HDD on new computer

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noahmorgans

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Nov 9, 2017
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I am building my own computer and pan on using my old HDD. I want to know which of these two options is the better or if you have a better solution.

1. I put all the valuable info onto a flash drive then wipe it so it doesn't have the OS and drivers on it.

2. Delete the OS and drivers from the HDD and just move it onto the new computer. (i'm guessing this probably won't work but if there is a chance, I would rather do so)
 
Solution
USAFRet


There is no application or function to split out 'only the os' during a cloning operation.

Some of them allow you to leave off things in your Libraries. Music/Doc/Video.
Other than that...everything goes.
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noahmorgans

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Thanks, but I also worry if on the first one I accidentally don't download the right windows 10 thing and end up not being able to use either computer. Do you think this is an issue? I can also run into my dads office and use his computer.
 
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noahmorgans

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I am assuming so, I am on a real tight budget that I am already over by quite a bit and don't know if I can afford an SSD. I have been told I need at least 250 GB for OS. I was thinking about just using the HDD for now then buying an SSD later and moving my OS over to that.
 
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mjslakeridge

mjslakeridge

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Mar 6, 2013
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Doing a clean installation of Windows and then the motherboard and other drivers is the way to go. When you copy your valuable data to the flash drive, then copy all of that data to another pc for temporary storage. Any drive (Flash, HDD, SSD) can fail at any time, so you want valuable data to exist in at least 2 places at any given time. If it is an option for you, you could back up the most valuable data to Google Drive or some other cloud based storage service.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Plan for the fact that you can't move "only the OS", unless you just do a full reinstall.
 
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noahmorgans

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Really, I thought you could. Why not?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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There is no application or function to split out 'only the os' during a cloning operation.

Some of them allow you to leave off things in your Libraries. Music/Doc/Video.
Other than that...everything goes.
 
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Solution
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ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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Frankly, you haven't provided sufficient information re your objective(s) so that one or more sensible options could be provided to you.

A. Your current PC apparently utilizes a HDD as its boot drive, right? What's the size of this HDD and perhaps, more importantly, what are the TOTAL data contents contained on that disk?

B. What's the OS?

C. How is that boot drive partitioned? A single partition containing the entire data contents or is the drive multi-partitioned? If the latter, does one of those partitions contain the OS? If so, what's the partition's size?

D. Does the present system contain any secondary drives?

E. What's the motherboard on the new build? Plan to use Win 10 as the OS?

F. You haven't purchased any SSD or other HDD to install in the new build? So presumably, one way or another, you plan to use your "old" HDD as the ONLY drive in the new system and it will serve as its boot drive, correct?

G. You haven't considered utilizing a SSD as the boot drive for the new system? No way you could swing for it $-wise? To build a new system and not employing a SSD as its boot drive comes close to being a curse.

H. Can we assume that since you've indicated a possible desire to "wipe the OS and drivers" from the HDD, you're considering an option to fresh-install the (Win 10?) OS onto the HDD in the new build? So that infers the present HDD does NOT contain that OS. Or does it?

I. So what about the non-OS data on the present HDD, i.e., your programs, apps, personal data, etc.? What are your plans for that data?
 
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