How do you set up an SSD for booting and a HDD for storage?

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seannnji

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May 22, 2017
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Currently, I have a 1 TB HDD with about 700 GB in use. I bought a 250 GB SSD that I'd like to boot my OS with, as well as storing some programs and games for smoother start-ups and performance.
Right now, I know there are a few ways to go about this.
I'm pretty sure you can install Windows onto an empty SSD with the HDD unplugged and then restore your HDD with an external back-up.
I believe you can also use a program like EaseUS Todo backup and clone your current HDD to your SSD. (assuming all your data on your HDD can fit in the SSD)
Either way, I'm pretty sure I'll need to have a back-up on hand in case something goes wrong.
I know Windows has its own system for backups, but every time I use it, it gets stuck on 0 bytes or it stops after like 50 GB.
I also tried 3rd party software which backed up my whole system, but the size of the backup was still almost 100 GB smaller than my current HDD.
Anyway, I'm going to use EaseUS Todo to clone my HDD to my SSD after I delete all the files/programs I don't need on my SSD, and hopefully I'll be under 250 GB when I'm done. How should I back up my data in case something goes wrong and/or I need to restore my files after I migrate my OS to the SSD?
 
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I find the cleanest solution is to use a Windows install disk and do a fresh install to the new drive. During installation it will let you select the target disk, set up partitions, etc. Once you're installed, double check in BIOS / UEFI that your new SSD is the default boot drive, then migrate and clean up your old HDD. Remember that windows adds a bunch of invisible partitions on installation like EFI, so it's best if you can backup all the data on the HDD and format, but just deleting all of the old windows files will work in a pinch. I'm running a multiboot setup with 3 HDDs and 2 SSDs, this is how I handled it as I added drives.
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ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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In your final paragraph you state: "...I'm going to use EaseUS Todo to clone my HDD to my SSD after I delete all the files/programs I don't need on my SSD, and hopefully I'll be under 250 GB when I'm done."

What is the meaning of this? Are you planning to delete/modify/move 700 GB of data from your 1 TB HDD (which we're assuming is your current boot drive) and then clone those contents to the 250 GB SSD which you apparently recently purchased?

What is the meaning of "after I delete all the files/programs I don't need on my SSD, and hopefully I'll be under 250 GB when I'm done." Why would you be deleting data from your SSD, which will presumably become your new boot drive following the disk-cloning operation? Is that a typo? Presumably you meant deleting data you don't need from your 1 TB HDD, right?

At the beginning of your post you indicate that you're apparently aware you can fresh-install the Windows (10?) OS onto your new SSD. That's a "given" isn't it? That option is virtually always open to the user; i.e., YOU!. But it seems you're discarding that notion and have decided to opt for a "data-migration" (disk-cloning) process? Is that where you are?

If so, ordinarily a user might opt to clone the contents of their current boot (source) drive to a different drive assuming the following criteria is met...
A. The current boot (source) drive functions without any problems.
B. The proposed destination disk is non-defective.
C. The user will be satisfied with their destination disk essentially containing a bit-for-bit copy of their source drive.
D. The disk-space capacity of the destination drive is sufficiently large enough to contain the total data contents of the source disk.

In any event, regardless of the route you take, do ensure that in the weeks, months, & years ahead you COMPREHENSIVELY backup your PC system from time-to-time so that you always will have at hand the means to return your system to a functional state should disaster strike, e.g., a defective boot disk, a badly corrupted system, etc. Consider employing a disk-cloning program to effect this type of backup.
 
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Eragon615

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May 23, 2017
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I find the cleanest solution is to use a Windows install disk and do a fresh install to the new drive. During installation it will let you select the target disk, set up partitions, etc. Once you're installed, double check in BIOS / UEFI that your new SSD is the default boot drive, then migrate and clean up your old HDD. Remember that windows adds a bunch of invisible partitions on installation like EFI, so it's best if you can backup all the data on the HDD and format, but just deleting all of the old windows files will work in a pinch. I'm running a multiboot setup with 3 HDDs and 2 SSDs, this is how I handled it as I added drives.
 
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