Reinstalling windows

[ReapingRob]

Hello friendly Forum Users!

 

I'll explain what I mean now. So as of this moment, I have a HDD with Windows 7 installed on it. I recently bought an SSD, hooked up via a SATA cable and I have the ability to access it. I have a Windows 10 installer USB and I was wondering if I could install windows on the empty SSD and still access my files on my HDD without having to wipe the HDD? 

 

Thanks and have a great day.

[Godlygamer23]

Yes, you can do that.

[ReapingRob]

1 minute ago, Godlygamer23 said:

Yes, you can do that.

Thanks for your reply GodlyGamer. So all I would need to do is prioritise the SSD and install Windows as usual? 

[Godlygamer23]

Just now, ReapingRob said:

Thanks for your reply GodlyGamer. So all I would need to do is prioritise the SSD and install Windows as usual? 

Yup. I would delete all the Windows stuff from the hard drive to ensure the hard drive can't interfere at all. Also, when installing Windows onto the SSD, it is advisable to disconnect the hard drive as Windows can sometimes put the System Reserved partition on a separate drive other than the SSD.

[Godlygamer23]

2 minutes ago, rrubberr said:

Or disconnect the HDD to make sure no accidents happen.

They were asking about being able to keep the hard drive as-is as far as data goes.

[ReapingRob]

2 minutes ago, rrubberr said:

Or disconnect the HDD to make sure no accidents happen.

Sick. Thanks!

2 minutes ago, Lacrimas said:

Yes.

Thank you Lacrimas!

1 minute ago, Godlygamer23 said:

Yup. I would delete all the Windows stuff from the hard drive to ensure the hard drive can't interfere at all. Also, when installing Windows onto the SSD, it is advisable to disconnect the hard drive as Windows can sometimes put the System Reserved partition on a separate drive other than the SSD.

Oh what do you mean by Windows Stuff? Sorry but I've never really needed to do this before.

[Enderman]

1) unplug hdd

2) plug in ssd

3) install windows

4) install windows updates and your programs and anything else

5) turn off pc, plug in hdd

6) enter BIOS and make sure the hdd is not on the boot priorities list

7) boot into windows

8) now you can access all the files on the hdd

 

9) preferably, you move files like documents/pictures/music/videos to your ssd or another drive, so that you can format the hdd

10) now you can use the clean hdd for storage, move your pictures and music or whatever you want back to the hdd

[Godlygamer23]

1 minute ago, ReapingRob said:

Oh what do you mean by Windows Stuff? Sorry but I've never really needed to do this before.

All of Windows' files. I'm not sure what you're planning on keeping.

[kirashi]

1 minute ago, Godlygamer23 said:

Yup. I would delete all the Windows stuff from the hard drive to ensure the hard drive can't interfere at all. Also, when installing Windows onto the SSD, it is advisable to disconnect the hard drive as Windows can sometimes put the System Reserved partition on a separate drive other than the SSD.

Just came here to say exactly this. Windows usually installs just fine to ONLY the drive you choose, but occasionally derps and puts your recovery, or in my case, even your BOOT partition onto another drive... because logic?

 

Simply unplug all drives except for your SSD @ReapingRob, install Windows, drivers, and software, then shut it all down. Hook up your other drives and make sure your SSD is listed in your BIOS as the number 1 drive on your boot priority list.

 

Voila! Your system now boots from the SSD, you can access the old drive and start deleting the Windows folder, AND you've got a clean installation of Windows!

[ReapingRob]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

1) unplug hdd

2) plug in ssd

3) install windows

4) install windows updates and your programs and anything else

5) turn off pc, plug in hdd

6) enter BIOS and make sure the hdd is not on the boot priorities list

7) boot into windows

8) now you can access all the files on the hdd

 

9) preferably, you move files like documents/pictures/music/videos to your ssd or another drive, so that you can format the hdd

10) now you can use the clean hdd for storage, move your pictures and music or whatever you want back to the hdd

Oh okay. Thanks Enderman!

[ReapingRob]

4 minutes ago, Enderman said:

1) unplug hdd

2) plug in ssd

3) install windows

4) install windows updates and your programs and anything else

5) turn off pc, plug in hdd

6) enter BIOS and make sure the hdd is not on the boot priorities list

7) boot into windows

8) now you can access all the files on the hdd

 

9) preferably, you move files like documents/pictures/music/videos to your ssd or another drive, so that you can format the hdd

10) now you can use the clean hdd for storage, move your pictures and music or whatever you want back to the hdd

 

3 minutes ago, Godlygamer23 said:

All of Windows' files. I'm not sure what you're planning on keeping.

 

3 minutes ago, kirashi said:

Just came here to say exactly this. Windows usually installs just fine to ONLY the drive you choose, but occasionally derps and puts your recovery, or in my case, even your BOOT partition onto another drive... because logic?

 

Simply unplug all drives except for your SSD @ReapingRob, install Windows, drivers, and software, then shut it all down. Hook up your other drives and make sure your SSD is listed in your BIOS as the number 1 drive on your boot priority list.

 

Voila! Your system now boots from the SSD, you can access the old drive and start deleting the Windows folder, AND you've got a clean installation of Windows!

Thanks for all your help guys. Going to close this discussion now.  So happy I bought an installer and I'm itching to get home and get this baby installed. No more cracked windows 7 for me!

[Godlygamer23]

Just now, ReapingRob said:

No more cracked windows 7 for me!

That's good news. 

[Jiaweeeee]

Just set your SSD to boot as 1st priority , load up your bootable thumbdrive and install the OS . Since SSD is already set as default boot , it will always boot from SSD , when you're in Windows , you can reformat your HDD from the disk manager  

[ReapingRob]

1 minute ago, Godlygamer23 said:

That's good news. 

Haha yeah, the only reason I used a cracked version was because I bought Windows 8, put it on my laptop and then my laptop fell to pieces. Then I was left with no money and no windows either. Bought a copy from the local IT store for a mere $4.