Transferring OS to a SSD

[ag25]

I just bought an M4 Solid State Drive to run my Operating System. I plan on installing windows on the SSD and setting it as my boot drive. Currently I have a 1TB raid 0 array with a single partition containing all files, programs and OS.

I don't want to change anything on my raid array, other than removing the OS files to free up space, can I just delete the windows folder?. I have dozens of specialized programs that would take me over a week to set up and customize if I started from scratch. That being said, if I simply install and boot my OS from the SSD, is there anything else I need to do to ensure there are no problems?

I've read a little bit about SSD's but don't know a whole lot, if someone could advise my situation I would appreciate it

 

[geofelt]

I don't think you can keep most programs on the hard drive without reinstalling. Software often needs to store some info in the registry and it will not be available to a new install. Ask the support for those programs what you need to do.

With a sufficiently large ssd, you might be able to do an image copy if the used space is small enough.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Your specialized programs for the most part will cease to work unless you partitioned your RAID array with this option in mind. Set up every box this way and you'll never have an issue.....This is a specific example, actual partition layout would vary by your needs.

C:\ OS and Drivers (64 GB)
D:\Temp and page files .... meybe downloads (32 GB...whatever)
E:\Games (512 GB)
F:\Programs (128 GB)
G:\Data and Backups (128 GB)

Again, this is "a" way of doing it......games are first as I am envisioning the owner as having games as his 1st priority.....sizes are your own deal also....this is just for 'conceptual" purposes.

Now if this was your existing setup, then you unplug the drives, install the SSD and install windows....do the windows update dance 5 or 6 times, install all ya drivers, turn off, connect ya other drives and ya have access to everything. Ya can even go into BIOS, switch the boot order and boot off the old array if the SSD gets fudged.

With the SSD there, ya rename the old C:\ as say X:\ this way its at the end of ya listings. However when booting to the SSD, most of ya programs ain't gonna run cause there are no registry entries for them. Bunch of ya games will be "self contained" (no reg entries) and same small programs will also work, but for the most part, the programs have to be reinstalled.

This is "no bigga deal" however as not only are all the files still there already, all your custom files, toolbars etc will have newer file dates and therefore will not be overwritten. On top of that if you boot from the HD, it will still b C:\ (not X:\) on that windoze install so they wills till work from there.

If ya SSD craps out, the HD boot still remains.


OK, so I am assuming that's NOT where you are....still ya can still do this......proceed as before. SSD will now be C:\ ....array will now be D:\ etc. Just reinstall programs as before over themselves and everything should still work. So if yiu have a program installed in C:\ProgramFiles\SpecializedApp on the array...when you look at it afrer the SSD install on C:\, the array now D:\ ... the application wiull reside at D:\ProgramFiles\SpecializedApp

Throw in the install media, change the install location to D:\ProgramFiles\SpecializedApp and install over itself.

 

[Aragorn]

You will need to install of your specialized programs to the new disk as well unless you clone the OS partition over to the new disk. Windows will not have all the information in the registy that you normally need in order to make complex applications work, simply running the version on the other drive will not do the trick.

 

[ag25]

Best answer selected by ag25.

 

[ag25]

alright, well I guess the healthiest option is to start from scratch. Luckily I have this week off.