Using 2 Hard Drives

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Pedro Herrera

Pedro Herrera

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Jul 28, 2013
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10,510
I have a 1 TB HDD with Windows VIsta, I am going to be purchasing a SSD along with Windows 7. Now how do i make it to where i can Install Windows 7 on this new SSD Hard Drive, And use my 1TB HDD with Windows Vista already installed as a storage Hard drive?
Can you guys please explain as easy as possible, I do not want to use raid, i just want the 1TB as storage. My bro told me to enter and reformat the 1TB HDD to wipe it all out.
If you guys can explain as easy as possible step by step, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
My System:
Intel i5 3.4ghz
8gb ram
Asus z77a mobo
1TB WD HDD- Win Vista
 
Solution
RealBeast
First download the latest version of all of your motherboard drivers for the specific Windows 7 (you will want x64 so you can use all your memory) from ASUS and put them on a USB stick so you have them once the initial OS disk install is done. Also get your latest video card driver if you don't just use onboard graphics.

Disconnect the HDD with Vista and install Windows 7 to the SSD. Check your bios immediately before install to insure that it is in AHCI SATA mode (pretty sure that is the default for your board though), also set the optical drive as the first boot device. After Windows 7 has all its drivers and updates then you can attach the HDD again.

Then you can either delete the Vista install or format the drive using disk...
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Moderator
Sep 13, 2010
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First download the latest version of all of your motherboard drivers for the specific Windows 7 (you will want x64 so you can use all your memory) from ASUS and put them on a USB stick so you have them once the initial OS disk install is done. Also get your latest video card driver if you don't just use onboard graphics.

Disconnect the HDD with Vista and install Windows 7 to the SSD. Check your bios immediately before install to insure that it is in AHCI SATA mode (pretty sure that is the default for your board though), also set the optical drive as the first boot device. After Windows 7 has all its drivers and updates then you can attach the HDD again.

Then you can either delete the Vista install or format the drive using disk management or in the Windows Explorer with a right click on the HDD.
 
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Solution
Pedro Herrera

Pedro Herrera

Honorable
Jul 28, 2013
18
0
10,510
Thank you, you've explained it so we'll & simple, 1 last question before I add it as the solution, how do I have the computer use the 1TB as the main storage device & not the SSD. I know I can manually click the location to the 1TB drive & save my things there, but is it possible having my games & pictures save to my 1TB drive automatically & not the SSD?
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
Sep 13, 2010
17,112
474
104,790
You can change the default location for your documents by following the tutorial HERE.

While you can change the default location to install programs, including games, it is best to manually direct those to where you want them. But if you really want to make that change you have to change two keys in the registry, like this:

Start Registry Editor by typing regedit in the search all programs box of the start button.

Navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion and single left click on the little folder Current Version.

One at a time, right click on the value named ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86), select modify and change the default value of C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) to the path where you want to install all your programs.

Click OK for each to close the window and then close the registry editor.
 
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