XPS 8700, upgrades to be a Photo Editing beast for my wife

Re: I'm wanting to either transfer Win10 from the 256 mSATA SSD to the new 512GB mSATA SSD.  How do I do this? 

that is difficult as you do not have a pc that has two mSATA ports on same motherboard.  can you do a fresh clean install of Win 10 on the new 512GB mSATA?  

Re: I don't know how to install my new Win10 PRO as I have a 'product key' for it and not a disc.

it is quite easy using Microsoft windows 10 media creation tool to prepare a bootable USB drive https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

At beginning of install choose I do not have product key.

Your product key is useful for activation after completing clean Win 10 install.

if you still want to clone from mSATA to mSATA, you may consider a PCIe mSATA adapter such as this one.

I would recommend clean install though which is simpler and does entail additional cost.  But if you plan to use the old 256 mSATA also in 8700 for additional storage, then the adapter may be an option.  I would install the new mSATA on mobo, and the old one in adapter.  This is because I am not sure mobo could boot from ssd mounted in adapter (more complicated that way and sometimes does not work).

@BellsDells You can solve your storage problem (filling up your SSD) by utilizing Windows 10 capability to specify a different location for additional storage. To specify another drive for additional storage, go to All settings / System / Storage / click on 'Change where new content is saved' / then change where new apps, new documents, new music, new photos, new movies, etc. are saved. Note that existing documents, music, photos, movies, etc. remain in their cuurent locations.and have to be moved (copied to the new locations and deleted (if you wish) from the old locations). Existing apps have to be uninstalled and reinstalled in the new location, except that some apps prefer to be installed on the OS drive. Also, some apps default to saving content on the C drive. Because you did not specify a different location to saved user created content, Windows 10 defaults to the C drive and your SSD filled up. You could have prevented this problem by periodically copying you data from the C drive to one of your other drives and then deleting the data from the C drive, but because your C drive is small you have to do this often. 

It appears that your Windows 10 is working and I don't believe you need to switch to Windows 10 Pro. Also, I don't think it is worth the effort to switch to the 512 GB mSATA SSD. If you think that you really need the space for your wife's apps I would consider installing Windows 10 on the 1 TB Samsung SSD. I know you indicated you wish to maximize the number of drives but mSATA is old technology and is not any faster than SATA, The XPS 8700 has five SATA ports, so you can have four HDD/SSD and one CD/DVD drive.

I'm aware that the C drive was filling up due to other content not being re-directed.   

fwiw, the other HDD's have been quickly filled to capacity as well (but periodically stuff was copied to external drives as well & then deleted from the HDD).

I already own the new 512 GB mSATA SSD.   And I won't be using the one that is currently in the tower (the 256 GB Samsung 850 PRO mSATA SSD).  I also already have a new 1TB Samsung 860 EVO (not an mSATA SSD) which I am hoping to use as a 'scratch disc'.  From prior research on some photography forums I had learned that this is the ideal way in which to work with one's photos & photo editing.  The files fill up FAST!  I'm pretty sure she'll need the 1TB of space on that SSD just for this use as she's working in RAW files (I've also read that it's better to have an SSD that is a fair bit bigger than the amount of stuff you plan on having on it at any one given time... leaving it 1/2 to 2/3 empty as it will keep it running faster).

I realize the mSATA is not new technology and isn't any faster than a SATA III SSD.  But it's because of the additional spot for it that I'd like to be able to use it as I will also be needing all the rest of the five SATA ports (1x 1TB SSD, 1x dvd drive, 1x 6TB HDD (3.5" 7,200 rpm), 1x 3TB HDD, 1x 2TB HDD) & due to already owning one (512GB mSATA SSD) that hasn't been used at all.

I'm just unsure of how to get the Win10 from my existing 256 mSATA onto my new 512GB mSATA & is why I was wondering/considering just using the new Win10 PRO instead (also because I have this copy of Win10 PRO just sitting there unused for maybe 3yrs. now and I really have no other use for it at all)

hmm... now I'm thinking I wouldn't mind getting one of those PCIe mSATA adapters.    lol (not sure if my wife could tolerate my waiting on another Amazon delivery & tbh there could be some delays as I'm in British Columbia and the flooding is causing some major problems on transporting goods.

What if I cloned the 256GB mSATA to another HD or SSD (a new one.. as I do actually have 'another' 500GB Samsung 860 EVO SSD that I haven't used at all, as well as two more HDD's that haven't been used at all either.  

