Windows 10: Can I copy OS drive on HDD over to SSD in same laptop?

Windows version 1909.

What happened was... I bought an ex-display "never used" 17" Acer laptop to use for recording video only. It claimed to have a 256GB SSD and 1TB 5400RPM HDD.

After troubleshooting for weeks wondering why it was so slow, I have just** twigged that they've installed the Operating System on the 5400RPM HDD. Drive C (OS) = 1TB HDD and Drive D (data) = 120GB-only SSD.

I have software with quite restrictive licences on the C-drive so I don't want to reinstall Windows (which I'd already done during troubleshooting), so I wonder if I can copy drive C onto drive D - I don't mind losing the data on currently on drive D.

Or... how would you go about fixing this laptop if you were not very mobile or in the best of health? I can't send it back, due to various circumstances.

**Just... because it's a "satellite" laptop, like an external hard drive, and lugging a 17-incher onto my lap is cumbersome & heavy so I examine it at arm's length with squinty eyes, mostly... and it never occurred to me that anyone would install an OS on a 5400rpm HDD these days, especially when an SSD is installed. I tested "health" and then reinstalled Windows at the suggestion of the vendor.

:)

 

Installing OS on SSD that's already on a HDD

Hi there,

I heard that copying/moving OS from drive to drive isn't good. I just bought a SSD for my Freshly build PC which has Windows 10 Home installed on HDD, Now I'm willing to Install Windows on SSD for great performance.

I have some questions:

1) How do I install OS on SSD whiles it's still active on HDD?

2) How to install it? (I have Windows 10 USB drive)

3) How to enable SSD in UEFI BIOS?

4) Will I lose my data on partitions of HDD?

5) Will 120 GB space of my SSD cause any problem while updating Windows?

6) After install, Would I need to contact MSFT for that 'loong' code to activate Windows? (I had to contact for that code when I reinstalled Windows on my PC from My Laptop!)

And a off-topic question:

How to rename (Re letter) a Partition? I've Optical drive names 'D' and it's between my 'C' and 'E' drive partition.

 

Hard drive/ OS issue

a guy suggested :

• shutdown
• unhooked HDD
• restarted
• yay !!
• reconnected HDD
• restarted
• yay !!

also , try method 3
How do I unlock the drive where Windows 10 is installed?

 

Transfer OS From HDD to SSD

I have a HP laptop with original Windows 10 Home Edition. My present Hard Drive is very slow (HDD).

Now I want to use a new SSD and want to reinstall this original OS to my new SSD.

But I have lost my Product Key.

What is the process.

Thanks.