How to Install Windows Without USB on a New SSD

Need to install Windows without USB? Follow our 2 proven methods for new SSDs. No USB/CD required with step-by-step guide.

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Page Table of Contents

Can You Install Windows Without a USB

Install Windows Without USB via EaseUS Disk Copy

Install Windows Without USB Using ISO File

Common Issues on Windows Installation Without USB

To Wrap Things Up

FAQs on How to Install Windows Without USB

Jerry

Updated on Aug 18, 2025

4611 Views | 3 min read

When installing Windows on an SSD without a USB, the most recommended way on Google searches is to do a clean install. Do you know how to install Windows on a new SSD without USB? And how to install Windows 10 on a new hard drive without a disk or USB? This tutorial shows you 2 ways to install Windows without USB with detailed steps inside.

  • For those who want to avoid reinstalling everything, choose clone. Cloning can let you transfer everything, including data and OS, to another drive without losing data or reinstalling Windows with less time and effort. Install Windows Without USB via EaseUS Disk Copy
  • For those who want to have a fresh Windows environment, choose a clean installation using the ISO file, but it requires reinstalling necessary files and drivers, with more time and effort. Install Windows Without USB Using ISO File

Can You Install Windows Without a USB

When Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 is loading and running slowly on a hard disk drive (HDD), installing Windows on a new solid-state drive (SSD) is an effective way to give your Windows computer a fresh start. It is widely known that an SSD can be a better boot disk than an HDD because, compared with an HDD, an SSD has less noise, quicker access time, lower latency, etc.

Therefore, many computer users prefer to upgrade the old system disk to SSD or install the operating system (OS) on a new SSD to make the computer boot up faster and run smoothly even if multiple programs are in the background, but how can I install windows without a USB if I do not have a USB or CD handy? Can I install Windows without using a USB?

The answer is yes. You can install Windows 10 without CD or USB or install Windows 11 without USB. Installing Windows on a new SSD without a USB can be difficult, but there are a few ways out. Here, I will share 2 ways to install Windows on SSD. They are cloning Windows to SSD using professional disk cloning software and reinstalling Windows on SSD by using ISO.

If you find the post practical, please share it with your friends and fans to help them install Windows on a new SSD without a USB drive.

 

Install Windows Without USB via EaseUS Disk Copy

Apply to: directly install Windows on a new hard drive without USB/CD, reinstalling everything, or losing data

Installing Windows OS on a new SSD without USB, the easiest way is to migrate Windows 11/10/8/7 from the hard disk to the new SSD and boot from it. Here, I will introduce an easy-to-use disk clone software - EaseUS Disk Copy, to help you migrate Windows to a new SSD without a USB.

EaseUS Disk Copy is a simple yet powerful cloning software for Windows 11/10/8/7. It allows you to transfer OS to a new hard drive and clone a hard drive or system. It can help you directly transfer your Windows from one hard drive to another without reinstalling Windows and transfer data from one SSD to another without losing data.

EaseUS Disk Copy can help you directly clone C drive to a new SSD or migrate Windows to another disk. Get this powerful cloning software to migrate Windows to another disk without any external media.

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The following is a step-by-step guide on how to install Windows without USB via cloning:

Step 1. To clone OS from one hard drive to another, choose the target disk in "System Mode" and click "Next".

system-clone-1

Step 2. Adjust the disk layout of the target disks. You can manage the disk layout of the destination disk by selecting "Autofit the disk", "Copy as the source" or "Edit disk layout". Then, click Proceed.

system-clone-2
  • "Autofit the disk" makes some changes by default on the destination disk layout so that it can work at its best status.
  • "Copy as the source"does not change anything on destination disk and the layout is the same as source disk.
  • "Edit disk layout" allows you to manually resize/move partition layout on this destination disk.

Tick the "Check the option if the target is SSD" option to put your SSD in its best performance.

Step 3. A message now appears, warning you that data on the target disk will be lost. Please confirm this message by clicking "Continue".

system-clone-3

Step 4. Wait for the cloning process to complete.

system-clone-4

Besides, if you want to install Windows on a dissimilar computer using an SSD instead of a USB, you can use EaseUS Todo Backup as universal restore software to help you install Windows on dissimilar hardware.

This video demonstrates how to install Windows without USB using EaseUS Disk Copy:

install windows on new ssd without usb
 

Install Windows Without USB Using ISO File

Apply to: Reinstall Windows from scratch and get a new Windows environment; need to reinstall everything and possible data loss risks

To install Windows without a USB drive, you can use an ISO file and mount it to perform the installation. This method allows you to perform a clean install or upgrade from an existing Windows installation. By using ISO, you do not need a bootable USB drive or Media Creation Tool to install Windows 11 on a computer running Windows 10. You can mount the ISO file in File Explorer and run the upgrade setup.

The following is the instructions on how to install Windows 11 on new SSD without USB:

Step 1. Download the Windows 11 ISO:

download windows 11 iso file

Step 2. Mount the ISO:

  • Locate the downloaded ISO file.
  • Right-click on the ISO file and select "Mount" (alternatively, "Open with" > "Windows Explorer").
  • This will create a virtual drive containing the Windows 11 installation files.
open with windows explorer

Step 3. Run the Installer:

  • Open the virtual drive created in the previous step.
  • Double-click on the setup.exe file to launch the Windows 11 installer.
double-click setup.exe file

Step 4. Choose "Custom" Installation:

  • Click Change how Windows Setup downloads updates.
  • When prompted, select "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)".
  • This option allows you to delete existing partitions and perform a clean install.
click Change how Windows Setup downloads updates

Step 5. Select the Installation Drive:

  • Choose the drive where you want to install Windows 11.
  • Be extremely careful not to delete the partition containing the ISO files.

