Boot drive problem

[TreesMadeOfTanks]

Okay. I ordered the ssd in the signature. And i've watched videos and researched. From what i gather the ''Smooth'' way would be to wipe my HDD and reinstall OS and everything again to prevent it screwing up as i move OS to the SSD. But that would take forever.. I only wan't my OS, And like 3-5 Games on the SSD.... Is there i way to remove the OS off the HDD.. While still keeping all the other applications and files on it... Reinstalling OS on the SSD.. And when i boot the PC the HDD with load just as another hard drive..While the files still appearing in the same place on my desktop...? .....I could just wipe it....But i have tons and tons of programs i use and one day would need to do something and realize i forgot something to re download..Its just a hassle.

[Verrierr]

What's the partition set up of your HDD? Do you have separate partitions for files and for OS and programs?

[TreesMadeOfTanks]

3 minutes ago, Verrierr said:

What's the partition set up of your HDD? Do you have separate partitions for files and for OS and programs?

Well, I'm not at home right now.. On laptop... But i'm 90% Sure i don't...I don't remember doing it when i first used the HDD...So no..Just go with that answer

[Verrierr]

Well the answer to your question depends on the amount of data you'd have to migrate and how it comapres to the capacity of your SSD. If your SSD can hold as much data as you want to migrate then it's as simple as cloning your partition (a lot of programs can do that). If however that is not the case then you can either delete/move enough stuff from your existing partition until it becomes possible to clone it or you'd have to reinstall your OS from scratch on the SSD, along with all the programs you need. I don't know about a program that's capable of selectively copying only your OS and installed programs to a new partition and I very much doubted in the existence of such thing.

 

8 minutes ago, Jonathan McCann said:

Well, I'm not at home right now.. On laptop... But i'm 90% Sure i don't...I don't remember doing it when i first used the HDD...So no..Just go with that answer

And by the way, from your answer it seems possible to me that you're not really sure what's a partition so can you just tell me, when you open Computer directory, how many drives do you see? They're labelled with capital characters, most likely C: and D: . (I hope I'm not offending you here or something?)

[TreesMadeOfTanks]

18 minutes ago, Verrierr said:

Well the answer to your question depends on the amount of data you'd have to migrate and how it comapres to the capacity of your SSD. If your SSD can hold as much data as you want to migrate then it's as simple as cloning your partition (a lot of programs can do that). If however that is not the case then you can either delete/move enough stuff from your existing partition until it becomes possible to clone it or you'd have to reinstall your OS from scratch on the SSD, along with all the programs you need. I don't know about a program that's capable of selectively copying only your OS and installed programs to a new partition and I very much doubted in the existence of such thing.

 

And by the way, from your answer it seems possible to me that you're not really sure what's a partition so can you just tell me, when you open Computer directory, how many drives do you see? They're labelled with capital characters, most likely C: and D: . (I hope I'm not offending you here or something?)

Yeah just C:

[Verrierr]

7 minutes ago, Jonathan McCann said:

Yeah just C:

You only have a single partition then. If it contains below 120 GB then you can clone it to that kingston. If it doesn't you'd have to look for other solution.

[TreesMadeOfTanks]

2 hours ago, Verrierr said:

You only have a single partition then. If it contains below 120 GB then you can clone it to that kingston. If it doesn't you'd have to look for other solution.

Its 650gb, I have like 384gb in it rn. So yeah i'll just go for the wipe..Re download everything

[Verrierr]

2 minutes ago, Jonathan McCann said:

Its 650gb, I have like 384gb in it rn. So yeah i'll just go for the wipe..Re download everything

If you bothered to divide that partition into two and moved files like moveis, music, etc. (files not associated with any programs), you could potentially avoid doing that.

Edit: Also if you move entire program folders to that other partiton and return them later to their previous dictionaries after cloning's done, thsoe programs should also work just fine.

[TreesMadeOfTanks]

1 minute ago, Verrierr said:

If you bothered to divide that partition into two and moved files like moveis, music, etc. (files not associated with any programs), you could potentially avoid doing that.

Edit: Also if you move entire program folders to that other partiton and return them later to their previous dictionaries after cloning's done, thsoe programs should also work just fine.

What about the O-S? I'm having trouble understanding... Sorry.

[Verrierr]

Just now, Jonathan McCann said:

What about the O-S? I'm having trouble understanding... Sorry.

DOn't touch anything about your OS, create a new partition on your mass storage drive, move stuff like movies, music etc. there and then clone your boot partition with OS and programs to your SSD. THink you can go below 120GB like this? If you can't you'll have to reinstall stuff on your HDD later anyway.

[TreesMadeOfTanks]

Just now, Verrierr said:

DOn't touch anything about your OS, create a new partition on your mass storage drive, move stuff like movies, music etc. there and then clone your boot partition with OS and programs to your SSD. THink you can go below 120GB like this? If you can't you'll have to reinstall stuff on your HDD later anyway.

I definatly could lowwer the HDD to 120gb....I think i get it. You mean if i match the storage i can clone the HDD to the SSD Than get rid of everything i don't need on the SSD?

[Verrierr]

4 minutes ago, Jonathan McCann said:

I definatly could lowwer the HDD to 120gb....I think i get it. You mean if i match the storage i can clone the HDD to the SSD Than get rid of everything i don't need on the SSD?

I'd recommend you only keep stuff you want on your SSD from the get go, but yeah that's the idea.

[Ingrid_W]

Other than clean install, you can turn to third party software to migrate OS to SSD or clone system to SSD. It depends on the location of your stored Games. If you stored them along with system drive, you can clone system to SSD. If they are separately installed with system files, I am afraid you have to reinstall them later after successfully migrating.