How do I install Windows 10 on a new hard drive from USB on a laptop or PC?

After some time, your computer might slow down significantly as the hard drive ages, affecting productivity and user experience. In such cases, getting a new hard drive is a good option. This article will show you how to install Windows 10 on a new hard drive from USB and how to transfer Windows to the hard drive without using a USB via cloning. Let's get started!

How to Install Windows 10 on a New Hard Drive Using a USB To install Windows 10 on a new hard drive via a USB drive, follow these step-by-step instructions: 1. **Gather your tools:** - An empty USB flash drive (minimum 16 GB capacity) - The downloaded Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (available from the Microsoft website) - The new hard drive and an installation environment (such as another computer running Windows) 2. **Create the Windows 10 Installation USB:** - Insert the USB flash drive into your computer. - Launch the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and follow the prompts to choose "Create installation media for another PC." Select your language, edition, and architecture. - Choose "USB flash drive" as the location to save the installation media, then select your USB device from the dropdown menu. - Click "Next," and the tool will begin downloading and creating the installation media. This process may take some time, depending on your internet speed. 3. **Set BIOS/UEFI to Boot from USB:** - Restart your computer and enter the BIOS or UEFI settings. Typically, you can do this by pressing F2, F10, Delete, or Esc during startup, depending on your computer's brand. - Locate the "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" settings and move the USB device to the top of the list. - Save and exit the settings; your computer should boot from the USB automatically. 4. **Install Windows 10:** - If you don't have an operating system, your computer should boot directly from the USB. If you already have an OS, you might need to select the USB device from the boot menu. - Follow the on-screen prompts throughout the installation process. Choose "Custom installation" instead of "Upgrade" since you're installing on a new hard drive. - In the "Choose where to install Windows" step, select your new hard drive. Make sure not to choose the wrong one, as it will erase all data on the drive! - Proceed with setting up user accounts, passwords, etc., and wait for the installation to finish. 5. **Install Drivers and Updates:** - After installation, connect to the internet and update Windows to ensure all drivers are up-to-date. - Depending on your hardware, you may also need to download and install specific drivers, such as graphics, sound, or network card drivers. Now, you should have successfully installed Windows 10 on your new hard drive. Remember to back up important files to prevent any accidental loss.

To install Windows 10 on a new hard drive from a USB, you'll first need to create Windows 10 installation media, like a bootable USB drive. Then, you can use the bootable USB drive to install Windows on your new hard drive. Here's how to install Windows on a new hard drive from a USB on a laptop or desktop:

Part 1: Create a bootable USB drive for Windows 10

To create a bootable Windows USB drive, you can use the Media Creation Tool to assist you. This tool will download the Windows 10 ISO image file directly and turn it into a bootable Windows 10 USB. Here's how:

Step 1. Go to the Windows 10 download page, and download and run the “Media Creation Tool.” Open the tool on your computer.

Step 2: Click “Create installation media for another PC,” and then click “Next.”

Select “Create installation media for another PC” and click Next.

Step 3: The tool will prompt you to select the Windows version, language, and architecture. Click “Next.”

Step 4. Choose the USB flash drive option. Make sure you have an 8 GB (or larger) USB flash drive, then click “Next.”

Select your USB drive and click “Next.”

Step 5: Select the USB drive that's connected to your computer, and click “Next.”

Select the USB drive connected to your computer.

Step 6: The tool will download Windows 10 to the USB drive you selected.

Step 7. When the download finishes, it will start creating the bootable Windows 10 USB. When you see the message “Your USB flash drive is ready,” you can click “Finish” to exit the tool.

Click “Finish” to exit the tool.

Part 2: Booting From the USB Drive

With the bootable USB made, you'll need to use it to boot your computer. The steps for doing this vary depending on your computer.

Step one: Plug the bootable USB into your computer.

Step 2: Restart your computer and press the BIOS key (which varies by computer model, but is usually F2, Delete, or F12) to enter BIOS.

Step 3 . Set your bootable USB as the first boot device.

Set the bootable USB as the first boot device

Step 4: Save the changes and exit the BIOS, then restart your computer.

Please use the sharing tools on social media to help get this article in front of more people who can benefit from the solution!

Part 3: Install Windows 10 on the new drive

The final step is to install Windows, which should be done after you've completed both of the above sections. Here's a detailed guide on how to install Windows on your new hard drive:

Step 1: After your PC restarts, you'll see “Windows Setup.” Choose your Windows edition, language, and architecture, then click Next.

Step 2: Tap Install Now.

Click on Install Now

Step 3: Click on “I don't have a product key.”

Check the box indicating that you accept the terms of the license, and then click Next.

Step 5: Choose Custom (advanced): Install only Windows.

Step 6: Select the unallocated space on Disk 0.

Step 7: You should see the new partition. Select the primary partition and click “Next” to install Windows on the new disk.

Then Windows will install itself on the new drive, and you can boot up as usual.

If you're wondering how to install Windows 10 from USB in BIOS, check out the linked article for help.

