How to Install Windows on a New SSD Without Using a USB Drive

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When searching "install Windows without USB" on Google, the recommended solution is usually to perform a clean install. Do you know how to **install Windows on a new SSD without USB**? Or how to **install Windows 10 on a new hard drive without USB or CD**? This tutorial will introduce two methods to install Windows on a new SSD with detailed steps.

Read More: How to Install Windows 10 on New Hard Drive from USB

Yes, you can install the Windows operating system on a new Solid State Drive (SSD). Here's a general outline of the process: 1. **Gather tools**: Ensure you have a Windows installation media (like a Windows installation USB drive) and an empty SSD. 2. **Connect the SSD**: Attach the new SSD to your computer. For desktops, this might involve connecting it with a SATA data cable and power cable to the motherboard and power supply. For laptops, you may need an external enclosure or to find an available M.2 slot. 3. **Enter BIOS**: Restart your computer and enter the BIOS settings. This is usually done by pressing F2, F10, Delete, or another key depending on your computer brand. 4. **Change Boot Order**: In the BIOS, locate the "Boot" or "Startup" options and set the new SSD as the primary boot device. 5. **Install Windows**: Save changes and exit; your computer will boot from the Windows installation media. Follow the on-screen instructions, selecting your language, edition, and installation type. Format the new SSD and proceed with the installation. 6. **Install Drivers**: After installation, update your computer's drivers, especially if the SSD requires specific firmware or drivers for optimal performance. 7. **Migrate Data**: If you have an old hard drive, use a data migration tool to transfer files, applications, and so on to the new SSD. 8. **Update System Settings**: In system settings, make sure all important settings (such as the system drive location) point to the new SSD, and consider enabling the TRIM function to optimize SSD performance and lifespan. Adapt these steps to your specific computer model and personal requirements. If you have questions, consult your computer manufacturer's or Windows' official documentation for further assistance.

When your Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 is slow to load and run on a hard disk drive (HDD), reinstalling Windows on a new solid-state drive (SSD) is an effective way to start over with your Windows PC. It's well-known that an SSD can serve as a better boot disk than an HDD, thanks to its advantages like less noise, faster access time, lower latency, and so on.

Thus, many PC users prefer to upgrade their old system disk to an SSD or install the operating system (OS) on a new SSD for fast booting and smooth running even with multiple programs running in the background. So, how to install Windows on SSD without USB?

Two Ways to Install Windows on an SSD Without a USB

Installing Windows on a new SSD without USB can be a bit tricky, but there are still a few ways around it. Here, I'll share two methods of installing Windows on an SSD: by creating a Windows system image to the target drive or cloning the system with backup software, and reinstalling Windows to the SSD from an ISO. Let's see how they work:

We have compared the costs and benefits of both approaches. See the chart below before you decide which to adopt.

Solution 1: Install Windows on the new SSD with Professional Backup Software

Without a USB, the easiest way to install the Windows operating system on a new SSD is to migrate Windows 10/8/7 from the hard drive to the new SSD and boot from it. Here, I will introduce an easy-to-use backup software, the Todo Backup tool, which can help you create a system image or clone the system to install Windows on a new SSD without a USB.

Todo Backup Home is a versatile and user-friendly Windows 11/10/8/7 backup and recovery tool. It allows you to migrate your operating system to a new hard drive as well as clone your hard drive or system. You can also use it to back up files, system, disks, partitions, and more. Additionally, it supports creating automated backups, scheduled backups, and incremental and differential backups.

Here are the details of how the system works.

Step 1: On the main screen, find and tap on "Tools," where you will find system clones and other utilities.

Step Two: Todo Backup will automatically select the boot and system partitions. Choose your target disk, then click “Next.”

*System Clone will erase all data, and does not support cloning MBR disk to GPT or vice versa. Please make sure the partition style of the source disk and target disk is the same.

If the target disk is an SSD, select “Optimize for SSD” in the Advanced Options.

Step 4: Click "Continue" to start the clone.

In addition, if you want to install Windows on different computers with SSD instead of USB, you can also use Todo Backup as a universal restore tool.

Solution 2: Install Windows on the new SSD using an ISO

In most cases, you can choose to use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool for an in-place upgrade or to create a bootable USB flash drive for a clean installation of Windows. However, you can also use the Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer app to load the ISO file and launch the Windows 11 Setup to perform the installation.

Another way to install Windows on a new SSD without USB is by using a Windows ISO file. With the ISO file, you can install Windows 11 on a computer running Windows 10 without needing a bootable USB drive or the Media Creation Tool. You can mount the ISO file in File Explorer and run the upgrade installer. Here are the detailed steps to upgrade or perform a clean install of Windows 11 without USB or the Media Creation Tool.

Step 1. Download the Windows 11 ISO file.

Step 2. Right-click the ISO file and select “Open with,” then choose “File Explorer.”

Step 3. In the left navigation pane, click on the SSD hard drive that is connected to your computer.

Step 4. Double-click the installer to begin the upgrade to Windows 11.

Step 5. You can choose whether to change how Windows Installer downloads updates.

Step 6: Select “Not Now” and click “Next.”

Step 7. Accept the terms and click “Upgrade” to preserve your files and apps during the installation.

Note: If you want to do a clean install of Windows 11 from the beginning, under What do you want to keep, select Nothing, and then click Next and Install.

Watch this video to learn how to install Windows on a new SSD:

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH:

• 00:00 - What if I don't have a CD or USB drive?
• 00:17 - How do I download the Windows 10 installation media?
• 01:32 - Installing Windows from a virtual drive
• 04:02 - Installing Windows from a hard drive partition

No USB Install Windows to New SSD

 

Your PC will restart several times during the update process. When it's finished, you might need to complete the out-of-box experience (OOBE) to finish setting up Windows 11.

If you found this article helpful, share it with your friends and followers so more people can install Windows on their new SSD without a USB drive.

[[3]](#3) Ultimately

That's all there is to it on how to install Windows on a new SSD without USB. You can choose any method presented in this article based on your preference. However, considering time, reliability, flexibility, and ease of use, we recommend using Todo Backup to install Windows without a USB. **Todo Backup** is a simple yet versatile backup and recovery tool that caters to various backup needs, perfect for free, home, or business users. Give it a try without hesitation!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there any way to reinstall Windows 10 on an SSD without cloning?

If you don't want to clone Windows 10, you can perform a clean install instead. A clean install erases everything from your hard drive before installing a new copy of Windows.

2. How do I activate my new SSD?

Move your cursor to the bottom-left corner of the desktop, right-click the “Start” icon, and select “Disk Management.” When you open Disk Management, you'll be prompted to initialize the SSD.

Why won't my new SSD boot up?

If your computer fails to boot after upgrading or replacing the system disk from HDD to SSD, it might be because you didn't reset the boot order in BIOS.

< strong > 4. Why won't Windows install on my SSD?

This usually means that Windows can't install because your hardware doesn't support booting from a disk. It may also ask you to enable the disk controller in your BIOS menu.