What Is the Best Way to Install Windows on Second Hard Drive Without USB?

Generally speaking, You will need a USB drive (at least 8GB) to make a bootable USB for installing Windows. Then, you can choose the target drive to install Windows on after booting your computer from that USB drive. Can I install Windows onto SSD without a USB? What if you don't have a USB drive handy when installing Windows? No worries. EaseUS will describe how to install Windows on second hard drive without USB. Let's see how!

Is It Possible to Install Windows 10 Without a USB or DVD

is it possible to install Windows 10 without a USB or DVD?
byu/EichenSoldat incomputer

As the Reddit post indicates, some users want to install Windows on a computer or another hard drive but do not have a USB or DVD, which makes them in trouble. Indeed, the most commonly used way to install Windows is to create a bootable USB and install Windows on a hard drive from USB, but can you install Windows on another drive without USB?

The answer is YES. Installing Windows on another hard drive without a USB drive is feasible but requires additional setup or software, and you can try several methods to install Windows on a new hard drive without a USB drive.

For example, you can clone your OS to another drive, install Windows via the PXE (Preboot Execution Environment), and use the ISO file to install Windows without a USB disk. In the next part, you will learn the detailed information about each method.

How to Install Windows on a New Hard Drive Without a USB

With a working computer, you can install Windows on a hard disk without any external media. You will learn 3 effective ways to install Windows on another hard drive without USB. Choose a method and follow the detailed steps to finish the Windows installation.

Method 1. Migrate Windows to Another Hard Drive via Cloning ⭐

If you want an easy way to install Windows on a new hard drive without a USB, cloning should never skip your mind. It is the most effective and easiest way to install Windows 10/11 on a new SSD/HDD without USB because it can help you directly migrate the Windows operating system to another computer or hard disk.

With cloning, you do not have to set up the Windows system or configurations step by step. After cloning, you can directly use the system. All you need to do is find and download reliable disk cloning software on your current computer because Windows lacks built-in cloning tools.

In addition, you will need a USB-to-SATA cable or hard disk enclosure to connect the hard drive to your computer. When it comes to a safe and reliable cloning solution, EaseUS Disk Copy has much to offer.

It's a dedicated cloning tool for disk cloning on Windows computers. It can help you clone an HDD/SSD from various manufacturers and directly migrate Windows to a new hard drive without reinstalling Windows via its system clone feature. In addition, this disk clone software can help you create a WinPE bootable disk to boot your computer and copy a hard drive bit for bit to skip bad sectors on your hard drive.

Just download this OS migration software to help you transfer Windows to another hard drive without a USB, and the steps to do so are quite simple:

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

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.

• "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".

Step 4. Wait for the cloning process to complete.

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Method 2. Perform Network Windows Installation via PXE ⭐⭐⭐

PXE can boot a terminal computer (client) with only its network card. If you want to install the Windows system without a CD or USB, you can try PXE boot. This method asks for a network setup, and it is particularly useful in enterprise environments where multiple computers need to be configured without a USB drive. Still, you can also set it up at home as long as you have the right equipment.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to install Windows on different drive without USB using a network installation via PXE.

Stage 1. Prepare Windows Installation Files

Extract the Windows ISO file or use a bootable USB creator tool like Rufus to create a bootable environment on the server.

Stage 2. Set Up PXE Server

• Install PXE server software on the computer to host the Windows installation files.
• Configure the PXE server to the folder where the installation files are located.

Stage 3. Configure DHCP Server

• If you have the DHCP server on your network, make sure it's configured to direct PXE boot that requests to your PXE server.
• If you do not have a DHCP server, some PXE server software can deal with DHCP requests.

Stage 4. Boot Target Computer

• Connect the new drive to the target PC where you want to install Windows.
• Restart the PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings (by pressing F2, F12, or Delete).
• Set the boot order to network boot (PXE boot).

Stage 5. Install Windows

• Save BIOS settings and reboot the target computer.
• It should be connected to the PXE server, and the Windows installation process should start.
• Follow the on-screen guide to finish the Windows installation.

The PXE installation method is helpful for network environments, while cloning may be simpler for home users. If you want to know more about installing Windows on another hard drive without a USB, you can refer to this article: Install an Operating System Using PXE Network Boot

Method 3. Use ISO File to Install Windows Without USB ⭐⭐

Using the ISO file, you can also perform a clean installation of Windows on a new hard drive without a USB drive. To do so, you will need to download the Windows ISO files. Here is how to install Windows on different hard drives without a USB using Windows 10 ISO file:

Step 1. Go to the Microsoft official website and click Download now to download the Windows Media Creation Tool setup.exe file.

Step 2. Double-click on the setup file to open the Tool.

Step 3. Click Accept to consent with the license terms in the Windows 10 setup window.

Step 4. Opt to Create installation media for another PC and hit Next.

Step 5. You can choose to Use the recommended options for this PC or customize the system's language, architecture, and edition by unchecking Use the recommended options for this PC. Then, click Next.

Step 6. Select ISO file and click Next. (Select the connected hard drive to store the ISO file.) 

Step 7. The Tool will start downloading the Windows ISO file to the selected hard drive.

Step 8. After downloading, right-click on the ISO file and choose Open with Windows Explorer. 

Step 9. Double-click on the setup.exe file to start the Windows installation process.

Step 10. Click Change how Windows Setup downloads updates > Not right now > Next.

Step 11. Click Accept to consent with the applicable notices and license terms.

Step 12. Choose the items to keep and click Next.

Step 13. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the Windows installation process.

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To Wrap Things Up

This article describes how to install Windows on second hard drive without USB in 3 different ways. The first is to clone your Windows to another hard drive; the second is to install Windows on different drives via the PXE boot server; and the third is to perform a clean installation of Windows on another hard drive. The PXE installation method is unsuitable for home users and requires specific setups. 

Performing a clean installation will be simpler than the PXE method, but it has too many procedures, which takes much time and effort. If you want a simple yet effective method, cloning can help. It can migrate your Windows and whole disk to another without losing anything. EaseUS Disk Copy can help you well with disk cloning. Just download and try it to install your Windows on different drives without a USB!

FAQs on How to Install Windows on Another Drive Without USB

1. Do you need an empty USB drive to install Windows?

It depends. You can use an empty USB drive to download the Windows ISO file and make a bootable USB to install Windows. You can also clone your Windows to another hard drive without a USB. You will need to prepare a USB-to-SATA cable for disk cloning.

2. Can you transfer Windows OS to another hard drive?

Yes, it is possible to transfer Windows from one hard drive to another, and cloning could be the easiest and most time-saving method. All you need to do is look for a reliable disk cloning tool, like EaseUS Disk Copy, Clonezilla, and Rescuezilla.

3. Can I install OS on a second hard drive? 

You can install Windows on different drives if needed. You can perform a clean install or clone your Windows to different hard drives. If you don't want to run them simultaneously, you can install an operating system on a separate hard drive or a partition.