How do I use X3-710 recovery usb inc system files to install Win10 to SSD as C:\ in place of hdd?

I have made a recovery usb, inluding system files, so I can restore Win10 and a few other programs backed up at the same time. .

1. If I want now to replace my 2TB hdd with a SATA SSD as drive C:\ What is the process for doing this, using the recovery usb, assuming I use the SATA and power connectors from the hdd to connect up to the new SSD?

2. If I can get the SSD working as C:\ I will be left with the 2TB hdd disconnected. Presumably, I can just leave it as a back up drive to re-connect in if the SSD breaks, or maybe I can connect it via an adapter to the PCIe x16 or x1 slots ... or maybe a USB3 port. Would I need to delete Win10 files from the hdd to prevent booting up problems or can I leave it there as a back up?

3. I may have an alternative, which is to leave the 2TB hdd as it is, fit an m.2 2280 256GB SATA SSD into the socket on the mobo and try to install win10 to it from my recovery USB. Is that practical/possible given that I want the SSD to be the boot drive, not the hdd (which will be used as a secondary drive).

Any advice from you kind people would be very welcome.

Podmonger

Accepted answers

IronFly

1) with just the SSD plugged, insert the USB flash drive and boot pressing F12, choose the USB flash drive as bootable device and install windows

2) yes, you need to delete windows 10 files and EFI partition too

3) yes, just install windows with only the M.2 2280 SSD connected, remember that you need to delete windows 10 installation and EFI partition as point 1

All comments

IronFly

1) with just the SSD plugged, insert the USB flash drive and boot pressing F12, choose the USB flash drive as bootable device and install windows

2) yes, you need to delete windows 10 files and EFI partition too

3) yes, just install windows with only the M.2 2280 SSD connected, remember that you need to delete windows 10 installation and EFI partition as point 1

Podmonger

Thanks again, IronFly. Such a quick reply and so direct and helpful..

Happy new Year,

Podmonger

IronFly

You welcome

Podmonger

1.I have installed the m.2 2280 SSD and the system sees it and can copy files to it and give it a drive letter.

Podmonger

I have installed the m.2 2280 SSD and the system can see it, letter it and copy and paste to it.

I have made a recovery USB complete with system files.

Following IronFly's kind help, I disconnected the 2TB hdd, inserted the USB recovery disc, booted up pressing f12 and, via Troubleshooter, started the Win10 started the recovery process. It dropped out after a few seconds telling me there was a problem. Checking the SSD, I can see it now has a 100MB EFI partition and an empty 223GB RAW partition.

I redid making the USB recovery disc and tried the process again, same result.

Is it worth trying to clone the hdd to the ssd, disconnecting the hdd, and then trying to boot from the cloned ssd? Or have I missed something vital the first time around? Any help from you kind people would be much appreciated.

Podmonger

IronFly

yes, you can try to clone it and then boot with only the SSD connected.

honestly i don't know why windows installation fails using it's recovery, by the way you can try to create a vanilla windows 10 installation media.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

click on download tool, choose to download the x64 iso file, then download Rufus:

https://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale=en_US

plug your USB flash drive, click on the little icon near ISO image, load the windows 10 iso image and set Rufus as on its webpage screenshot.

Once done, plug the flash drive to your X3 and boot using F12, check if it fails again, if so, try the clone way.

Podmonger

Thanks ironFly, I'm much in your debt! I'll do as you suggest and post how I get on.

Podmonger

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