New PC... but adding existing hard drive

Luke876

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Feb 28, 2015
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I'm planning to buy a new PC but want to transfer my existing hard drive into one of the bays so I can use its existing data (games etc), but I do not want to use it as the drive with my operating system on anymore.

Is there an easy way to do this? Will I have to configure the bios? I will probably get my PC pre built for me to come with a Windows 10 install, but what will happen when I add my current hard drive to the mix... will the bios be configured to know to not try and boot up Windows on my current hard drive and instead boot on the new one?

Also, if I launch Steam and try to play a game from my current drive, will this be problematic because I will be accessing a Windows directory on the drive my computer isn't actually running the OS from?

In essence I will have Windows 10 on 2 hard drives... the existing hard drive I have now and the new one. Could this cause problems and how can I get around them?
 
Solution


On some boards, it makes a HUGE difference.
Invel vs Asmedia controllers.
SATA III vs SATA II.

For continuity sake, I always put the OS drive in the lowest number SATA port.
1. When the PC arrives, open it up and install the 2nd Hard Drive. Confirm hat the new HD is on the lowest numbered SATA port and that your OLD HD is on the next lowest.

2. Having two installs of Windows is not a bad thing, but in this case, the "old install" will a) have drivers for your old hardware and b) none for your new hardware

3. Your old Windows OS will not be licensed for your new hardware.

4. Simply delete the files on your root directory and the Windows folder. The rest depends on what you stored were.

5. As for Steam, we avoid it but there are switcheroo instructions for the game library on the steam website
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You will install a new Steam client with the new OS.

Ideally, you move the SteamApps folder from where it is in the current drive and OS, to somewhere outside the /Uses/ folder.

Then, you can tell the new Steam client where the games exist on the old HDD. Like this:
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder
GCel24U.png



 

Luke876

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Feb 28, 2015
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Regarding 1... I didn't realise it made a difference which port I plug the hard drive into?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


On some boards, it makes a HUGE difference.
Invel vs Asmedia controllers.
SATA III vs SATA II.

For continuity sake, I always put the OS drive in the lowest number SATA port.
 
Solution

Luke876

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Feb 28, 2015
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What difference can it make if you don't do that?