How to move Win7Pro OEM from HDD to SSD?

This is probably a generic question, but I could not find my specific case anywhere.

I am using hp elitebook 2570p bought from a refurbisher (?). it does NOT have HP recovery manager installed and the one I tried downloading would not work - harddisk.dll was missing, I didn't bother to download it as I read somewhere it wouldn't do jack s**t.

I was unable to download win7pro iso from the Microsoft site because apparently my version is OEM or something like that (came up when I googled the error I received when trying to download iso file).

Now I don't know if I can somehow connect both ssd AND hdd at the same time. I don't have an usb to SATA adapter and I can't get one any time soon. I do have 4gb pendrive around somewhere that I heard could be useful for creating bootable usb device (but won't that cause some license problems? and where do I get the iso file?).

I don't need anything that is currently on this pc except for legal windows and maybe, if possible, installed drivers. I did not get any software to help me from the ssd seller. My version of windows is "OEM_COA_SLP".

migrator

Posted 2018-05-18T14:48:24.713

Reputation: 1

You should download a Windows 7 ISO and use key printed on the COA sticker to determine your license key. This will also return the correct key.

– Ramhound – 2018-05-18T15:29:22.870

Thank you for the responses. So if this is correct doing so without the sata>usb cable is impossible? i will try to get it – migrator – 2018-05-18T16:34:36.503

You don’t want anything from your current installation, so just pull the HDD, and install Windows on the SSD – Ramhound – 2018-05-18T17:03:45.113

Answers

You need clonezilla-live (live-installed on a usb stick or burnt on a CD) and a USB HDD.

You do a first 'device to image' from current HDD to USB-HDD then you install the SSD and do a restore (on new SSD) from the USB-written image to actual drive.

I did it on my PC and worked.

If you can get a sata2usb adapter you can do a device-to-device clone directly on new SSD

DDS

Posted 2018-05-18T14:48:24.713

Reputation: 514

This won't work because the OP only has a 4gb pendrive which isn't enough to clone a Windows partition. Also, he doesn't own a USB-SATA adapter. – CaldeiraG – 2018-05-18T15:45:41.800

Thanks for commenting. Mind you i only want windows 7, nothing else really, can skip the drivers part. in this case 4 gb is not enough? should i get 8 or 16? – migrator – 2018-05-18T16:36:30.097

I really suggest that you wait until you have a USB backup disk. You could then use AOMEI Backupper Freeware (or another utility) to :

Backup your hard disk to an external disk
Create the AOMEI boot on the pendrive (if the computer can boot from it)
Replace the HDD by the SDD
Boot using the pendrive
Restore from the external disk to the SDD.

If you are really in a hurry and would like to take the risk of wasting your time, you may :

Backup your drivers (this is never guaranteed to be complete and usable).
See Best Free Windows Driver Backup and Restore.
Replace the HDD by the SDD
Install a new Windows 7
If some drivers are missing, try to install them from the backup, or if problem from the manufacturer's website.

In any case, you always have the HDD as a fail-safe if this fails.

harrymc

Posted 2018-05-18T14:48:24.713

Reputation: 306 093