Of course, I can translate English into Chinese. Please provide the English content that needs to be translated, and I'll do it for you promptly.

How to Install Windows 10 from USB via BIOS

This guide will show you how to install Windows 10 on your computer from BIOS using a USB drive.  Read More >>

How can you install Windows 10 on a new hard drive without using a USB drive? You can still install Windows 10 on a new hard drive using alternative methods when a USB drive is not available. Here are two common approaches: 1. **Using a DVD:** - First, you'll need a blank DVD and a DVD burner. - Download the Windows 10 ISO image file (from the Microsoft official download center or through the Media Creation Tool). - Burn the ISO file to the DVD using DVD burning software (like ImgBurn or the built-in "Burn ISO Image" feature in Windows). - Insert the DVD into your computer's DVD drive and ensure your computer is set to boot from the DVD. - Power on your computer and follow the on-screen instructions for installation. 2. **Using the Media Creation Tool over the network:** - On another computer with Windows already installed, download and run the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. - Choose "Create installation media for another PC," then follow the wizard's prompts, selecting the language, edition, and architecture. - Choose the "ISO file" option and save it to your computer. - Transfer the ISO file to the new computer's hard drive via network sharing or a portable storage device (like an external hard drive or flash drive). - On the new computer, use a virtual DVD drive software (like Daemon Tools or PowerISO) to mount the ISO file, or extract its contents to a folder on the hard drive. - Configure the BIOS/UEFI settings to boot from the hard drive and point to the location of the ISO file. - Begin the installation process by following on-screen instructions. Note that you may need to adjust your BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure your computer boots from the correct device. If you're unfamiliar with these settings, consult your computer manufacturer's documentation or seek professional assistance.

It's clear that installing Windows 10 to a new hard drive from a USB drive is a complicated and time-consuming process, with many steps that can go wrong and leave you frustrated. Is there an easier way? Can you install Windows on a new hard drive without a USB drive?

The answer is yes. You can install Windows on a new SSD without using a USB. The best way is to clone, which allows you to transfer everything from one hard drive to another, including the installed operating system and saved data. However, if you want to clone the system to another disk, you'll need third-party cloning software. In this case, the renowned cloning utility, Disk Clone Tool, can come in handy.

This is a cloning tool specifically designed for Windows 11/10/8/7. It enables you to clone your system, disks, partitions, and even copy your Windows installation to an SSD. Moreover, it aids in migrating data from one computer to another, upgrading to a larger hard drive, performing hot cloning, and replacing your old SSD with a new one. Below are some highlights of this cloning utility.

Utilizing cloning software can help you easily transfer Windows to a new hard drive, eliminating the need to reinstall it after swapping out the drive. Be sure to download and use it today to assist you in cloning your system to the new disk.

Advance Notice:

• Sector-by-sector copy requires the target disk to be the same size or larger than the source disk. Uncheck this option if you want to clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one. • All data on the target disk will be wiped out. Please note.

Step 1. To start copying/cloning an entire disk to another, select the disk in Disk Mode and click Next.

Step 2: Select another disk as the target disk.

Step 3: Check the disk layout of two disks. You can manage the disk layout of the target disk by choosing "Adapt to Disk", "Same as Source", or "Edit Disk Layout".

• "Fit to disk" makes some default changes to the target disk layout for optimal performance.
• "Copy as is" does not make any changes to the target disk, and its layout remains the same as the source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" allows you to manually adjust/move partitions on the target disk.

Check “Do this if the target is an SSD” to ensure best performance for an SSD.

A warning will appear, telling you that your data will be erased. Click “OK” to confirm, then click “Next.”

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to actually carry out the task.

In short

This article explains in detail how to install Windows 10 on a new hard drive via USB, and also describes how to transfer Windows to the hard drive without a USB by cloning. Cloning is the better option here, as it saves you time and effort since you won't have to reinstall Windows and your apps.

To clone Windows to a new hard drive, you must use a third-party cloning program like Clone Disk, as Windows does not have a built-in cloning feature. Clone Disk software can help you easily transfer all contents between two hard drives without losing data or needing to reinstall Windows. Just download and give it a try!

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Windows 10 on a New Drive from USB

How do I boot from USB on a new hard drive?

To boot Windows from a USB on a new hard drive, first insert the USB into your computer and press the power button. When the computer turns on, keep pressing F11 or Delete until you enter the Boot Menu. Select "Boot from USB" from there, then choose your hard drive from the list of options.

2. How can I boot from USB without changing the BIOS?

If you have a USB flash drive with Windows 10 pre-installed, you can use it to boot the computer without going through BIOS. To do this, plug the USB into your computer and follow the on-screen instructions to install the operating system.

How do I install Windows 10 from USB in BIOS?

To install Windows from BIOS using a USB, you first need to create a bootable disk. Then, in the BIOS settings, you'll set this bootable disk as the primary boot drive. After that, you can proceed with the Windows installation as prompted on the screen.