SSD Installation As Boot Drive On Existing Build With Same OS Help? (Windows 8.1)

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roguecatfish

roguecatfish

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May 5, 2013
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I've tried countless times to set up my SSD to be a boot drive for Windows 8.1 with just a few games and applications and all my other applications and games on my 2TB drive but it just wont work. Whenever I install Windows 8.1 onto the SSD it resets all my windows settings and makes me reinstall all of my applications onto the SSD, they're not accessible on the hard drive when the SSD is connected. I called into a PC shop near me and they say that you have to install ALL your applications on the drive that windows is on? How can this be possible, my steam library is over a terabyte large. I just want a way to be able to put Windows on my SSD and then be able to boot up the computer with the HDD connected and have everything like normal, not all my settings reset and applications unusable. Is this just not possible?
 
Solution
ronintexas
Install Windows 8.1 on your SSD with the hard drive disconnected. Apply all updates. Then add the HDD and install your programs (choose custom install, and change C:\ to D:\ (assuming C:\ is the SSD and D:\ is the HDD).
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avenseth12

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Here is what i would do. Copy any important files (picture, letters, etc) onto a flash drive to save. Unplug the mechanical sata cable from your motherboard and then install windows 8 to the SSD. After that, replug in the mechanical and in drive mgmt, let windows format the drive (quick version) and then use it for all your data stuff.
 
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jitpublisher

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May 16, 2006
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You have to reinstall everything, yes. This you MUST do. But, you reinstall it under your new Windows installation to the secondary drive. Choose advanced options when you install the game, application or whatever and change from the default "c" drive to "d" (or whatever drive letter your storage drive is using) and install it to your secondary drive, not the SSD.
 
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roguecatfish

roguecatfish

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So I don't have to have all programs installed on the SSD but I do have to reinstall them all? Is there anyway to carry over all my windows settings onto the new windows? I'd rather not have to redo everything.

 
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ronintexas

ronintexas

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No you don't. After I plugged in my data drives after installing Windows 8.1, I moved the locations of the libraries to D:\ (where they were before), and when I installed several of the larger programs, I changed the installation locations to D:\. Everything works great.....but you do have to reinstall all programs...
 
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roguecatfish

roguecatfish

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Guide on how to do this somewhere? I just want everything to default install to my 2TB and I can choose for some to go to SSD. Thanks.

 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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For applications, choose the location for each one. Don't force it to default to the HDD.
 
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roguecatfish

roguecatfish

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So how do I change my HDD to be my default drive to where I can access things on it and things download to it?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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See the tutorials above.
 
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