Forum Discussion
How can I transfer or migrate windows to new ssd for Win11/10
In fact, clean installation is best for performance if you really want to migrate Windows to new SSD. This installs a fresh copy of Windows 11/10/8/7. You will lose installed programs, so back up your personal files (Documents, Photos) to an external drive or cloud first.
Steps to migrate Windows to new ssd:
1. Run the Media Creation Tool and follow prompts to create a bootable USB installer for Windows 10 or 11.
2. Power down and physically swap your old drive for the new, empty SSD.
3. Insert the USB, turn on the PC, and press the Boot Menu key (usually F12, F2, or Del) to boot from the USB.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts. Select "Custom: Install Windows only."
5. If asked for a key, click "I don't have a product key." Windows will automatically reactivate later if your PC previously had a digital license.
Issue 1: We couldn't find any drives
Your laptop (likely a newer Intel 11th, 12th, or 13th Gen) uses "Intel VMD/RST" storage technology, and the standard Windows USB installer doesn't have the driver for it yet.
Issue 2: Windows cannot be installed to this disk
You see the drive, but when you click it, an error says "The selected disk is of the GPT partition style" (or MBR). The reason is that the BIOS is set to UEFI mode, but the drive is formatted for Legacy mode (old), or vice-versa.