Windows 10: windows on SSD drive questions

Hi hopefully someone can help with this please...



I have a device called iOTA Base that has a tiny 32 GB memory and come installed with Windows 10 home edition. The tiny memory is causing problems running windows even with all documents etc on a SD card.



I am getting a 240 GB SSD drive as I understand I can run Windows 10 from there and my iOTA base has a place that according to the manual is for 'fitting a standard 2.5” HDD with SATA 3 interface.'



My questions are:

Will my Windows 10 home edition licence or product key still be valid if I either move or reinstall windows onto the SSD drive?



Will reinstalling Windows be cleaner and better in the long run? I already have the Windows install files on a USB as I used them recently to reinstall windows on the iOTA thinking that might improve the memory issues but it didn't help for long once windows updates arrived.



Also when I checked about reinstalling Windows on the SSD most instructions say I should remove the original hardrive first during the windows install process and I can add it again later if I want just for storage. With my iOTA the hardrive is welded in so I am wondering how I can complete the installation process? I was thinking to go in the BIOS and choose the SSD for backups when both drives are attached hoping that might mean the SSD will then be designated as the primary drive so the new install of windows would then automatically go on to the SSD drive and not the original hard drive...I hope this makes sense?



Any advice or instructions would be much appreciated. I have some extra programs on the device but I can easily reinstall them again so I don't mind wiping the device during this process. I am not sure how safe some of the free cloning windows programs are so feel a reinstall might be better but I am not sure.



Thanks

:)

 

Cloning to SSD then swapping drive letters


@SamHobbs
What you want done is very simple and can be done in short period of time. Here's my suggestion:
There's 2 modes that Windows can be installed: UEFI and the old legacy MBR. Open Disk Management, look at the disk where your C drive is, if there's a

1. EFI System Partition, your Windows was installed using UEFI.
2. System Reserved partition, your Windows was installed using MBR

Next, Connect your SSD to an available Sata port (no need to format or do anything). Download: Macrium Reflect Free . Install and run. Follow the steps below:

1. From Macrium, click on image this disk under your C drive and save it to either an Internal or External Drive. This will create a single backup image of the whole disk containing your C drive.
2. Again, from Macrium, click on Restore tab and select the image created from step 1, Select your SSD as the destination drive, click Next->Finish
3. Exit Macrium. If your Windows was installed using MBR, Open disk management and make sure the SSD is marked "Active" else go to next step.
4. Shutdown your PC. Disconnect the HD containing Windows C drive then connect your SSD to it.
5. Reboot. Your PC should boot and the Windows should have C as the drive letter.

NOTE: The procedure above is to backup your Windows to an image file then copy it back to the SSD. This ensures proper cluster size aligment for the SSD. In addition, Macrium also perform Trimming for the SSD. This is more preferable than cloning.

 

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?

 

SSD as Boot Drive? How?

Well, I have Windows installed on the SSD, along with the drivers and browser. Now, I'm trying to install other stuff (Steam, games, etc.), but the mechanical drive isn't showing. I'm sure I missed a step?