Any way to delete Just the OS?

[Nicolas]

Hi guys, I just got an ssd to use as my boot drive.

 

My plan was to install windows in the ssd and format the old drive to get rid of windows on that one because I've heard having windows on 2 drives can be problematic.

 

But now I don't want to re-download all the stuff I got on the old drive (mainly because of my internet speeds) so I was wondering, can I delete just the OS and keep all the other files?

 

EDIT: May I say that I'm using windows 8.1 if that changes anything

[ThePcMasterRace]

NO NO NO NO AND NO!

oops caps was on lol

just back up all ur files to another drive or something

[dalekphalm]

Hi guys, I just got an ssd to use as my boot drive.

 

My plan was to install windows in the ssd and format the old drive to get rid of windows on that one because I've heard having windows on 2 drives can be problematic.

 

But now I don't want to re-download all the stuff I got on the old drive (mainly because of my internet speeds) so I was wondering, can I delete just the OS and keep all the other files?

You sure can. Basically, once you have Windows installed on your new SSD, all you need to do is plug in the old drive, and delete the Windows folder.

 

I would also delete any other unnecessary folders, such as Program Files, etc.

 

BUT BEFORE YOU DELETE ANYTHING!

I would create a new folder on the old HDD, call it "Data" or whatever you want, and then move anything you want to keep INTO that folder. Such as: Movies, pictures, documents, saved files, etc. That way you can also safely delete the user folders and all that crap too, since in there is a lot of junk files that you won't require.

[RaidenLeeChin]

I believe you can (other than doing a backup to another hdd):

- detach the hdd

- attach the ssd with the os installed

- boot from the ssd

- reconnect the hdd

- and bam it should show up as an external device

- you can go to Users -> Your name -> view all your files here

[Sebik47]

Hi guys, I just got an ssd to use as my boot drive.

 

My plan was to install windows in the ssd and format the old drive to get rid of windows on that one because I've heard having windows on 2 drives can be problematic.

 

But now I don't want to re-download all the stuff I got on the old drive (mainly because of my internet speeds) so I was wondering, can I delete just the OS and keep all the other files?

 

What I would do, is to buy a external HDD, save all the data that I need and erase the old drive. After that just put the data back on the old drive.

[dalekphalm]

NO NO NO NO AND NO!

oops caps was on lol

just back up all ur files to another drive or something

I'm sorry, but can you please elaborate what you mean?

 

There is literally NO HARM in using an old OS drive as a secondary drive, especially as he intends on deleting the Windows folder, etc. Granted backing up the files to a different drive then formatting the secondary drive would be most optimal, but there's nothing wrong with the approach he wants to do.

 

Source: Myself having done this hundreds of times on basically each version of Windows since Windows XP, both personally and with client machines as a computer tech.

[Nicolas]

I believe you can (other than doing a backup to another hdd):

- detach the hdd

- attach the ssd with the os installed

- boot from the ssd

- reconnect the hdd

- and bam it should show up as an external device

- you can go to Users -> Your name -> view all your files here

I know that that's what I did but I wanted to know if I can deleete the os without formating it completely

 

NO NO NO NO AND NO!

oops caps was on lol

just back up all ur files to another drive or something

I don't have another drive big enough to do that

 

You sure can. Basically, once you have Windows installed on your new SSD, all you need to do is plug in the old drive, and delete the Windows folder.

 

I would also delete any other unnecessary folders, such as Program Files, etc.

 

BUT BEFORE YOU DELETE ANYTHING!

I would create a new folder on the old HDD, call it "Data" or whatever you want, and then move anything you want to keep INTO that folder. Such as: Movies, pictures, documents, saved files, etc. That way you can also safely delete the user folders and all that crap too, since in there is a lot of junk files that you won't require.

seems easy enough, thanks!

[helping]

I believe you can (other than doing a backup to another hdd):

- detach the hdd

- attach the ssd with the os installed

- boot from the ssd

- reconnect the hdd

- and bam it should show up as an external device

- you can go to Users -> Your name -> view all your files here

you don't even have to do all this. All you have to do is install windows with the SSD ONLY attached, then reboot and reattach old HDD, set SSD to boot priority, then delete the Windows file.

 

I'm sorry, but can you please elaborate what you mean?

nonsensical mumbling

All of what? It is almost the same thing you just described but in steps, except for the delete windows file part.

I must have just misinterpreted then

[Hans Christian | Teri]

Can you (technically) do it? Sure. Is it practical and should you by any means attempt it? No. You get a much better result by simply backing up your stuff, formatting the drive and moving the files back.

[RaidenLeeChin]

you don't even have to do all this. All you have to do is install windows with the SSD ONLY attached, then reboot and reattach old HDD, set SSD to boot priority, then delete the Windows file.

 

nonsensical mumbling

All of what? It is almost the same thing you just described but in steps, except for the delete windows file part.

 

 

I know that that's what I did but I wanted to know if I can deleete the os without formating it completely

 

I don't have another drive big enough to do that

 

seems easy enough, thanks!

Yes you can delete the files that you don't want on it without formatting.