Installing new hard drive...

[shu-hi]

OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2400 CPU @ 3.10GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 42 Stepping 7
Processor Count: 4
RAM: 8098 Mb
Graphics Card: Intel(R) HD Graphics, -1988 Mb
Hard Drives: C: 585 GB (530 GB Free);
Motherboard: PEGATRON CORPORATION, 2AC2
Antivirus: Norton Security, Enabled and Updated

Hi Paul,

I could use your expert help! 

Objective:  Install a new SATA or SSD in this computer with the specifications shown above. This computer as is works perfectly, no issues at all. Boots-Up and Shuts down perfectly. Has the most up-to-date build of Windows 10 and all is working great but the hard drive is 6 years old and I would like to install at least a 1TB SATA HDD or a 1TB SSD to replace it with.

I do NOT wish to use any migration software from the current HDD to the new drive. I have all my files backed-up on the cloud and also on DVDs and want to put on a fresh installation of Windows 10, then re-install my software programs and files.

I have created a USB Window 10  ISO file using the Windows 10 media Creation tool.

Let's say I buy a new Western Digital 1TB SATA HDD. 

Can I just open my computer and disconnect the Data Cable and Power Supply Cable from the current smaller drive and remove the drive our of the drive bay. Then take the new larger 1TB WD SATA HDD and connect the Data Cable and Power Supply Cable (that I just removed from the smaller drive) to that new larger hard drive. Then close-up the computer and plug everything back in and then plug the USB flash drive with the Windows 10 ISO file on it and then turn on the computer. 

Will the computer recognize the USB flash drive upon turning on the power and start the installation of Windows 10 from the ISO file?  If not, I do know how to get into the BIOS and change the boot order to the USB.  

Question: So with all that said, what I don't get is this:  When I get the new WD SATA HDD it does not come Initialized or Formatted, so how will the computer find the drive that isn't formatted or will the Windows 10 ISO file on the USB flash drive do the formatting?

Hope this makes sense

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Yes, I believe I understand what you want to do.

The 1 TB SATA 3.5" HDD will go right in place of the existing one and yes, you take the data and power cables off the old one and put them in the new one.

I would recommend a SSD, but at 1 TB, they are not going to be cheap...probably well more than twice the cost of a 3.5" mechanical hard drive.

I replaced all of my mechanical hard drives with SSD's and the only thing you need is a suitable 3.5" to 2.5" hard drive adapter, because all SATA SSD's that I know of are 2.5".   A SATA SSD performs so much better than a standard hard drive.

I used this adapter in mine, but I still had to modify it a little by using a Dremel tool to cut off the thinner crossbar on the adapter I bought at the link below, because it blocked the easy insertion of the data and power cables.

https://www.newegg.com/rosewill-rdrd-11004-2-x-2-5-drive-to-3-5-bay/p/N82E16817997037?Item=N82E16817...

The above kit comes with assorted mounting screws too, which is nice, because of the many SSD's I have purchased in the last few year, only one came with a set of screws that fit notebook hard drives.

Now, onto reinstalling windows...

You can go through a practice bootup with the drive you made right now, and then cancel out of the installation when it gets to the Install now screen.

Usually you have to tap the ESC key immediately at the beginning of the HP welcome screen to get the menu of options.

Select the F9 boot options menu, and from that, select the USB flash drive and press the enter key.   The PC should then boot from the flash drive.

Yes, either hard drive (mechanical or SSD) will be blank, but on all of mine, W10 automatically created and formatted the partitions and installed with no hiccups.

The only rare time you may encounter a problem is if you go to install windows and you get this notice...Windows cannot be installed to this disk, The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.

If you get that message, please let me know, and I will give you the steps to easily get by that message.

If you have any other questions or need additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Paul

[shu-hi]

Thanks Paul,

I will probably go with the 1TB SSD when I actually do this.

Do you really see an appreciable increase in boot-up times with your SSD drives or when using some of your more intensive software programs?

The reason I was so confused about how to do this was that I was watching YubTube video's that were titled "How to install a new hard drive". But what they were really doing in those video's was adding a 2nd hard drive and leaving the original hard drive (with the OS on it) in place and of course if you do that, you can just use the Disk Management tool in Windows to initialize and Format the added 2nd hard drive. Those making those video's should have titled them "How to add and additional or 2nd hard drive to your computer".   

But as I described and you so properly responded, I just wanted to pull the existing hard drive and replace it with a new one (not add a 2nd hard drive).

Of course to do this I would need to install the OS from the USB flash drive with the ISO file on it that was created by the Media Creation Tooo as you described in your response - this should work fine as this computer did have Windows 10 Home on it before and should recognize the registration/activation number and if not I have it written down.

Will ask you for additional help if I run into problems when I do this if it's okay with you. I will mark this post as a Solved for now but I can still get back to you if needed.

Will have to wait until after the Holiday's when funds hopefully will be back to normal.

Thanks once again for your help - your answers are always easy for me to follow.

Larry

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Larry.

Maybe you can hint that you would like a 1 TB SSD for Christmas--even if a few family members chip in for it.  😊

One thing I forgot to mention...

If during the W10 installation process you are asked to enter a product key, select the 'I don't have a product key' option, and W10 will install and automatically activate once you are connected to the internet.

Paul

[shu-hi]

Two really good suggestions 😎

[shu-hi]

Sorry Paul, I forget to ask you this in my last reply - If you don't mind sharing this info, what SSD brand did you install in your computers?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I use this one, and love it.

This one is the 500 GB model.  I got it for $59.99. 

I have 240 GB drives in my notebooks, because I don't store much on them.

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-NAND-500GB-Internal/dp/B072R78B6Q/ref=sr_1_3?hvadid=78615200713...

The 1 TB is $108.00.

Maybe they will go on sale for the holidays.