommended to remove all your personal files from your drive. If you are able to download applications on your system later then try to uninstall them too. Once the procedure got completed, you can download and install the application again. You can even make your Windows system files light by clearing the DNS.

Related Topic: How to Transfer Data from One SSD to Another on Windows?

Errors you might experience after the installation of Windows

Here are some of the errors that you might experience after the installation of Windows on a new SSD.

1- Shortage on storage

Since the SSD are expensive as compared to HHD. Most users possess SSD with low storage. For such time, you will need to move your personal files to another drive.

Related Topic: How to Increase C Drive Space in Windows 10?

2- Cant Boot Windows from SSD

If you can boot your Windows from your SSD, even though you have installed Windows OS on it. Then you will need to go to BIOS and there you will change the boot sequence. Make sure you have made the SSD drive as the first option, save the change, and exit the BIOS.

3- MBR format error

Most of the latest versions of systems use GPT format due to performance and a wide range of options. If you experience an MBR format error then you will need to convert your SDD from MBR to GPT.

Related Topic: How to Convert MBR to GPT without data loss on Windows 10?

4- Other disk errors

After cloning or migration of Windows, there is a possibility of experiencing an error due to the hard disk. For such time, this will help you for sure “How to Repair Hard Disk Errors on Windows 10?”.  

Congratulation, you have successfully completed “how to install Windows on new SSD”. If you got any kind of problem during or after the installation, then the comment section is all yours.