Moving Windows from HDD to SSD?

[RhysMusique]

Hey all,  (x-post with Storage category because I couldn't decide where it should go)

I made the mistake of making a WD Green 1TB drive my main boot drive when I first built my PC, instead of biting the bullet and buying an SSD to install onto.
Now, as you can imagine, my PC is painfully slow on start up, and within the first 5 minutes of running Windows 10. 

I bought Windows as a genuine Windows 8 OEM install disk and serial code, however I obviously upgraded to Windows 10 through the free upgrade. 
 

I've already bought an SSD to run some of my most played games off (namely GTA V), but I was thinking of getting another to do either;

A fresh install of windows on, and just treat it as a new PC, use my 1TB drive as storage?
OR - Is there any way that I could seperate, or even just move my windows install onto the new SSD? I'm prepared to remove all of the other data off the HD if that will help?

Thanks - Rhys

[kb5zue]

Fresh install, then save all your data stuff to the other drive.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15088/windows-create-installation-media

 

[RhysMusique]

Just now, kb5zue said:

Fresh install, then save all your data stuff to the other drive.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15088/windows-create-installation-media

 

How would I go about just deleting windows from the HDD then? 

[Jurrunio]

Improper way

If you have a spare PC, then you can manually copy everything in the hard disk into the ssd, then format it. You have to boot from SSD from the BIOS and set it to default (and hopefully it detects the SSD as C drive). Then, there are tutorials that can move your "Users" directory back to the hard disk.

 

Proper way

Link your PC account to a microsoft account.

Back up your files

Format the hard disk in BIOS

Reinstall Windows into SSD

Activate Windows by starting an account with the above microsoft account

Get your stuff back in

Done

[MrMistyEyed]

1 minute ago, RhysMusique said:

How would I go about just deleting windows from the HDD then? 

If you have an extra HDD you can put your important files on it and then install a fresh copy of windows on your SSD.

[RhysMusique]

Just now, MrMistyEyed said:

If you have an extra HDD you can put your important files on it and then install a fresh copy of windows on your SSD.

Okay cool, and how would I then link my documents, downloads, pictures, games etc folders (that would naturally lead to the SSD's storage' to the HDD? 

[LunaP0n3]

Assuming this goes for the actual post, it's a pretty easy thing to do. The technique is referred to as "cloning", and can be done with freely available software. Things to keep in mind:

• You will need an SSD with enough capacity to hold what's currently on that 1TB drive. Offload some data to another disk to decrease the capacity requirements.
• You will need some way of connecting the new drive that will hold Windows. Whether you hook it up directly to your motherboard, through a docking station or a USB 3 to SATA adapter is up to you.
• The cloning should not take too long. Make sure to tick the "Force align partitions to 1MB" option somewhere in the software. It helps with the SSD's speed.
• After cloning, turn off your system, disconnect the old drive and hook the new one in. Access your BIOS to make sure the drive is detected, and tweak the boot priority if necessary.

All things going good, Windows should pop right back up into life, and auto configure itself for the new drive. Activation shouldn't be an issue. All your data should be right where you left it. Leave the old drive around for a couple days to make sure the cloning went off without a hitch, then you can do with what you want of the 1TB one.

 

Or, if you want, you can re-install Windows and go through the delightful process of setting everything back up. Windows should auto activate via the internet.

 

HowToGeek also has an article on the matter: https://www.howtogeek.com/199068/how-to-upgrade-your-existing-hard-drive-in-under-an-hour/

 

Hope this helps.

[RhysMusique]

Hey,

In a previous thread, I asked about upgrading from a HDD to an SSD. I've decided that i'm going to do a clean install of windows 10 onto an SSD and keep my HDD for storage in my system. 

Is there any way that i could link all of my libraries etc back to the new OS on my SSD from the old OS on my HDD? Without physically moving the files to the SSD? Like a complicated shortcut system of sorts?

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, RhysMusique said:

Hey,

In a previous thread, I asked about upgrading from a HDD to an SSD. I've decided that i'm going to do a clean install of windows 10 onto an SSD and keep my HDD for storage in my system. 

Is there any way that i could link all of my libraries etc back to the new OS on my SSD from the old OS on my HDD? Without physically moving the files to the SSD? Like a complicated shortcut system of sorts?

I assume those files are large (because if they were small no reason for you not to move it over) so it is safe to assume those are games right? It might not work in most case but it is possible with hard links.

