Bought a new SSD, I have questions regarding the installation of Windows 10 and the preservation of my HDD files.

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ProtoflareX

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Jan 3, 2014
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Hey, TH community, I just bought a new SSD and through my research, I have made a list of steps that should allow me to install Windows 10 onto it. I would like confirmation that the steps are correct as well as answers to a few questions. The steps and questions are listed below:

Steps:
1. Format my USB (I was told this is necessary for step 2)
2. Use Windows Media Creation tool's second option (Create Windows media) on USB
3. Backup important files from HDD (I have no means of doing this at the moment, so I intend to skip it)
4. Unplug HDD, and then install SSD into computer
5. Plug in USB device, turn on computer, and then press either F8 or F12 to start the boot process.
6. Then select boot priority and start the clean installation process. Clean installation will remove all files and folders and data from your system, but this does not matter
because the SSD is new. I will also require my Windows 10 product key for this, which I have.

Questions:
1. After installing Windows 10 onto the SSD and plugging the HDD back in, will all of my files on the HDD still be intact and usable?
2. After installing Windows 10 onto the SSD and plugging the HDD back in, wouldn't Windows 10 technically be installed on both the SSD and the HDD? Will this cause any conflicts?
3. Is there a way to remove Windows 10 from the HDD? If that is possible, will the files on it still be usable even after Windows 10 is removed?
 
Solution
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Programs wont work on the hdd (if you boot from the SSD), because no information for whatever program will be in the registry for it (on the ssd).

It wont know what it is, or where it is. Because it's not on the ssd, and you didnt install it on the ssd

You can open folders etc on the hdd if you boot from ssd, BUT you wont be able to run programs on the hdd as stated above. Unless you reinstall them

Depends what you mean by files. If you mean programs that have been installed on the hdd (and you want to copy them) then nope. That wont work. Reinstall whatever program

If you mean installers, docs, photos then yes you can copy them to the ssd

If you want to copy photos, docs, bookmarks etc to the ssd, you should be able to boot from...
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Paul NZ

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Sep 15, 2014
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Go into the BIOS and change the bootdisk to the flash drive.

Some systems dont seem to work by selecting the boot drive with F8 or whatever

If you format the hdd no everything is gone. Once windows is on the ssd reconnect the hdd then do a quick format on it

Once you're in Windows


 
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J_E_D_70

J_E_D_70

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Mar 21, 2012
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Once you completely get the ssd set up and are sure it’s first in the boot order, then connect the hdd.

You might have to change the drive letter in disk management, can’t remember.

Yes, you can delete the windows folder off the hdd to free up space.

Really should buy an external drive and back everything up just in case. Unless theres nothing critical there.
 
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ProtoflareX

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Jan 3, 2014
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Thanks for taking the time to answer, just to make sure I understand correctly, when I unplug the HDD and perform the clean installation of Windows 10 onto the SSD, the clean installation will ONLY affect the SSD, and after the installation is complete, when I plug the HDD back in, and delete Windows 10 off of it, all of the files on it will still be accessible?

 
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ProtoflareX

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Jan 3, 2014
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What if I keep Windows 10 on both the SSD and HDD? Would I be able to open files and programs on the HDD then?
 
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ProtoflareX

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Jan 3, 2014
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Ok, I have two questions to make sure I understand:

1. If I have an SSD and HDD with Windows 10 installed, if I boot Windows 10 from the SSD, I will only be able to open files stored on the SSD and trying to open files from the HDD will result in an error or something? And it must be the opposite way around for when Windows 10 is booted from the HDD?

2. Is it possible for me to install Windows 10 onto the SSD, turn the computer off, boot Windows 10 from the HDD and then put important files onto a USB, then shut the computer off again and boot Windows 10 from the SSD, and then put the files from the USB onto the SSD?

 
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J_E_D_70

J_E_D_70

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Mar 21, 2012
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You will be able to get to all your files on the hdd even after deleting the windows folder. However, programs will have to be installed fresh on the ssd to run.

Or, if your C: drive is smaller than your SSD size you can clone it over and not reinstall.

If your C: drive is bigger but the total file size is smaller than the SSD, you can shrink the partition first.
 
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Paul NZ

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Sep 15, 2014
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Programs wont work on the hdd (if you boot from the SSD), because no information for whatever program will be in the registry for it (on the ssd).

It wont know what it is, or where it is. Because it's not on the ssd, and you didnt install it on the ssd

You can open folders etc on the hdd if you boot from ssd, BUT you wont be able to run programs on the hdd as stated above. Unless you reinstall them

Depends what you mean by files. If you mean programs that have been installed on the hdd (and you want to copy them) then nope. That wont work. Reinstall whatever program

If you mean installers, docs, photos then yes you can copy them to the ssd

If you want to copy photos, docs, bookmarks etc to the ssd, you should be able to boot from the ssd, with the hdd connected, and copy them to the ssd. Once you're in Windows

It may or may not let you access the hdd's folders (if you boot from the ssd).

Unless you take ownership of the hdd







Only way it'll work, is if you reinstall it on the ssd or the hdd
 
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Solution
USAFRet

USAFRet

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With the recent tools, you don't even have to shrink the partition.
It will use only the actual data space, not the whole partition.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Typical usage:
2TB original C drive, with 150GB actually used, in a single partition.
New 250GB SSD

150 goes into 250 no problem.

The problem people run into is having 800GB used in a 1TB drive, and a new 120 or 250GB SSD.
That does NOT work. And you can't pick and choose what goes.
 
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