I need info on how to migrate programs and steam games over to a newly installed ssd.

[Lolzdecap]

I have an asus g501vw and I recently bought a 960 evo to speed of my pc. I know to back up all my data before install. My question is with the programs I already have installed on my hdd. Can I just install win10 on my ssd (without hdd put in) and then cut and paste my programs and games over from the hdd to the ssd? I know I need to use a utility to move my game library. Please give me info.

 

[Colif]

Programs will need to be installed on the ssd, you can't just copy them on without installing them. Windows on the ssd won't see them otherwise.

Games. See option 2 here for Steam & Origin: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-move-a-pc-game-to-another-hard-drive-without-re-1714706774

 

[USAFRet]

Can I just install win10 on my ssd (without hdd put in) and then cut and paste my programs and games over from the hdd to the ssd? I know I need to use a utility to move my game library. Please give me info.

1. No, you can't just cut/paste your applications to the new drive.

2. You do NOT need a utility to move your Steam games.

Do you want everything on the SSD?
What size is it?
How much total used space is on the current HDD?

 

[Lolzdecap]

As for games I only really want CSGO and GTAV so that is around 70GB of games. I want all my programs moved over though so I guess that I will just have to take the time and reinstall them. My ssd is 500GB and my hdd is 1tb with around 700GB taken up.

 

[USAFRet]

As for games I only really want CSGO and GTAV so that is around 70GB of games. I want all my programs moved over though so I guess that I will just have to take the time and reinstall them. My ssd is 500GB and my hdd is 1tb with around 700GB taken up.

So...50GB SSD (465GB actual) and 700GB oof current used space.
Two options.

1. Reduce the total used space on the C drive to below 400GB
Clone everything over

or

2. Clean install on the SSD
Reinstall all your applications, etc.
This requires some prep work.


Which way do you want to go?

 

[Lolzdecap]

I'd want to do a clean install on the ssd because I'm not sure how reliable cloning is.

 

[USAFRet]

I'd want to do a clean install on the ssd because I'm not sure how reliable cloning is.

The current cloning tools are pretty reliable. I've done it literally dozens of times.
And you always have the fallback position of doing a clean install.

Up until a couple weeks ago, my main system had not had a 'clean install' since summer 2012. Across 4 different drives and OS's.
Cloning each time there was a new drive. 120GB->120GB->250GB->500GB. All SSD's.

A clean install is more reliable, but either way works.
It's also more work.

 

[Lolzdecap]

So with a clone tool all I would need to do is move over my games and media to an external and just clone over my hdd to the ssd? Would I need to reconfigure win10 to my liking?

 

[USAFRet]

So with a clone tool all I would need to do is move over my games and media to an external and just clone over my hdd to the ssd? Would I need to reconfigure win10 to my liking?

You would need to reconfigure nothing.
The entirety of what is on the HDD goes over to the SSD>
Swap SATA ports, and it runs exactly the same, just from the SSD.

If desired, these steps for a successful clone:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

 

[Lolzdecap]

I can't really swap dive places. My ssd is a PCIe NVMe in an m.2 slot and my hdd is connected up via sata. Will that be a problem?

 

[USAFRet]

I can't really swap dive places. My ssd is a PCIe NVMe in an m.2 slot and my hdd is connected up via sata. Will that be a problem?

No, no problem.
Just be sure that you disconnect the old drive before you power up the first time after the cloning operation finishes.
And you might have to adjust the BIOS boot order.

 

[Lolzdecap]

Thank you very much for you help. YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE! YOU HAVE THE SOLUTION!