How to remove windows as if nothing was installed

[speedsterglenn]

Just built my first PC and installed windows 10. My 120GB ssd was plugged in, but my 2TB hdd wasn't and now Windows has all the program files on the ssd, but I want them to be on my HDD so I can store everything except the windows main files on the HDD. So how can I wipe EVERYTHING off my harddrives so I can just reinstall windows like if it was never installed on my PC in the first place?

 

[Rhinofart]

Download Paragon Hard Disk Management Suite, and use the Migrate OS function. Pick your SSD as the primary, and the HD as secondary. Let it do it's thing, remove the SSD, plug the HD in where the SD was, boot up. Once you confirmed everything is there, you can hook up your SSD (with the power off ov course) and then format the SSD. Voila! Easy as pie.

 

[VincentP]

If you installed Windows on the SSD, this is already where the "windows main files" are installed.
Programs will install to C drive by default, but it is easy to change the install path when installing programs.
If you want to move any installed programs to the hard drive, it's best to uninstall the program and re-install to the new path.

If you removed Windows and installed with both drives connected, nothing would be installed to the hard drive by default as the SSD would still be your primary drive (which is what you want).
If you really want to clean and start again, run the Windows install disk again and choose an advanced install.
During this you can remove all existing partitions on both drives and then choose where you want to install.
You will lose all data.

 

[USAFRet]

3 ways forward with this:

1. Uninstall whatever applications you do not want on the SSD
Reinstall them on the HDD

2. Wipe the SSD
Remove the HDD
Do a full reinstall of the OS on the SSD, deleting ALL partitions when you do
This, of course, means you have to reinstall all your drivers, applications, everything

3. Discover what is actually taking up the space on your SSD. WinDirStat can help with this.
You may find that you just have a bunch of unneeded junk. Downloads, video, etc.

You can redirect all that stuff to the HDD.
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html