Windows 10 all in one with a failing hard drive, how to reinstall

ComputerGeek

[H]ard|Gawd
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Dec 27, 2010
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Hello, I have a Windows 10 all in one with a failing hard drive. I need to swap the drive what's the best way for me to go about doing that. Should I clone the disk and factory wipe? Make a USB stick on the computer? Use a different computer to make the USB stick?

And the license is stored on the motherboard so I don't have to worry about that anymore, correct?

Thanks!
 
Assuming warranty is a non-issue.
Where is your reinstall media? OEMs often put it on a special partition on the HD, which in your case is failing.
If you have to use generic install media, make sure you know how to get it to obtain license info from the MB. Win 10 may be automagic about that but best to know before starting.
Some SSD drives include or at least used to include a clone/migration utility with each drive.

Clone fine if system working OK but just warning of drive errors. If system doing blue screens / crashing just go to reinstall.

Of course, back up any data, favorites etc before attempting anything.
 
I would save the personal files to separate media (hard drive, flash drive). Anything on OneDrive is fine as is, they will automatically download to your new install.

If you are currently experiencing crashes or blue screens I wouldn't clone that. The operating system could be corrupt, or you could get corrupted data while cloning. A bad sector or bad read will transfer to your clone. Install Windows fresh, reinstall programs, and copy back over your personal files, and like I said anything one OneDrive will just magically show back up on the new install (OneDrive is awesome for this).
 
Shut down the all in one
remove failing drive
install new drive
boot from your USB win10 install media (you do have this, every tech does lol)
install OS, install drivers, patch
plug failing drive into your external USB drive dock (you do have this, every tech should lol) and recover data
Done in like 2 hrs max?
 
I wouldn'tt clone a system i cant trust

reinstall on new driver.
transfer data over that is needed

aka just like dbwillies suggested
 
Depends on what's happening, I would try a clone see what happens

If it's still crashing just flatten it (diskpart clean command) and clean install (failing hdd with bad sectors can cause software like crashing issues, but if cloned to a new ssd/hdd most of the time they run fine)

Worst case is you have to reload (diskpart and use the clean command )
 
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