Switching from HDD to SSD and clean installing Windows 8

mhelseth93

New Member
Messages
4
Location
Minnesota
Hey guys, wondering if anyone could help me with an issue im having. I have been googling things for hours trying to find someone in my situation but I can't find anything and I'm fairly sure there is a simple solution I am missing.

I recently Installed windows 8 over my windows 7 on my laptop. And after a few months I decided to switch over to an SSD and swapped them out thinking the bios would recognize my registered key but I have windows 8 installed and now I need a key and it is rejecting the one I already used. It is quite obvious to me that since the other HDD still has my windows 8 with the working key installed, i understand that it wouldn't accept it on this one.

My question is, what steps can I go through to get my OS registered on my SSD, with the key that is on my HDD.

I only want a fresh install and do not want to migrate my old data over, which I would hope would be easier.
My laptop has 2 hard drive bays So I can have both in at once if thats of any help. I will update my Specs page shortly. Just wanted to get the thread up.

Any help would be extremely appreciated. Thanks!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q892
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 460M
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1680 x 945
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 840 EVO - 250GB
    Hitachi HDD - 500GB
Hello Matt, and welcome to Eight Forums.

If this is a retail copy of Windows 8, then you could just remove the HDD for now, then do a clean install of Windows 8 at boot to the SSD. Afterwards, you could connect the HDD, and format it to use as a data drive or what you like with it.

You should be able to activate as usual. If it won't activate online as usual, then you could always activate by phone.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13375-clean-install-windows-8-upgrade.html

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
It is a retail copy.

I already installed Windows 8 onto the SSD, it is currently unactivated.

So all i need to do is reinsert my HDD with the activated Windows 8 (along side my SSD), and it will activate the one on my SSD?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q892
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 460M
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1680 x 945
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 840 EVO - 250GB
    Hitachi HDD - 500GB
I just inserted my HDD both drives are recognized, but I tried entering the key again, and it still wont work.

do I have to format the HDD first? will that make the key usable again?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q892
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 460M
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1680 x 945
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 840 EVO - 250GB
    Hitachi HDD - 500GB
Nar, you'll basically need to format the HDD to remove Windows from it since you have it on the SSD now.

You should be able to activate by phone while running Windows from the SSD. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
I'm sorry this response is so late, i have been swamped by work and school for a while... but I still need a bit of assistance, after the first method didnt work, I looked at your guide by activating by phone and unfortunately when I tried Step 5(B), there was no "Activate by phone" button. Nor was there a "Contact Microsoft Support" link. Is there any other way to find the right number to call? Don't want to have to sit through 100 different transfers while they try to find the person that can help me. But if I must I suppose I will
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q892
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 460M
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1680 x 945
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 840 EVO - 250GB
    Hitachi HDD - 500GB
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