Removing Windows 10 from second HDD without removing data

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notoriousicedtea

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Dec 14, 2013
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10,510
I have just finished a new PC build with an SSD as the primary drive, with Windows 10 installed on it. I have a HDD from my old PC (HDD is only a few months old though), that i was planning on using as a secondary drive, with my data files and programs installed on it, as well as the Windows 7 I was using on my old PC.

I know that if i use both drives on the new PC, i'd be able to get my data, but not run any programs. If I upgrade to Windows 10 on the secondary drive, would it then be possible to remove the OS without formatting and losing all of the installed programs.

I've accepted that I probably will have to format and then re-download all of the programs and games that i have on my secondary drive, but if there is any way to avoid this, then that would be great, since my internet is painfully slow, and re-downloading everything will be akin to torture.
 
Solution
Boogieman_WD
Hey there.

The games might be saved, but it's advisable to reinstall the rest of the programs. For the games check each client's support page on how to move games and installation of the client itself (e.g. Steam, Origin, etc.).
As for the rest of the stuff, I'd recommend that you reinstall those programs as they've been configured for a completely different system with a completely different OS.
In any case, the best way to do everything is to backup important data, format the drive and put everything you need back to that drive. If you want to remove your Windows, you could try deleting all the Windows associated volumes (partitions) from your HDD while booted to Windows via your SSD.

Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have...
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Boogieman_WD

Boogieman_WD

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Jul 31, 2014
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Hey there.

The games might be saved, but it's advisable to reinstall the rest of the programs. For the games check each client's support page on how to move games and installation of the client itself (e.g. Steam, Origin, etc.).
As for the rest of the stuff, I'd recommend that you reinstall those programs as they've been configured for a completely different system with a completely different OS.
In any case, the best way to do everything is to backup important data, format the drive and put everything you need back to that drive. If you want to remove your Windows, you could try deleting all the Windows associated volumes (partitions) from your HDD while booted to Windows via your SSD.

Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Boogieman_WD
 
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notoriousicedtea

Honorable
Dec 14, 2013
3
0
10,510



Thanks, I think i'll try that then, the games would be the biggest annoyance to re-download, since they take up the majority of the space on the HDD, and even if just a few of them can be transferred it'll make things quicker.

Thanks again
 
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