installing new MoBo, questions about Windows install and file safety

pookieeee

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Jan 12, 2016
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So I got a new CPU for Christmas (i7-4790k). I was upgrading from the i5-4670k, but this install turned into a nightmare. Moral of the story, pins got bent, new cpu got scorched, basically back at square 1. So now I'm looking to upgrade from my old z87 MoBo and get a z97. I currently have a 120gb SSD and a 1TB hdd. I'm going to run the old cpu, but I've read that I'm gonna have to reinstall Windows. Now my question is that I have a whole lot of school files and games on both the ssd and hdd(I got lazy and didn't manage the download location very well) but am I going to lose the files that are on the hdd? I'm guessing I'll have to format the ssd and do a clean install of windows which isn't really a problem because most of the things on there are games, but am I going to be able to keep my hdd as is or will I have to extract those files after the windows install and format that drive? I've seen suggestions that I should format the hdd after a new windows install anyways, but is it going to be necessary?
 
Solution
To start with, yes, a reinstall of Windows on to the SSD is unavoidable following a mobo change.

The data on the HDD will not be affected, but any apps or games you've installed on it will have to be reinstalled when you've got the fresh Windows up & running.
To start with, yes, a reinstall of Windows on to the SSD is unavoidable following a mobo change.

The data on the HDD will not be affected, but any apps or games you've installed on it will have to be reinstalled when you've got the fresh Windows up & running.
 
Solution