Clean Install Windows 8

Hi All, I recently bought an ASUS Zenbook UX32VD.

I want to put a SSD in it, but should I do a clean install or should I transfer everything from the HDD to the SSD with Acronis True Image?

I am not sure on how to install a clean install with Windows 8 on the SSD does anyone have a tutorial on how to do that?

Also does anyone know how to do a clean wipe on a SSD? My SSD has old files from the lenovo and I want to delete it all before the clean install? I have googled so many things but I cannot find any programs to delete and clean everything off of the SSD. Any help would be appreciated thank you!

 

You should do a clean install onto the SSD. HDD and SSD write to sectors differently which can cause problems and you'll probably just need to do a clean install anyway. Install Windows is the same regardless of HDD or SSD, you just follow the Windows instructions as it installs and you'll be good.

During install you can select to format the SSD which essentially wipes it. That should be all you need unless you had very sensitive information on there you never want anyone to see. If that were the case you'd be better off destroying the drive.

 

As long as you have fair amount of SSD (250GB+) then you can clone it using Acronis instead of doing a clean install.
I would not do a clean install if I already have many programs/data on there.

 

How would I go about doing the clean install, does someone have a step to step guide?

I would need to make a bootableUSB windows 8 stick wouldn't I?

I was hoping to get a step to step guide on how to do it. I don't want to brick the computer or anything, also do I need to get my Windows 8 installation key before installing a clean install on the SSD for windows 8?

 

You can make a bootable USB or use an external USB optical drive if you have a disc.

You cant brick your computer by just installing Windows, that can happen when you are updating the BIOS and something does goes right. You can leave that alone during a Windows install.

For a good guide on how to install Windows, do a search on YouTube, there are several good ones there. You wont have a Windows 8 key since its an OEM version it will be embedded in the BIOS which Windows will know where to find it once you go to activate it.

 

Do you have a video link you could post for me? I don't want to follow a crappy video and end up screwing up my entire computer. I want a reliable good source and to follow that and be successful.

 

Also when I do a clean install of Windows 8 on my ASUS, will I lose the function key abilities? I want to keep the function keys to lock the keypad, adjust brightness and such.

Anyone?

 

Some of those are hardware function so you can use them without the utility.

 

I've never watched them myself so there isnt one that I recommend. Installing Windows is easy though, just start the process and answer the questions like "what would you like to name your PC" It does the rest pretty much by itself.

 

Take the HDD out and then just go for it since you have the HDD as a backup so the worst you are going to have to do is start over lol.

You want the HDD out anyway so the SSD gets the boot partition.

 

Also when I do a clean install of Windows 8 on my ASUS, how do I get the function keys to work again? Like to adjust the brightness of the screen and the keyboard?

 

I'm struggling to do this, I cannot find a Windows 8 setup ISO to make a bootable USB drive to install it into my SSD.

I found my Windows 8 Product Key and try to make a bootable USB drive with the Windows Downloader but my Product Key comes out as not valid, I even double checked several times.

Also can I put a different product key and make the USB flash drive and then use that to install it on my SSD? or does it have to be the same matching product key that came with my computer?

 

The key doesn't work if the Windows ISO you are using isn't the right edition/type.
If the edition/type is correct, you should never need to enter the product key at all, because the OS software will take it from the BIOS automatically.
You may need to play around with ei.cfg.

 

Could anyone help me out with this issue? I am still struggling to do a clean install of Windows 8 on my Zenbook with a new SSD.

 

Windows 8 image files are more difficult to come by, and again, if it's not OEM, then your key won't work with it. If you end up doing a full install of Windows, you may end up needing to enable CSM and disable Secure Boot, and install Windows 8 with a new key, in which case you will need to purchase it (if you want it to all be legal).

 

I recently did the install but it took up like 70GB with Windows 8 Pro is that normal? I have a 128GB SSD that's why.

 

70GB is much more then it should take. You can change your page file size which is automatically set to match that amount of RAM you have (12GB), change that to something small like 512MB. Not sure where to find where the rest is allocated to. Do you have it partitioned?