Upgrade Asus notebook HDD to SSD

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#1063955 12-Jun-2014 11:58

easy.

download macrium free.

clone your drive (macrium will align the clusters properly for your SSD to work, some other ones might not) to SSD.

swap drives.

reinstall from recovery.

watch TV.

Batman

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#1063963 12-Jun-2014 12:00

ooo so you don't have a drive enclosure is that what it is ... tough luck!

if you really don't want to buy one download the ASUS usb install media from somewhere - it needs to be the right one otherwise it will be rejected due to UEFI.

Oblivian

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#1063964 12-Jun-2014 12:03

This has been common for OEM makers for some time

There are 2 types of recovery styles

Quick reinstall (AKA Recovery) - using a base image in the hidden partition on the working HDD, it simply blows away the windows partition and plonks on a OOBE/sysprep version of the OS that is there ready for you to setup again

Full recovery media is generally only available or used when there is a complete hard drive failure (no backup source now there). Done by service agents. Post the fact there can be purchase options

However from most brands I have played with, nearly all of them have similar first time or 5 time reboot nag screen (or written in the manual) when you turn them on. Recommending you make full recovery media ASAP. This contains both otpions, make a recovery CD to use the onboard area of the disk, and a 'current state' snapshot set of DVDs.

You say you don't want to do this now as you have used it and want a clean install, that would be the reason why they recommend creating the kit ASAP before many chances are made to the system :)

timmmay

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#1064023 12-Jun-2014 12:59

So how exactly do you create recovery media with a running windows install so you can do a fresh install on an SSD? Cloning is one option, but fresh installs tend to be better.

Oblivian

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#1064057 12-Jun-2014 13:42

timmmay: So how exactly do you create recovery media with a running windows install so you can do a fresh install on an SSD? Cloning is one option, but fresh installs tend to be better.

using mentioned manufacturer tools (be it preinstalled, dowloaded, or app from the recovery partition) or built in options..

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-usb-recovery-drive
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

timmmay

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#1064197 12-Jun-2014 16:25

Thanks, doing that now :)

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boland

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#1064360 12-Jun-2014 19:46

Oblivian:
timmmay: So how exactly do you create recovery media with a running windows install so you can do a fresh install on an SSD? Cloning is one option, but fresh installs tend to be better.

using mentioned manufacturer tools (be it preinstalled, dowloaded, or app from the recovery partition) or built in options..

Yeah that doesn't work either, because you'd need the original HDD installed.

However, I fixed it. Downloaded an ISO using news servers, checked the SHA1 value against the MSDN ISO's, one of them was correct. Put an ei.cnf in the sources directory such that the installer would not ask for a serial.
Installed Windows 8.0 (perhaps it would work with 8.1, but just to be sure). Had some troubles with booting the USB drive, had to disable secure boot, reboot, enable CSM.
Installed Windows, removed product key using slmgr, installed OEM key wil SLUI 3 and we're back.

Man, what a PITA. Now installing 98 updates (1.2 GB), Office, etc. Glad we have unlimited internet :)

Thanks anyone.

Good video as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He9wg7pqHPI

lchiu7

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#1064925 13-Jun-2014 14:05

I think somebody else mentioned this but my team did the following to upgrade some Toshiba's to Windows 7 Enterprise (so we could use Bitlocker) and also replace the HD with SSD to copy with additional encryption overhead,

Backed up the HD to a USB drive using some tool (think they use Easeus Backup).

Removed the HD and put in the SSD.

Booted up from the restore CD (the Toshiba has builtin DVD drive) and restored the HD to the SSD.

Boot up Windows, run the Samsung Magician software to make sure all was okay then proceed with the rest.

No dramas - just wait time.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

boland

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#1065142 13-Jun-2014 19:22

Okay, I hate Windows.
After installing 98 updates, reboot, installing 12 updates, reboot, installing 4 updates, reboot, installing Windows 8.1 from the store failed with 0x80240031... Tried a lot of things as said in posts on the internet, no luck.
What
The
F*K

Okay, downloading Windows 8.1 ISO now, not sure whether my OEM Windows 8.0 key will work. Otherwise only way would be go illegal I guess. What a mess.

Batman

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#1065168 13-Jun-2014 19:52

Or buy a drive enclosure

boland

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#1065464 14-Jun-2014 12:27

joker97: Or buy a drive enclosure

And then? Clone HDD? As said 10 times before, I WANT A FRESH INSTALL. I can restore my old HDD as well without a drive enclosure, because I made a system restore image and I can restore that using the recovery drive. However, I want a fresh install. Apparently that is really though.

Asus help was that I should let Asus support do this, they don't offer full install DVD's. The only support centre is in Auckland, I am in Wellington. Great.

Quic Broadband

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blakamin

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#1065510 14-Jun-2014 13:12

The only way to get a "fresh" install is to buy a windows retail key, download the iso to a usb stick and run it from there.
How much bloat is on your OEM install?
I can't really see the point of a retail install over a clean OEM install from the recovery partition, considering the OEM has all the drivers and you can uninstall any bloat anyway... but, hey, it's your money.

Batman

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#1065574 14-Jun-2014 15:11

I see.

Why didn't you download the 8.1 Rom (and install via self activating uefi?)

Batman

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#1065575 14-Jun-2014 15:13

Anyway with Dell I just ring them they send me a usb stick with clean install media no bloat. Free. Couriered.

Will asus do that?

boland

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#1065576 14-Jun-2014 15:13

blakamin: The only way to get a "fresh" install is to buy a windows retail key, download the iso to a usb stick and run it from there.
How much bloat is on your OEM install?
I can't really see the point of a retail install over a clean OEM install from the recovery partition, considering the OEM has all the drivers and you can uninstall any bloat anyway... but, hey, it's your money.

Nope, as I said before (why does no one read my posts?) it is possible to install Windows 8 (Retail) without a key and insert the OEM key later. See also the movie I linked.

I had trouble with updating to Windows 8.1, so I tried the same thing with Windows 8.1. Downloaded retail Windows 8.1 (RTM) from some less legal sources, checked hash, installed without key, insert OEM key, et voila, it works now!

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