Installing windows 10 on a second drive

If the SSD is bigger than the drive it is replacing, you could create a system image on an external hard disk, shut down the computer, remove the old hard drive, install the new SSD then restore the system image:

Option 2: you could use a free tool such as Easeus to clone the HDD to SSD:

Clone Windows 10 Hard Drive to New Computer - EaseUS

Option 3:

You can download, create a bootable copy of Windows 10 Home, then install it on the SSD:

Step 1: How to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2: How to Prepare Bootable Install Media for Windows 10 - DVD, USB or SD Card

Step 3: How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10

When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware (your PC) will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft Activation Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows 10. It will automatically reactivate. You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don't have a key and Do this later.

There is no need to know or get a new key, but if you have issues with Digital Licensing or the Activation Troubleshooter, you can utilize an existing Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key you already ownto reactivate if necessary. or use the reset function in Windows 10.

If the SSD is bigger than the drive it is replacing, you could create a system image on an external hard disk, shut down the computer, remove the old hard drive, install the new SSD then restore the system image:

How to: Create a system image in Windows 10

How to restore a Windows 10 system image to an existing or larger storage device

Option 2: you could use a free tool such as Easeus to clone the HDD to SSD:

Clone Windows 10 Hard Drive to New Computer - EaseUS

Option 3:

You can download, create a bootable copy of Windows 10 Home, then install it on the SSD:

Step 1: How to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2: How to Prepare Bootable Install Media for Windows 10 - DVD, USB or SD Card

Step 3: How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10

When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware (your PC) will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will be stored on Microsoft Activation Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows 10. It will automatically reactivate. You will prompted to enter a product key a couple times through the installation, click I don't have a key and Do this later.

There is no need to know or get a new key, but if you have issues with Digital Licensing or the Activation Troubleshooter, you can utilize an existing Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key you already ownto reactivate if necessary. or use the reset function in Windows 10.

Hi,

Kindly make sure that your internet connection is stable and that you have sufficient data storage available on a computer, USB, or external hard drive. We recommend that you use a blank USB or blank DVD, because any content on it will be deleted.

If you have further questions, feel free to ask us.

Regards.

Please note the USB thumb drive needs to be at least 8 GBs in size.

I would also close the wizard, restart your computer, right click the MCT then click Run as administrator then try again.

Remember, you can also create a recovery drive from within your existing installation of Windows 10; which you can use to install to reinstall Windows 10.

How to: Create a Recovery Drive for reinstalling Windows 10