I need help installing new OS on SSD with existing OS on HDD!!!

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ronjonjonjon

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Mar 25, 2017
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Just my OS is going on my new SSD. Also, my current OS is installed on my 1TB HDD and some other parts of the OS on my other 1TB HDD. I want to just do a clean install of windows on the new SSD so I put an ISO of Windows 10 on a USB and have my Windows Key ready to go (and not the Product ID, but the Key). I am currently backing up all my important documents, music, pictures, etc. So I will just migrate those back onto the HDD's when I restart windows. I currently cannot format those HDD's because the OS is operating. I want the old HDD's wiped clean, no data.

Questions:

1. When I reinstall windows on the SSD how do I got about deleting the previous installed OS on the old HDD, so my computer only uses the OS installed on the SDD?

2. I am going to buy an SSD to put my OS on, should I get a 120GB or a 240GB to be safe?

3. I am going to disconnect both HDD's before I boot windows so no traces of windows ends up on those drives. Is this correct/good practice?

Thank you for all your help!
 
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I have windows 7 on one SSD, and windows 10 on another. BIOS has a list of the drives, and is set to automatically boot into win 10. However, if I press F12 on boot, it gives me a choice which OS to boot into.
All my pics, music and docs are on 2 HDD
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Paul NZ

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Sep 15, 2014
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You have to use something like rufus to put the ISO on a flash drive. The ISO itself isnt bootable

You boot from the dvd or flash drive get to windows setup delete all partitions then install windows

And unplug the other hdd/s when you install on the ssd. Connect them after then do a quick format in windows to format them
 
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bootcher

bootcher

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Feb 22, 2013
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1. Boot from a boot disk to format the harddrive so you don't get errors formatting when in windows.
2. bigger is better, get the 240. SSD's work fastest up to 75% filled, when more then 75% of its space is used their performance start to decline. So ideally a 120gb SSD is a 90 Gb usable one, as a 240 is a 180.
3. not really necessary but if you want to absolutely sure it is a good way to prevent anything from being written on those drives.

Remember to set your new boot disk in BIOS. Also many SSD's ship with older firmware, it would be good to update the firmware first, if applicable (it usually is). Also keep the OS disk until the install is completed and verified to work, in case anything goes wrong you have another windows install to fall back to.
 
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Dan_97

Dan_97

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Jun 27, 2016
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1. There are many ways to delete what's on your previous hard drive, you could use Gparted ( a disk space management utility) and delete the data on the old hard drive before booting. Then after windows detects the empty space you can format it to an ntfs file system for extra storage.
2. The actual Windows 10 OS only requires 20GB of drive space so 120GB should do just fine if you are only aiming for the OS.
3. Until the prior hard drive is wiped I wouldn't boot them simultaneously if that's what you mean.
 
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ronjonjonjon

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Thanks for your reply Paul!

Paul, I didn't use Rufus to put the ISO on a USB. I just went to microsoft.com and downloaded the windows 10 ISO and I have my key.

Is this sufficient?
Are you saying I cannot just rearrange the boot order in BIOS to boot from the USB first and use this ISO?
Then for your second comment, can you please explain exactly what you mean by "do a quick format" in windows?

 
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ronjonjonjon

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Mar 25, 2017
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Thanks for your reply!

So when should I wipe both HDD exactly? Because they are currently running windows. When I boot up the ISO on my USB, can I just leave the HDD's connect to quickly do a format and then unplug and refresh the screen where you choose where to install the OS?

 
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ronjonjonjon

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Mar 25, 2017
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Thanks for your reply!

I don't have a boot disk, just an ISO I d/l off of microsoft.com. Is this sufficient? I just don't want to make a mistake in this process.

When/how do I update the firmware? During what part of the process?
 
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bootcher

bootcher

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Feb 22, 2013
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You can create a Windows 10 bootable drive from the ISO you downloaded, usb is easier but you can create a bootable dvd too. Once you have the install disk, try to boot from it and make sure it works.

I would update the SSD firmware from your current Windows install, it is easier and less risky compared updating it when it is running your OS
 
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Paul NZ

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Sep 15, 2014
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If you copied the ISO to the flash drive as an ISO it is not bootable.

You have to use something like rufus to extract whats in it to the flash drive http://rufus.akeo.ie/


 
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lodders

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I have windows 7 on one SSD, and windows 10 on another. BIOS has a list of the drives, and is set to automatically boot into win 10. However, if I press F12 on boot, it gives me a choice which OS to boot into.
All my pics, music and docs are on 2 HDD
 
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