Would I be able to do a fresh install using my old Win10 product key? (how do I even find out what that is?  The computer originally came with Win8 and it was already installed without a disc and I recall reading on this forum that it was a bit difficult to move it to another HDD/SSD (although apparently the puter tech guy I paid to do it a few years ago must've been successful... unless he used a different Win10 on there and not my wife's original one ).

What I would prefer to do though is.... whatever is easiest!  So if that means doing a fresh install of the Win10 PRO onto the 512GB mSATA SSD then so be it. (& I guess I just toss out the old one as I don't think I'll have any use for it).

And >>> no plans on using the 256 mSATA SSD for additional storage.  I have 12.5 TB of storage for the tower along with another 15 TB of usb 3.2 WD external drives (maybe closer to 20TB)

tks for your help!

Re: Would I be able to do a fresh install using my old Win10 product key?

yes.  You may type it in at the beginning of Windows 10 install using bootable usb prepared by Microsoft media creation tool, or you may choose I do not have a key and then proceed to finish the install then later activate it by entering the key.

So I finally got this project completed! (although there are now some new projects in the works as well, lol.. sigh)

I opted to use Samsung Magician software (if I'd only looked in the box the SSD came in... ) with the Migration Tool.   Talk about a simple process.

I changed a few things from what I had been initially wanting to do.

I chose to set the 512GB mSATA aside as a designated scratch disk for Photoshop/Lightroom, etc. for all the photo editing stuff.  And I used the new 1TB 860 EVO Samsung SSD for the OS + Apps.

We also now have 

32GB Ram (4x 8GB)

Zotac gtx1650 4GB  video card (needed it to run the new 32in. 4k BenQ monitor)

6TB  WD Black HD

3TB  Seagate HD

2TB Seagate HD (< the original that came with the XPS8700)

1 TB  Samsung 860 EVO SSD  (OS + Apps)

512GB Kingston mSATA SSD  (photoshop Scratch Disk)

256 GB  Samsung mSATA SSD (on PCI slot with an adapter card - back up Scratch Disk)

Case Fan - 92mm  Noctua to replace the original on the back of computer (still contemplating jamming in a fan on the front of the case as a I have a few spare Noctua fans here)

5TB, 4TB, 2x 2TB of  usb 3.0 External drives

A total of 25.75 TB of storage drives, lol. (she said she needed A LOT more storage!).

Total pkg cost:  $3,345.68   (OMG!!!).

Would I do it again?  No... I don't think so, lol.   Still waiting to see if the GPU will be 'enough' because if it isn't, I won't be upgrading the PSU for a bigger GPU for this machine.  Nope.. I will tap out, remove a few components and add them to another and then sell this thing (or give it to one of my kids)

thanks for the help everyone!

Finally replaced the rear case fan with the new Noctua 92mm fan.  Not going to bother with the front of the case.

Computer is working great but am a tad concerned with temps. (CPU is working hard!).  I'm considering grabbing a Noctua CPU cooler... and THEN I'm done, lol.

Thanks for all of the help.

Thanks for your help.  Yes... I still have not done this   

We had some horrendous events, leading to deaths in our family & I am just now back to getting this Dell computer functioning again.

You haven't 'bored me with any details'... in fact I've had to google search some of the things you've mentioned because I am not very knowledgeable with computers when it comes to OS & HD's.  I am quite familiar with the hardware in the machines, compatibility, etc.  I've done my research well on what I need... now I just need to figure out how to get it going again. (I've installed new GPU & increased Ram to 32GB now I just need to get these drives organized & Win10 moved to new mSATA SSD).

Well it looks like my XPS 8700 had other plans for me   

I attempted to put the finished product under a bit of stress, to see how it holds up (minor stress, had 5 streaming videos running, & a YouTube video) with Adobe Photoshop (& Lightroom) going.  Once the temps. on my CPU & GPU hit 50C, one of the screens (2 monitors) would go blank on me (vol. & other screen still running).  Then later, even while just using 1 monitor, same result     I thought I could smell a 'burning smell' a couple of days ago but figured perhaps it was as a result of blowing out the fan in the PSU (maybe some loose, remaining dust was burning off??).  But now I can smell the PSU every time I start up the computer.  I'm afraid to let my wife start editing on the machine again and am thinking that perhaps the PSU is near toast (she was on it regularly before, 6hrs./day doing fairly intensive stuff).  Today I ordered up a new EVGA PSU    If I had the option of doing this over again....  not a chance!! (If I had any notion I'd need a new PSU I would've been able to get a better GPU instead of such a low power model).  << but then again I'd be running into heat problems anyways.   Might just start out on a fresh build and keep some of the components from the DELL for my other tower and then downgrade the DELL to something I could give to the grandkids.