How to make a fresh install of Windows 10 to a new drive

[ppksky]

I have a new SSD PCIeX4 drive installed on my EliteDesk 800 G3 sff and I would like to do a fresh install of Windows 10 on to this drive. I have three drives installed. One, the old 2TB disc that I am running from now, another SATA SSD that I have backups on and the new SSD PCIeX4 drive.

What is the best way to go about this? My hope is to keep the SATA SSD drive and restore the backed up files from that drive and get rid of the 2TB disc drive.

[Bill_To]

HI @ppksky 

I would verify the new NVME drive is detected in the BIOS.

Now disconnect other drives to ensure you install Windows on the new drive.

Download Windows 10 installation media at this Site. Create bootable USB W10 installation media using the W10 install media download. Insert an empty/formatted USB 3.0 or higher 8 GB drive in an open USB 3.0 or higher port.

Restart the PC with the W10 USB 3.0 installation drive connected to a USB 3.0 or higher USB port. Then repeatedly (tap "ESC") to get to the HP Startup Menu. Select "F9".

Select the UEFI USB boot device to start the installation. Select "Custom Install".

May have the following steps out of sequence. Don't do many clean installs: I use system image backups to recover Windows.

Follow prompts as you go through the installation process.

You should see one disk having unallocated space (the new SSD).

Select "I don't have a product key" when prompted. Sit back as the install process proceeds.

Windows should activate post installation if the PC is connected to the network.

Reconnect the other drives and you should be  done.

Regards

[ppksky]

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@Bill_To wrote:

HI @ppksky 

...

May have the following steps out of sequence. Don't do many clean installs: I use system image backups to recover Windows.

...

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I have decided to do a system image restore to the new hard drive. How do I do this? I have made an attempt using this article:

How to Clone or Move Windows to a Larger Hard Disk or SSD 

And I am getting errors,

I have tried various configurations, leaving the 2TB disk in, unplugging it, but I always get some variation of the excluded disk error.

[Bill_To]

Hi @ppksky 

I can't assist if you are using Windows Backup and Restore. I have found this software to be very finicky.

This error could be the result of: using RAID, or Intel Optane, or having program installations spanning two disks to improve system disk free space.

I use Paragon Free to do system image backup and restore stuff. I use simple Basic GPT disk setups to reduce complexity.

There are also other free backup and restore software available on the net.

Regards

[ppksky]

Paragon Free is not free. Despite there being a manual I see absolutely no clue as to where to start with this software or how I might use it to move my old image on to a new drive.

[Bill_To]

Hi @ppksky 

Check Here for the free edition,

I would check Paragon Knowledge Base and Forum for assistance. Watch this YouTube video for tips. Check YouTube for additional assistance.

I explored the software to figure out how to use it. I used to use Macrium free but it is no longer available.

You have to install Windows ADK and create a Paragon USB Recovery drive to move a system image (outside of the OS) from external backup media to an existing drive or a new drive.

Paragon works great in my situation.

Try different free backup and recovery software. All of this software takes time to master the procedures.

I have been using Backup and Recovery software since 2000 (Norton Ghost). Also backed up to tape diskette prior to Norton.

Regards

[ppksky]

This edition appears to be free, but the software is completely impossible to figure out how to use for my purposes here.