New OS and New SDD but Old HDD.

[sk-jb93]

Hi there,

I have a bit of an issue... Later this year I'll be doing my second custom build. The new build will consist entirely of new parts except for the HDD and the CPU Cooler.

In my current PC I have two 1tb HDDs and no SSD, but for my new build I'll be buying a SSD and using the HDDs from my old build. The issue I have is that I have Windows 7 OS on one of my HDDs but for my next build I'll get a new Windows 7 OS for the SSD.

I would like to know some suggestions to what would be the easiest way to take all my files off my two HDDs and to wipe them and so I can put the data back on them when the PC is built.
The way I thought of doing it is, move all the data onto a 2tb external HDD and wipe those 2 x 1tb so there's no OS on it, install the new OS on the SSD and then when the new build is set up move all my data back onto the 2 x1tb HDDs.

Any feedback or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[t53186]

Instead of moving, how about using windows 7 built in back up and create a backup of what you need to keep to and external usb drive. May not need the full 2TB. After doing this and getting your new rig up and running you can still use the usb drive to make an image and regular backups.

 

[avenseth12]

Your thought process sounds reasonable. Copy everything to the external then wipe the drives and when you build use the SSD for your OS

 

[sk-jb93]

Instead of moving, how about using windows 7 built in back up and create a backup of what you need to keep to and external usb drive. May not need the full 2TB. After doing this and getting your new rig up and running you can still use the usb drive to make an image and regular backups.

i dont think a usb would be enough considering i have over 1.5tb of data to move...

 

[unksol]

What Data? Programs have to be reinstalled... If it's just Data there's no reason to touch the drives.

 

[sk-jb93]

What Data? Programs have to be reinstalled... If it's just Data there's no reason to touch the drives.

the reason im moving my data (programs, games, movies, etc) is because i thought id have to reformat one of my drives because one of my HDD's has an OS installed. you cant have a HDD and SDD connected to the same PC if they both have two separate OS installed them, can you?

 

[sk-jb93]

You didn't say how much data you actually have on those disks. Could you move all of your files to one of the disks (or buy another internal drive maybe a Seagate 3TB, the are only 160 bucks). External is slow unless you go with esata or USB 3.0. Put the OS on the SSD, install your two 1TB HDs in a Raid 0 and back up to the 3TB disk. That is exactly how I run my machine, cept for some minor size differences.

all of my data wont fit on a single HDD, and yeah i knew moving data on and off my external will be slow but that doesnt bother me that much. id rather make it take a day or two longer than spend that much money considering i dont have much to spare haha. and the reason why i havent brought up raid is because im not really sure how to do it. im pretty happy with my current HDD set up.