How to move stuff from HDD -> SSD

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

Hey all,
So i got a Samsung 850 Pro 256 GB for christmas and i put it in to my computer and all, but i have no idea how to move stuff like my OS and basic problems like Skype and Steam over, i have Windows 10 but im just having issues in figuring out what to do, i already have the two samsung programs installed (Magician and Migration) but that really didnt help in figuring it out.
Help will be great. Thanks

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

Prelim questions:

1. What size is the SSD? 250GB
2. What size is the old HDD?
3. How much total used space is on that drive or the C partition?
4. Where did the Win 10 install come from?
5. Is the current install running well?
6. What other drives do you have?

NOTE: You can't move the " OS and basic problems". All or nothing (mostly).

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

256GB
1TB
700GB
Website then from a USB
Yes it is, i just want to make it faster by moving it to a ssd
just the 1 TB one and the SSD

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

OK...your current used space is 700GB. Obviously, that will not fit into a 250GB SSD.

2 options:
1. Reduce the current used space in the C partition to below 200GB
or
2. Clean install of the OS on the SSD.

Addl info for #1 - what, exactly, constitutes that 700GB used space? Are there a lot of movies/music/downloads? If you discount that stuff, can you get the total used space to below 200GB?

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

if i do a clean install of the os, do i need to redownload every single thing again?

and most of the 700GB are games from steam and other things

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

Owainnub :

Steam games, movies, music...you do NOT have to download again.
Any applications will need to be reinstalled with the new OS.

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

so all i would have to do is pretty much connect the device with Windows 10 in to the computer and restart and just do reinstall and choose the SSD as the new destination folder? and then its all good?

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

Owainnub :

Well, kind of:
Prepare
Document all your serial numbers, passwords, email accounts, etc, etc. Preferably, print this out.

Drivers
Download all of them for your hardware. Save this to a USB.

Applications
Know what you want to install. Maybe go to ninite.com and see if there is anything there that works for you.

Installation
Do this with ONLY the SSD connected.
Where did your Win 10 come from? An Upgrade from an earlier version, or something you bought and installed?

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

After all that:
When you boot up with ONLY the SSD connected, go into the BIOS first.
Look up AHCI mode, and apply that.

Boot from your install media and install to the SSD.
Install your hardware drivers.
After it actually works and boots correctly from the SSD, then you reconnect the HDD.
Start installing your applications, starting with the antivirus.

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

i got the windows 10 ages ago when they were doing the free upgrade stuff, when this is all complete how will i remove the OS from the HDD?

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

Owainnub :

OK
OS, no problem. You have the install media?

Remove the old one?
Ideally, you move everything off that drive, and completely wipe the entire drive of all partitions.
Why? Because just formatting parts of it leaves behind the original boot partitions, etc. It can be done in Disk Management or diskpart, but its easy to miss things.

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

wait, what could i do if i dont even have another hard drive to move over things so i can completely wipe it and put everything back on it D:

USAFRet · Dec 25, 2015

Owainnub :

If that is the case:
Once you get it working on the SSD, reconnect the HDD
Create a couple of top level new folders on the HDD
MyGames and MyOtherStuff (or whatever)
Find the SteamApps folder on the HDD. Move that folder to the new MyGames folder
For other stuff, copy the files (not the whole folders) to that new MyOtherStuff folder you created.

Once you have everything out of the Windows, AppData, and User folders that you want, you can delete them
Then go into Disk Management
Right click and delete the original System Reserved partition.

But you should really have another drive, for backup purposes.

Owainnub · Dec 25, 2015

Ah thank you for all of this, ill be doing this later today after work, so if i am having any issues with it, ill just put it in this thread.
Thanks so much

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