Step 6. Follow the Prompts:

  • The installer will guide you through the rest of the installation process.
  • This may involve multiple restarts and can take some time.

Step 7. Post-Installation:

  • After the installation is complete, you can delete the partition containing the ISO files if desired.
  • You may also need to adjust partition sizes to optimize your storage.
Notice:
If you want to install Windows 11 completely from scratch, select the Nothing option under Change what to keep, click the Next button, and then click the Install button.

After completing these instructions, the computer will restart multiple times as the updating process starts. After installation, you might need to complete Windows 11 configuration by going through the out-of-box experience (OOBE).

If you find the post practical, please share it with your friends and fans to help them install Windows on a new SSD without a USB drive.

 

Common Issues on Windows Installation Without USB

The following are some common issues you might encounter during the Windows installation no USB required.

Issue 1: Cloning Fails with "Insufficient Space" Error

Symptoms:

  • "Target disk too small" warning despite adequate space

Solutions:

1. Clean source drive:

  • Run Disk Cleanup > Delete files (temp files)
  • Uninstall unused apps (>4GB) before cloning.

2. Enable sector-by-sector cloning in EaseUS:

  • Check "Sector-by-sector clone" to ignore partition size errors.

Issue 2: PC Won't Boot from SSD After Cloning

Symptoms:

  • "No boot device found" or boot loop
  • BIOS detects SSD but fails to load Windows

Fix:

  • Update BIOS/UEFI: Enable "AHCI mode" (not IDE/Raid).
  • Reconfigure boot order: In BIOS, prioritize "Windows Boot Manager" over physical disks.

Issue 3: Driver Conflicts on New SSD

Symptoms:

  • Blue Screen (BSOD) after boot
  • Missing storage/NVMe drivers

Solutions:

  • Inject drivers pre-install: Download OEM chipset/NVMe drivers → Integrate into Windows ISO using DISM++.
  • Safe Mode driver removal: Boot Safe Mode > devmgmt.msc > Uninstall "Storage Controllers" > Reboot.
  • Use universal drivers: Install standard "Microsoft NVMe Controller" driver via Device Manager.

Issue 4: Windows Activation Fails After Installation

Symptoms:

  • "Windows is not activated" despite valid license
  • Error 0x803fa067

Fixs:

1. Verify Product Key and Internet Connection:

  • Ensure you're using the correct product key for the installed Windows version.

2. Troubleshoot Activation:

  • Open Settings > Update & Security > Activation.
  • Click "Troubleshoot" to run the Activation Troubleshooter.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions.

3. Reactivating After Hardware Changes:

If you've made significant hardware changes (e.g., motherboard), you might need to reactivate using your Microsoft account's digital license: Settings > Update & Security > Activation > "Troubleshoot" > "I changed hardware".

To Wrap Things Up

This is all about how to install Windows on new SSD without USB. You can select any method this article offers as you like. But considering time, reliability, flexibility, and operability, we suggest you use EaseUS Disk Copy to install Windows on a new SSD without a USB.

EaseUS Disk Copy is an easy-to-use and practical cloning software that can help you clone a hard drive or migrate Windows to another drive without reinstalling everything or losing data. Download EaseUS Disk Copy for 3-click OS migration!

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What's new in this version: updated on 2025.8.18
Changed TDK
Changed method 2 description and steps
Added H2 - Common Issues on Windows Installation Without USB
Added FAQs
Changed the article images

FAQs on How to Install Windows Without USB

Below are some frequently asked questions about How to install Windows on another drive without USB:

1. Is there a way to reinstall Windows 10 to an SSD without cloning?

You can perform a clean installation instead of cloning if you do not want to clone Windows 10. A clean installation will wipe everything on the hard disk before installing a fresh copy of Windows.

2. What software helps install Windows without USB?

EaseUS Disk Copy can help you install Windows without a USB flash drive or CD. Its system clone feature can let you directly migrate your Windows and saved data to another drive. All you need is to use an adapter or hard drive enclosure to connect the new drive to your computer and then run disk cloning software. After cloning, you can replace the old disk with the new one and boot from it.

3. Can I install Windows without USB or CD?

Yes, installing Windows without a USB or CD is possible. You can use disk clone software like EaseUS Disk Copy to help you migrate OS to SSD without USB or clone Windows to SSD without USB drive. Using a Windows ISO file is an additional method for installing Windows on a new SSD without USB.

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

This is typically in the prompt informing you that Windows cannot install on your disk because the hardware cannot support booting to the disk. It might also ask you to enable the disk controller in the BIOS menu.

5. What's the easiest way to install Windows without USB?

Cloning can be the easiest way to install Windows on a new drive without a USB: choose a reliable cloning tool, connect the new drive to your PC via the USB to SATA cable or external drive enclosure, run the cloning software to migrate Windows to the new drive, replace the drive, and boot from the new drive.

EaseUS Disk Copy

EaseUS Disk Copy is a well designed and very easy-to-use HDD/SSD cloning and migration tool, a tool which should be ideal for anyone wanting to quickly and easily migrate an existing system disk to a new disk (or newly installed SSD drive) with the minimal of configuration required.

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  • Updated by

    Jerry

    "I hope my articles can help solve your technical problems. If you are interested in other articles, you can check the articles at the bottom of this page, and you can also check my Facebook to get additional help."…
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