Will installing windows 10 on a non windows hard drive with files delete them?

[conor_10]

So my windows hard drive failed recently, and I've decided to install Windows 10 on my other hard drive that didn't have windows with all my games, programs etc. Would installing windows on that hard drive delete my files? I know if you're installing Windows 10 on a hard drive with windows keeps the files but I'm not too certain if it keeps the files if the hard drive did not have windows. Thanks in advance

 

[Rocky Bennett]

How big is your other hard drive? Is it big enough to make a new 60 gb or larger partition? That would be the easiest way to install Windows 10 is on a separate partition to ensure that you do not lose any data.

 

[SBMfromLA]

Yes... everything on the drive will be deleted. Your best bet would be to create a partition to install Windows onto or to move your date onto.

 

[Colif]

depends if motherboard is UEFI, if the boot method is set to legacy or UEFI, and if two of those are UEFI, if the hdd is formatted as GPT or not.

If motherboard uses legacy boot method then you can do what rocky suggested.
If motherboard is UEFI and hdd currently not formatted as GPT, then win 10 will likely want to format drive to GPT and you would lose all the data
If motherboard is UEFI and hdd is currently GPT, then if you have enough space to give win 10 60gb, then it should let you delete the extra space to make it unallocated and install win 10 there.

lots of ifs

 

[conor_10]

How do I go about creating a partition without an installed windows? And my hdd is 1tb

 

[USAFRet]

What precious stuff is on this particular drive?
How large is the drive?
How much used space is it?

 

[conor_10]

Loads of games I can't afford to download because of my internet, and I've used roughly 400gb of it

 

[USAFRet]

Loads of games I can't afford to download because of my internet, and I've used roughly 400gb of it

"400GB" of what?
How large is the actual drive?

 

[Colif]

i would buy an ssd and use it to boot off, costs money but saves your data.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

How large is the drive? 400 gb out of how much? Use a Live Linux USB stick to partition your hard drive.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

i would buy an ssd and use it to boot off, costs money but saves your data.

This is exactly what I would do as well.