Transferring data from my HDD from an old Windows 10 install

peace-boy

Reputable
Jun 20, 2018
9
0
4,510
Couldn't find anything like this when I did a search so I'm asking here. Basically, I got this huge problem with Windows 10 that forced me to do a complete reinstall. I followed instructions from a computer engineer but I wasn't sure on some things so I emailed him but it's been well over a week and I really need an answer. He told me to disconnect my HDD so I wouldn't lose my data because I didn't want to lose it, reinstall W10 to my SSD, update W10, turn the PC off, reconnect the HDD then transfer my data to the SSD, format the HDD and then transfer the data back.
Thing is, I don't know how to transfer the stuff, I'm scared that something will happen to the data, because the data on the HDD is in the desktop, documents, etc. user folders. Connecting the HDD would mean there would be 2 sets of user folders and I feel like there would be a conflict between the 2. I did email the engineer, but he hasn't replied and it's been over a week.
Right after I made my account here, someone on a Discord server came to help me and told me I could ask here if I'm paranoid and that I'll get the same answer, which he told me that the user folders on the HDD will just get treated like ordinary folders and I can transfer them just fine.

Also, what's the best way to keep a back up of my data? I don't want another issue with Windows 10 happening again.

Oh, and is there any reason to use that 4 partition set up for Windows 10 on my SSD? There's recovery and something else, an engineer installed it for me the first time and there were 4 partitions, now there's only 2 when I reinstalled W10.
 
He basically told you the right way to do it.

So basically you have Windows 10 on the SSD and nothing else....and you have Windows 10 on the HDD with the stuff you want to save.

Make a folder on the SSD called whatever. This is where you will save the stuff from the HDD. Copy the stuff from the HDD you want to save to this folder.

Then you can blow everything off the HDD and you can leave it blank....OR...you can transfer that folder you made on the SSD back to it.
 

peace-boy

Reputable
Jun 20, 2018
9
0
4,510

Actually, all I have on the HDD is the user folders with my data in them. My SSD's always had the Windows 10 install and it's being used for programs too. My HDD is just for all that other stuff as well as my Steam games.
So I just do the transfer, format the HDD and then put everything back? That's really it?
 
Well...here's the thing....if the files are JUST data files....you can move them to the SSD and move them back to the HDD to wherever you want.

BUT....if they are related to a Windows program that you are going to now run from the SSD....then the program won't know where to look for them.

SO....you either need to put them on the SSD in the same file/folder relationship as they were on the HDD. OR you need to tell the program where they are somehow.

There are tons of articles on how to do this for Steam games if you google it. For other apps...it's hit or miss.

Depending on how much of a pain it is....I might just reinstall the steam games on the SSD (if I had the room).
 

peace-boy

Reputable
Jun 20, 2018
9
0
4,510
Well, when you say that, I do have data relating to programs, but those programs are simple ones which just run anywhere on a drive, they don't get installed into program files (they're also on the HDD).
Everything else is pictures, videos and the like.

I'll just reinstall the Steam games.

So I just transfer everything to where they should be and then move them back to my HDD?
 
If the files aren't integral to a program you are running from the SSD.....like if they are just files you "open" or "play" (like music files) then they can go anywhere.

So if you are going to move files like this from the HDD to the SSD and back to the HDD it doesn't matter where you put them on the SSD. I would make a seperate folder on the SSD for this as I mentioned. That way they don't get confused with anything else on the SSD.

Many times...if you have files that ARE integral to the programs on the SSD and they are located on the HDD.....it is easier to just reinstall the program on the SSD.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


And that is not something you have to manage manually.
Just install it to one blank space, and let Windows create what it needs.

You do not need to create those partitions manually.
 

peace-boy

Reputable
Jun 20, 2018
9
0
4,510

My PC still has 2 partitions right now (I don't know how that happened), is there any reason for me to reinstall and get 4 partitions?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


If you're going to do a reinstall, you would DELETE all existing partitions and start with a blank drive.
Resulting in whatever the OS does, generally 2 partitions.

If it currently works just fine, there is no reason to reinstall anything.
 

peace-boy

Reputable
Jun 20, 2018
9
0
4,510
So I did as I was told to, connect the HDD and turn it on, but it froze before the sign in screen.
Is my drive busted?
I held the power button to turn it off, disconnected the HDD, and turned it on again, I put my pin in and the loading circle was moving really rough, like the frame rate was low.
And then it froze on a black screen with the cursor.
So I turned it off with the power button and turned it on again, now it’s on the blue recovery menu...
HELP.