Make windows easy to move to SSD later?

[Guest]

I'm building a pc and I have bought windows 8.1, I will be starting with only a hard drive as planned now. I do want to add a samsung 840 evo down the road however and I was wondering if there is anything I can do now to make the process of moving windows to the SSD easier. Would keeping windows and data on separate partitions help? Or I could even buy a $40-50 smaller ssd now and just use that to start off.

[DoubleY]

Samsung has a cloning software, if that's what you're basically asking for. 

[ForsakenLive]

yes you can!

When you install the OS on the empty hard drive, select the advanced option, and create the partition yourself, make a 120GB partition (C:), and another one with the rest of the drive (D:), install the OS on C: (120GB).

Os and main applications, will be on the 120GB, and the rest on D:

Once you get the SSD, just copy the 120GB partition onto it, and delete it afterwards. You can then add the empty space to D:

[ForsakenLive]

Samsung has a cloning software, if that's what you're basically asking for. 

Yeah, but it's not perfect, making 2 partitions is way better.

[DoubleY]

Yeah, but it's not perfect, making 2 partitions is way better.

Does it have issues? I've always though it worked well... because Samsung 

[Guest]

Yeah, but it's not perfect, making 2 partitions is way better.

Thanks that will help a ton

[Guest]

yes you can!

When you install the OS on the empty hard drive, select the advanced option, and create the partition yourself, make a 120GB partition (C:), and another one with the rest of the drive (D:), install the OS on C: (120GB).

Os and main applications, will be on the 120GB, and the rest on D:

Once you get the SSD, just copy the 120GB partition onto it, and delete it afterwards. You can then add the empty space to D:

Question: What if my hard drive is only 120gb? What is min. partition size for windows?

[ForsakenLive]

Does it have issues? I've always though it worked well... because Samsung 

Yeah it's not like that, extracting the OS from a hard drive and slapping it on a new drive making sure that every register, path, driver, gaming directory is perfectly moved is impossible, while the OS can be well and work stable, some of your other programs may (and some I know will) freak out.

[ForsakenLive]

Question: What if my hard drive is only 120gb? What is min. partition size for windows?

20GB is good enough for it.

[Lord Pantaloons]

Does it have issues? I've always though it worked well... because Samsung 

It works fine though if you end up not getting a Samsung drive "Clonezilla" works very well, is easy, and requires no preparation aside from having both drives attached to your PC. It's also free and I've used it about a dozen times so I know it works.

[dizmo]

I'd just save the extra money and get the proper size SSD. Surely it won't take that long.

[Guest]

I'd just save the extra money and get the proper size SSD. Surely it won't take that long.

Yeah probably a better idea

[dizmo]

20GB is good enough for it.

I don't think 20gb is quite enough...I think it takes closer to 24 with updates etc.

[ForsakenLive]

I don't think 20gb is quite enough...I think it takes closer to 24 with updates etc.

Depends if we are talking about windows 7 or 8. 8 is lighter.