Upgrading Hardware, what to do with software?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Ibechief

Ibechief

Reputable
Jul 2, 2014
296
0
4,810
Hello, ridiculously intelligent, beautiful, successful, and all around benevolent Tom's Hardware members! I need your help again.

I recently posted my very first help thread searching for advice on upgrading my current pc. As usual the members here were gracious and guided me on my path to purchasing my upgrades!

However, I find myself totally lost on what I am to do once I combine and assemble my new hardware and the salvaged pieces of my "Old Rig".

This is my old Computer.
Old Computer Specifications
Upgraded Video Card - R9 270X
Upgraded Power Supply - Thermaltake Smart M850W Specs

Here is the new hardware that I have bought thanks to the help from users in my original thread!
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/VhQtK8

I welcome any advice that can be given!
I was told that I can reuse my old 1tb Hard Drive in tandem with the new Solid State Drive, but how do I get my operating system and relevant files onto the SSD?
Are there any common concerns when buying and switching to a SSD that I should be aware of?
Also, will all of my programs and files still work on my 1tb hard drive after merging the hardware?
Do I need to make a recovery disk on my PC before I attempt the merge?
Would the recovery disk even work with different hardware?
Will some programs be unlikely to transfer?
Is it really just a simple plug and play?
Should I put the SSD into the old rig and do things to it before I attempt to combine hardware?
Is there any important software that I should buy or install?

There is probably a set order to how this type of thing should be done. I've never attempted to merge hardware before, and I'm not at all familiar with how it should be done. My hardware is set to arrive over the next few days and I want to be on top of things and do this right.

Thank you very, very much for taking the time to read my post and I look forward to reading all the incredibly insightful things that this forum's members have to offer!

Jon
 
Solution
Ibechief


Thanks very much for that list of tips on what not to do with a SSD. As far as the Temp file Locations. I'm not a Google Chrome user myself, but Firefox...
Sort by date Sort by votes
pierrerock

pierrerock

Reputable
Jul 4, 2014
898
0
5,660
DO NOT use any merging software to transfer anything from HDD to SSD since this will probably makes your SSD die sooner since sectors will most likely be misaligned.

See there to know what to do when buying a SSD : http://www.howtogeek.com/165472/6-things-you-shouldnt-do-with-solid-state-drives/

also change your internet temporary file location from your SSD to your HDD to make it lives longer

follow the steps for a good way to do it : http://essayweb.net/miscellany/chrome.shtml i did it myself. You basicaly make a shortcut for your temporary files to be written on your HDD
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Ibechief

Ibechief

Reputable
Jul 2, 2014
296
0
4,810


Thanks very much for that list of tips on what not to do with a SSD. As far as the Temp file Locations. I'm not a Google Chrome user myself, but Firefox. I'm not sure how that differs from Chrome with the steps given in that link, but I'll try and track down some steps for the same process via Firefox.

Good Info along the right lines! Thanks!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,452
17,911
184,590


Find your OS install disk and the license key
Gather ALL the install disks and files for the applications you use.
Find all your username/password combinations. Either print out or save on a USB stick
Download any drivers you need from the manufacturers website. Starting with the LAN driver
...

Once you have all the new parts put together, disconnect ALL hard drives except the target SSD
Boot from your OS disk and install Windows
Does it work? Probably...;)
Install the LAN driver
Let Windows do whatever updates it wants to. This may take some time.
.....
Now that the OS is up and running, reconnect your other drive(s)
Now you can access the old drive and your old Docs locations. Space permitting, copy all your personal files (NOT applications) to the new SSD
Wipe the old drive. DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL YOU ARE 100% SURE THERE IS NOTHING LEFT ON THAT DRIVE YOU NEED
Now you can use the 1TB as just another drive.
Install applications as needed. Some on the SSD, some on the HDD.

 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Ibechief

Ibechief

Reputable
Jul 2, 2014
296
0
4,810
I don't have any disks at all for applications of for my OS (windows 7 home premium). I contacted HP and windows about recovery disks and I was told that I had to make my own. HP features a one time use Recovery tool that will let me create a disk, or usb drive, for my software. The windows tech said I would have to use the ISO file to create a boot disk for my OS.

I've read in a few areas though that creating a recovery disk years after buying a computer means that all the corrupted files and problems also get transferred over to your new hardware. I'm not exactly sure if it is time to just abandon my applications or if there is a cleaner way to xfer them over.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,452
17,911
184,590
There are 3 levels of 'stuff' you need to have:

1. The OS
2. Application installs
3. Your personal stuff. Docs, music, movies etc.

For an HP preinstalled PC...you can generally make a "Recovery" disk with whatever functionality is in there. This will bring it back to exactly how it came from the store.
And may indeed not work with a different hard drive.

Any application that you have installed must be reinstalled. There is no functionality to 'move' those to a different install.

Your personal stuff can be copied to wherever, and copied back after everything is working.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Ibechief

Ibechief

Reputable
Jul 2, 2014
296
0
4,810
Oh, the recovery feature will create a disk from factory settings and not from settings at the time of the Recovery disk creation?

Is there a way to just disable the OS on my 1 tb drive and use the applications contained there from the newly installed OS on my new SSD?

I am worried about clogging up my SSD with a restore disk that may copy way more than I want on my SSD.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,452
17,911
184,590


1. Yes. It builds a DVD from whatever the manufacturer sold it to you with
2. No. Applications need to be reinstalled with the new OS. When ou install something, it creates many entries in the Registry. The new OS knows nothing about them.
Some few applications may work sort of OK, but not all
3. If you install the OS fesh on the new drive, no prob. If you Restore from the factory thing, it will install all that original bloatware. More crap you have to uninstall.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom