New SSD and Windows 10

I will be getting a new SSD real soon, and I have Windows 8.1 on my current HDD.

Would it be a good idea to install Windows 10 on my current HDD now, and clone the system reserve partition (the part that carries the license info) to the SSD, then do a clean install on the SSD?

Or is there a better idea?

As far as I know, you cannot "clone" just the System Reserved partition--cloning is typically an entire drive. You could image just the System Reserved partition, but I don't see the point of that.

If you have a way to do a clean install of 8.1 directly onto the SSD, I'd do that. And then upgrade that. And then do a clean install of 10 to the SSD if you want to do a clean install.

If you do not have a way to do a clean install of 8.1 directly onto the SSD, I'd clone or image the the Windows and System Reserved partitions of the 8.1 HDD to the SSD, and then upgrade that and then do a clean install if you want.

Regardless, I'd make an image of the 8.1 install after it is on the SSD so that I could easily revert to 8.1 if I wanted to for whatever reason.

ignatzatsonic said:

As far as I know, you cannot "clone" just the System Reserved partition--cloning is typically an entire drive. You could image just the System Reserved partition, but I don't see the point of that.

If you have a way to do a clean install of 8.1 directly onto the SSD, I'd do that. And then upgrade that. And then do a clean install of 10 to the SSD if you want to do a clean install.

If you do not have a way to do a clean install of 8.1 directly onto the SSD, I'd clone or image the entire 8.1 HDD to the SSD, and then upgrade that and then to a clean install if you want.

Regardless, I'd make an image of the 8.1 install after it is on the SSD so that I could easily revert to 8.1 if I wanted to for whatever reason.

Well, I can do a clean install on the SSD, then do the upgrade on the SSD. You're right, perhaps I'll do that.

Oh and what's the point of doing a clean install of Windows 10 when I just clean installed Windows 8.1? I don't think theres really a point, right?

Neil9444 said:

what's the point of doing a clean install of Windows 10 when I just clean installed Windows 8.1? I don't think theres really a point, right?

If you have a clean install of 8.1 and want 10, you could:

Upgrade to 10 and stop there.

Upgrade to 10, then immediately do a clean install of 10.

I don't know enough about the 8.1 to 10 upgrade process to know if the choice would ultimately matter in most cases, but some folks simply prefer to do clean installs whenever possible to avoid anything being left behind. I always have. It wouldn't take much time.

But I'd make an image of the 8.1 clean install so I could easily revert to it.

ignatzatsonic said:

If you have a clean install of 8.1 and want 10, you could:

Upgrade to 10 and stop there.

Upgrade to 10, then immediately do a clean install of 10.

I don't know enough about the 8.1 to 10 upgrade process to know if the choice would ultimately matter in most cases, but some folks simply prefer to do clean installs whenever possible to avoid anything being left behind. I always have. It wouldn't take much time.

But I'd make an image of the 8.1 clean install so I could easily revert to it.

Well, I suppose I might as well do that. When I clean install, and it asks me for a key, what should I do?

I haven't personally done it, but my understanding is that you would NOT need to supply the key for the clean install of 10. Your key has already been verified and noted by the earlier upgrade from 8.1 to 10, before doing the clean install of 10. MS servers will be aware of that when you attempt to clean install 10.

Get confirmation from others, but I think that's how it's supposed to work.

As I understand it, you won't get a "Windows 10 key" at any time, so all you could supply would be the 8.1 key.

ignatzatsonic said:

I haven't personally done it, but my understanding is that you would NOT need to supply the key for the clean install of 10. Your key has already been verified and noted by the earlier upgrade from 8.1 to 10, before doing the clean install of 10. MS servers will be aware of that when you attempt to clean install 10.

Get confirmation from others, but I think that's how it's supposed to work.

Oh I see, because it's in my motherboard or something, I believe. I get it. Thank you, i'll try that when I get my SSD.

John Pombrio said:

Yeah, as far as I know, the product key that is used on a clean install is stored on the motherboard, not on the hard drive. that started with Win8.1. So you should not have to worry about what is on the boot drive. DO make a clone of your boot drive first tho as not everyone is successful in having a clean install activate:

Solved Clean install not activated despite upgrading first. - Windows 10 Forums

Alright, sounds good. Thanks.

Neil9444 said:

I will be getting a new SSD real soon, and I have Windows 8.1 on my current HDD.

Would it be a good idea to install Windows 10 on my current HDD now, and clone the system reserve partition (the part that carries the license info) to the SSD, then do a clean install on the SSD?

Or is there a better idea?

I have done it recently. Please read the link below.
Change from HDD to SSD in ASUS S400CA laptop