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New Windows 7 Installation to SSD

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  • Windows 7
  • Hard Drives
  • SSD
Last response: in Windows 7
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August 20, 2014 6:12:56 PM

Hello guys,

I have just bought a new 250GB SSD to use as a boot disk and storage for selected games on my gaming PC and I wanted to ask your opinion on my proposed set up.

I am planning to follow this guide: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-1934205/move-users...

This will allow me to have my default Users and Program Files/Data folders on my main 1TB HDD while still keeping the windows installation on the SSD for fast boot performance and room for selected games.

My question is will this work? I am hoping that the SSD will be just used as the OS disk and for selected games while the rest of the rubbish goes onto the 1TB black hole drive.

Thanks in advance,

Silent_Storm

More about : windows installation ssd

a c 638 $ Windows 7
August 20, 2014 6:19:26 PM

Doing it that way means, as it says, your Programs and Users lives on the HDD.

I say leave it as normal. Install the OS, applications, and whatever games fit to the SSD.
Other stuff that doesn't need the SSD speed (docs/music/etc) can be easily redirected to the HDD.
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August 20, 2014 6:25:00 PM

USAFRet said:
Doing it that way means, as it says, your Programs and Users lives on the HDD.

I say leave it as normal. Install the OS, applications, and whatever games fit to the SSD.
Other stuff that doesn't need the SSD speed (docs/music/etc) can be easily redirected to the HDD.


So is that way not a good idea?

The main issue is however, if I keep all the Program Files on my SSD then it will soon be full of programs that do not really need the speed and leave no room for my games.

As for the Users data I am aware that the route path can be diverted to a separate drive if needed.
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a c 638 $ Windows 7
August 20, 2014 6:30:06 PM

Silent_Storm said:
USAFRet said:
Doing it that way means, as it says, your Programs and Users lives on the HDD.

I say leave it as normal. Install the OS, applications, and whatever games fit to the SSD.
Other stuff that doesn't need the SSD speed (docs/music/etc) can be easily redirected to the HDD.


This is the issue however, if I keep all the Program Files on my SSD then it will soon be full of programs that do not really need the speed and leave no room for my games.

As for the Users data I am aware that the route path can be diverted to a separate drive if needed.


Almost every application allows the choice of where to install it. Choose as applicable.
Applications, except for games, really don't take up a lot of space. A 256GB drive can hold a LOT.
Steam allows multiple game locations.

I have a 128GB Kingston. OS and ALL applications apart from games. ~60GB used space.
The only customization I've done is redirect the Doc/Music/Video/etc libraries to another drive, and have games installed elsewhere.

Personally, I prefer not to completely redirect the entire Users space to a different drive, nor force applications to always be installed elsewhere.
I prefer to choose where each application goes. Some/most you want on the SSD.
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August 20, 2014 6:45:46 PM

USAFRet said:

Almost every application allows the choice of where to install it. Choose as applicable.
Applications, except for games, really don't take up a lot of space. A 256GB drive can hold a LOT.
Steam allows multiple game locations.

I have a 128GB Kingston. OS and ALL applications apart from games. ~60GB used space.
The only customization I've done is redirect the Doc/Music/Video/etc libraries to another drive, and have games installed elsewhere.

Personally, I prefer not to completely redirect the entire Users space to a different drive, nor force applications to always be installed elsewhere.
I prefer to choose where each application goes. Some/most you want on the SSD.


So you are suggesting that I make another folder on my main HDD in which to put the programs which I don't want on my SSD in and just keep the standard file structure on the SSD?

Having just added up all of my program files that are not games they do indeed only come up to <10GB while the Users folder is even smaller once the docs/pics/music folder has been relocated to the HDD.

So this is a better solution than moving the routes of the defaults?
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August 20, 2014 7:01:18 PM

I did what USAFRet said... Programs and OS on the SSD, docs etc on the HDD. I do music production and use a 240Gb SSD, and with all the progs and OS i still have 100Gb free. If u have LOTS of games, I'd consider putting them on the HDD.
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a c 638 $ Windows 7
August 20, 2014 7:11:04 PM

Silent_Storm said:
USAFRet said:

Almost every application allows the choice of where to install it. Choose as applicable.
Applications, except for games, really don't take up a lot of space. A 256GB drive can hold a LOT.
Steam allows multiple game locations.

I have a 128GB Kingston. OS and ALL applications apart from games. ~60GB used space.
The only customization I've done is redirect the Doc/Music/Video/etc libraries to another drive, and have games installed elsewhere.

Personally, I prefer not to completely redirect the entire Users space to a different drive, nor force applications to always be installed elsewhere.
I prefer to choose where each application goes. Some/most you want on the SSD.


So you are suggesting that I make another folder on my main HDD in which to put the programs which I don't want on my SSD in and just keep the standard file structure on the SSD?

Having just added up all of my program files that are not games they do indeed only come up to <10GB while the Users folder is even smaller once the docs/pics/music folder has been relocated to the HDD.

So this is a better solution than moving the routes of the defaults?


Yes.
See these for how to redirect things where you want them to go:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirect...
Win 8.1: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redi...

Although your <10GB is most likely not fully correct.
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August 21, 2014 3:45:34 AM

maarkr said:
I did what USAFRet said... Programs and OS on the SSD, docs etc on the HDD. I do music production and use a 240Gb SSD, and with all the progs and OS i still have 100Gb free. If u have LOTS of games, I'd consider putting them on the HDD.


Well I will need to choose exactly which ones I want on the SSD as I have over 300GB of games!

USAFRet said:

Yes.
See these for how to redirect things where you want them to go:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirect...
Win 8.1: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redi...

Although your <10GB is most likely not fully correct.


Thank you very much, when installing programs onto my main HDD do they need to be in a Program Files folder or just any name?

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