Windows installed on a separate drive

[Hendrics]

Hey guys,

 

So If I have my current Windows 7 OS installed onto its on SSD, is there a way i'd be able to just unhook all my other HDDs and format to a fresh Windows 10 on the SSD, then reconnect all my HDD's? 

 

The HDDs have all my games / music / video footage on them.

 

Thanks in advance!

B

[Samson_ST]

try turning it off. take out the hhds and put in ssds and turn it back on

[UnitD77]

As long as you haven't set your docs and downloads and such, onto another drive as default locations. Then yes, just unplug the other drives. Boot up and format.

[manikyath]

unplugging all the storage devices except the one you intend to install on is actually the preferred method.

 

the windows installer tends to be a bit wonky in where it puts its bootloader.

[Hendrics]

So I have my C: drive with Windows 7 on it, then an E:, F, and G:, drive

 

Have it set so like, when in chrome when I download something It automatically goes to E: drives download folder. Or NvIdia Shadowplay where I have it save to F: drives Shadowplay folder, things like that mess it up?

 

I try to keep as much off of the Windows  7 drive because it's only 128gb

[Hendrics]

And the other question is, would my Steam games still play without having to reinstall them, LOL

[UnitD77]

You might have to re-set up your file preferences for what drive everything goes to, but it won't destroy your computer.

 

As long as your entire steam program and games are on another drive. You "should" be fine. 

I say "Should" but I can't know for sure as I only have every had 1 drive.

[lordmostafa]

If you want to keep what's on the HDD. Then just install Windows 10 (it will keep all your settings and data). Then go around deleting the files you don't need from the SDD. This is to avoid any incompatibility issues that might occur.

[Hendrics]

Im almost 98% sure it will work, but I cant remember exactly how, so I am going to recap from memory...

 

Microsoft ISO generator for Windows 10, I think it gives you a key? 

 

Put onto Thumbdrive 

 

Disconnect all HDDs except boot SSD

 

Change BIOS to boot from USB

 

It SHOULD (not sure here) give the the normal Windows options to reformat drives / partitions, etc ... ???

[Hendrics]

3 minutes ago, lordmostafa said:

If you want to keep what's on the HDD. Then just install Windows 10 (it will keep all your settings and data). Then go around deleting the files you don't need from the SDD. This is to avoid any incompatibility issues that might occur.

I don't trust Microsoft to move my data...

[UnitD77]

Are you doing the free upgrade or installing from a disk?

[lordmostafa]

1 minute ago, Hendrics said:

I don't trust Microsoft to move my data...

I upgraded with not a single KB of missing data.

[Hendrics]

1 minute ago, UnitD77 said:

Are you doing the free upgrade or installing from a disk?

Doing the free upgrade

[Hendrics]

2 minutes ago, lordmostafa said:

I upgraded with not a single KB of missing data.

Still, I don't trust Microsoft to move my data

[UnitD77]

Should be a toolbar icon... That should (from what i remember) just reboot your computer into the installer as if from a disc. It automatically updates the current activation key you have. You set which drive you want to install it to. I'd recommend wiping the drive prior, but you can't when doing the upgrade.

[lordmostafa]

1 minute ago, Hendrics said:

Still, I don't trust Microsoft to move my data

Then you can risk a small possibility of the HDDs having some issues. Although I highly doubt they will.

[lordmostafa]

1 minute ago, UnitD77 said:

Should be a toolbar icon... That should (from what i remember) just reboot your computer into the installer as if from a disc. It automatically updates the current activation key you have. You set which drive you want to install it to. I'd recommend wiping the drive prior, but you can't when doing the upgrade.

If he wipes it prior, how will he upgrade his computer without an operating system

[Hendrics]

1 minute ago, UnitD77 said:

Should be a toolbar icon... That should (from what i remember) just reboot your computer into the installer as if from a disc. It automatically updates the current activation key you have. You set which drive you want to install it to. I'd recommend wiping the drive prior, but you can't when doing the upgrade.

What ill do is just disconnect all the HDDs and leave the SSD boot drive loaded up and do the free upgrade. The computer has no system files on the other HDDs so it will run fine with just the boot SSD

[UnitD77]

yuppers

[Hendrics]

Ok going to throw a wrench in here... see what you guys can come up with

 

I am getting an i7 6800k, Mobo, and DDR4 Ram today. 

 

First: Should I do the upgrade THEN change out the hardware? I'll have to reinstall Windows to do that, will my product key still work?

 

Secondly, I believe when you click the update icon, it asks you if you want to put it on a USB drive or do upgrade, if it does allow me to do this (Microsofts ISO generator), should I take that route and boot up new machine w that USB drive to install Windows 10?

 

Third, I get the new hardware installed and reinstall Windows 7, I should still have the free upgrade offer show up once everything is setup with Windows 7 with the new hardware?

 

Im scared im going to invalidate my Windows key since im doing both these things at once