Windows 10: Problems installing / cloning windows 10 to a new SSD

I recently bought a new external portable USB SSD to replace an ageing and failing HDD. Stuck for cash i just bought the one that was lowest price tag. I have been struggling to either a) install a fresh copy of windows 10 on it or b) clone my current operating system from the HDD. I thought it would be a relatively straight forward process but I've encountered numerous problems and terms I'm not familiar with that I don't know how to proceed.

Before i go on the SSD it states not to format with NTFS as its not supported, but to use exFAT. Is this the problem?







I've made a windows 10 boot USB with the media creation tool, however i don't get further than this screen:





I also tried cloning with AEOMI but when i try to boot I get This error screen and unable to proceed:




I fear i may have incorrect BIOS settings as I've tried multiple solutions online which haven't solved it.

Help would be greatly appreciated

Win version: 1909

:)

 

Moving to SSD. Clone or not to clone?

I kinda agree with you, but on a wholr, do not. While I have done things a bit differently than this specific situation, by installing Windows directly to the SSD, and cloning after, my testing shows that there are no issues doing this, very little that can go wrong, provided your system is stable.

There are certain features that must be disabled in this situation, like auto defrag and such, but even with a fresh install to the SSD, you need to take steps to ensure that you SSD performs properly, regardless of how the data got there.

Arming yourself with a bit of knowledge can go a long way.

Installing the latest chipset driver, and the RST Tools, will ensure optimal performance of the SSD. but rather than taking my advice, I suggest the OP takes a look here:

http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/sand...7-and-ssds-to-clone-windows-or-reinstall.aspx

Installing The SSD - Install A Solid State Drive In Your Notebook | Tom's Hardware

Keep in mind, also, Digibucc, that many retail drives include software and such that very specifically is to be used to ttranser the OS from an existing mechanical drive to an SSD, and if there really was alot fo issues stemming from the cloning process, they would not have packages like that, simply to eliminate tech support costs. While not the optimal option, cloning is NOT a bad thing, as long as you take the nessecary steps.

 

Moving to SSD. Clone or not to clone?

Part of how I keep my SSD fast is to clone it to a platter drive, then clone back. You just want to make sure that you are only cloning teh used space, and not the empty space.


So, again, I isntall Windows to the ssd. Clone to platter drive, then clone back.

I am not sure why, but if I do not do the clone step, the drive's speed, and windows booting, decreases substantially within a week or so.

I am using a Corsair F60 SSD and a Western Digital 500AAKS as drives, and using the free version of Acronis that WD provides, if any of that matters. I am not sure, at this point.

 

Windows 10 deactivated on new cloned SSD

Well it would appear the issue was solved!

What I did was re-insert and boot the original SSD went into Settings

Selected Accounts

Clicked on Manage my Microsoft account, got a message stating the account needed to be updated

After that was done, I cloned the new SSD again

On the cloned SSD entered command prompt, used the slmgr with my product key command (was entered successfully)

Then used the slmgr /ato command...and voila, Windows was reactivated successfully!

So thank you all for the possible solutions you suggested. I will keep monitoring the system as time goes by.