Installing SSD with existing bigger HDD without formating HDD

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Nilangan

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Nov 25, 2014
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I have an existing 1TB HDD which is almost filled. I dont have the means to backup the content on HDD and restore it again after installing SSD. I have 1 windows 7 and 1 windows 10 installation on the HDD. There are 5 partitions. I bought a 120 GB SSD. Here's what I want.
I want to use SSD as boot drive. dont mind fresh windows installation. And keep my files and partitions intact on the already existing HDD without formatting the HDD and access it from the SSD windows installation.How can i do this? also do i need to remove the HDD when installing the SSD and later plug it back in? A step by step guide would be really helpful.
 
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CountMike
Install SSD and OS on it, make sure it's default BOOT disk, than connect old drive and use it. You might have to reinstall most programs again though.
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RolandJS

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"What does that have to do with OP's question?" Because you posted this: "...You might have to reinstall most programs again though." earlier, I was backing up your advice about the possibility of having to reinstall most programs. OP probably does not have to first un-install all those programs, most likely, simply re-install "over on top" almost all the programs; less work to do!
 
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2Be_or_Not2Be

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Aug 23, 2013
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You can't re-install "over on top" because the SSD would have Windows only. There is nothing to uninstall. The previous programs existed only on the 1TB HDD; you would have to reinstall the program and change the default program install location to the old HDD if you were install "over on top" in the fresh SSD.

So as CountMike said, the OP is going to have to reinstall programs again to the new SSD. You lose the speed benefits of the SSD if you try to install to the HDD again, so I don't recommend that course. You could, however, use the HDD as (secondary) storage if the additional speed of the SSD didn't matter for your specific usage.
 
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Nilangan

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Nov 25, 2014
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Do i need to re partition or format the HDD or all my partitions and data will stay intact? also is it absolutely necessary to unplug the HDD when installing the OS on SSD to make sure bootmgr is not placed on HDD?
 
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CountMike

CountMike

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It's not absolutely necessary to unpug drive but highly recommended specially when it already contain OS. It's even worse with UEFI.
To ensure nothing happens to your old HDD, it's better that way. Once you install OS on new drive you can clean old windows and partitions from old drive and gain a lot of space.
 
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