 

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365006(v=vs.85).aspx

 

I would advise you to move it or clean install programs and files.

 

[Anghammarad]

You can change the path to the standard windows libraries like pictures, documents, music, downloads etcpp by right clicking the library entry in the windows explorer and there in properties change the path.

[RhysMusique]

2 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

I assume those files are large (because if they were small no reason for you not to move it over) so it is safe to assume those are games right? It might not work in most case but it is possible with hard links.

 

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365006(v=vs.85).aspx

 

I would advise you to move it or clean install programs and files.

 

I've also just thought about it. It kinda defeats the point of upgrading to an SSD for speed, if i'm just going to be linking and reading off of the HDD ahaha. I'll just get the SSD and do a clean install of windows. Any bulk collections of smaller files can just go on the HDD, along with larger files i don't use often, and then the main games and software I use can go on the SSDs.

[Mr_Rixa]

Like @deXxterlab97 said I would either move or reinstall programs, but if you are talking about steam games you can add them back without needing to reinstall them by just hitting install in steam and then tell it to install it to where it already is example D:\games or something

[RhysMusique]

1 minute ago, Mr_Rixa said:

Like @deXxterlab97 said I would either move or reinstall programs, but if you are talking about steam games you can add them back without needing to reinstall them by just hitting install in steam and then tell it to install it to where it already is example D:\games or something

Yeah! I knew about the steam redirects etc, as I already have an SSD with GTA V on it haha! What size SSD would you recommend for Windows 10 plus programs like - Steam, Origin, Discord, Microsoft Office Package, Photoshop etc? 

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, RhysMusique said:

Yeah! I knew about the steam redirects etc, as I already have an SSD with GTA V on it haha! What size SSD would you recommend for Windows 10 plus programs like - Steam, Origin, Discord, Microsoft Office Package, Photoshop etc? 

I'd say somehwere 120GB is fine. But it depends on how many steam game you have. You can have different game in different location for Steam and Origin. MS Office and DIscord doesn't take much, Win 10 at most uses 25-30GB and not sure about Photoshop

Do note if you are buying a 120GB you don't really get 120GB http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/172191en (info about HDD but it is the same for SSD)

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Mr_Rixa said:

Like @deXxterlab97 said I would either move or reinstall programs, but if you are talking about steam games you can add them back without needing to reinstall them by just hitting install in steam and then tell it to install it to where it already is example D:\games or something

You can also move it too, Steam just added that feature a while ago (image from internet cause it is faster than taking screenshot of steam lol)

 

[Mr_Rixa]

15 minutes ago, RhysMusique said:

What size SSD would you recommend for Windows 10 plus programs like - Steam, Origin, Discord, Microsoft Office Package, Photoshop etc? 

Well the programs in their own don't take that much space, but I would steer clear of installing all games on SSD. I personally have 250GB and have roughly 120GB free.

 

8 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

I'd say somehwere 120GB is fine. But it depends on how many steam game you have

I'd say this is enough if you don't cram all the games on there. Just remember to move the windows downloads/documents/pictures folder from their properties to somewhere else.

 

Edited June 8, 2017 by Mr_Rixa
added a picture

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Mr_Rixa said:

Well the programs in their own don't take that much space, but I would steer clear of installing all games on SSD. I personally have 250GB and have roughly 120GB free.

 

I'd say this is enough if you don't cram all the games on there. Just remember to move the windows downloads/documents/pictures folder from their properties to somewhere else.

 

And desktop folder too as I always like dumping stuff to my beautiful wallpaper I have lol

[RhysMusique]

@deXxterlab97 @Mr_Rixa 

These few past posts answer my question perfectly, 

So basically, if I move my 'Downloads' folder from the new SSD install to my HDD, all subsequent downloaded files will be downloaded to the HDD?

[Mr_Rixa]

4 minutes ago, RhysMusique said:

@deXxterlab97 @Mr_Rixa 

These few past posts answer my question perfectly, 

So basically, if I move my 'Downloads' folder from the new SSD install to my HDD, all subsequent downloaded files will be downloaded to the HDD?

Yes all your browsers default to that folder and will try to download to windows "Downloads" folder if you don't tell them otherwise.

 

Edit: Tho be careful, some programs aren't that "smart" and will create the c:\users\[username]\Downloads folder and download there if they've been installed prior to moving the folder (like Jdownloader)