Should i delete partitions when adding an SSD?

[tasho]

So im about to buy a new laptop but it only has a hard drive with linux on it. I want to add a M.2 ssd to it and install windows 10 on the ssd. So my question is, when installing windows, i will get the option to choose where to install it and there will probably be a list of partitions from the hard drive. Should i delete them and more importantly, what do they have in them? My friend told me they have drivers in them, so if they really do have and i delete them, will i have to go and download them again? Also, i got told that i should remove the hard drive physically, install windows, and then put it back in. Wont that cause some issues because it has linux on it and will windows even recognize the hard drive?

[genexis_x]

Just delete, much cleaner. I've done a few times.

[MCManiac52]

It depends on if you want anything on the Linux hard drive and how old the laptop is. If you want anything from the Linux drive, i'd copy it all off first. If no, just remove all the partitions once you've installed windows on the SSD, you will need to use a 3rd party partition tool because windows doesn't like Linux partitions, I recommend EaseUS Partition Master. If the laptop is fairly new, you shouldn't need to worry about drivers as windows can normally handle it, If you do need to install the drivers, you can always do it later on.

Do you know the make and model of the laptop?

[tasho]

2 minutes ago, MCManiac52 said:

It depends on if you want anything on the Linux hard drive and how old the laptop is. If you want anything from the Linux drive, i'd copy it all off first. If no, just remove all the partitions once you've installed windows on the SSD, you will need to use a 3rd party partition tool because windows doesn't like Linux partitions, I recommend EaseUS Partition Master. If the laptop is fairly new, you shouldn't need to worry about drivers as windows can normally handle it, If you do need to install the drivers, you can always do it later on.

Do you know the make and model of the laptop?

Im buying the laptop brand new, its gonna be either the asus gl503 or gl703. I wont have any files that i want on the hard drive, but i was wondering if there are any other important files there that i shouldnt delete.

[MCManiac52]

2 minutes ago, tasho said:

Im buying the laptop brand new, its gonna be either the asus gl503 or gl703. I wont have any files that i want on the hard drive, but i was wondering if there are any other important files there that i shouldnt delete.

In that case no nothing to worry about, any files on that drive won't be useful in windows anyway, so you can just wipe it. To make it easier, you could unplug the hard drive, install windows on the ssd, then when you're ready, install a partition manager tool and remove the linux partitions and make a fresh ntfs one.

[tasho]

Just now, MCManiac52 said:

In that case no nothing to worry about, any files on that drive won't be useful in windows anyway, so you can just wipe it. To make it easier, you could unplug the hard drive, install windows on the ssd, then when you're ready, install a partition manager tool and remove the linux partitions and make a fresh ntfs one.

Ok, but cant i just delete the partitions during the windows installation? Wont removing the hard drive make it a longer and more complicated process?

[meenmeen1103]

You could, but having additional drives sometimes gives the Windows installation the (unlikely) ability to also create partitions on more than the intended drive.

[MCManiac52]

4 minutes ago, tasho said:

Ok, but cant i just delete the partitions during the windows installation? Wont removing the hard drive make it a longer and more complicated process?

I've never removed a linux partition using the windows installer but if it works go for it.

 

1 minute ago, meenmeen1103 said:

You could, but having additional drives sometimes gives the Windows installation the (unlikely) ability to also create partitions on more than the intended drive.

I used to think this all the time and always made an effort to unplug any drives that weren't having windows installed. But for about a year now I've been installing windows also every other week (I work in IT) and I've never seen windows create partitions on a second drive during setup. Maybe I've just been lucky but I don't think this is anything to worry about anymore, either way you can just clear them afterwards.

 

OP, if you're able to clear the partitions during setup go for it. If you have any issues or anything with it, you know where to find us

 

[tasho]

Alright, thanks a lot for the information.

[meenmeen1103]

51 minutes ago, MCManiac52 said:

I've never removed a linux partition using the windows installer but if it works go for it.

 

I used to think this all the time and always made an effort to unplug any drives that weren't having windows installed. But for about a year now I've been installing windows also every other week (I work in IT) and I've never seen windows create partitions on a second drive during setup. Maybe I've just been lucky but I don't think this is anything to worry about anymore, either way you can just clear them afterwards.

 

OP, if you're able to clear the partitions during setup go for it. If you have any issues or anything with it, you know where to find us

 

Something recent.

I've never had an issue either, and I also haven't seen it happen to anyone I know, but maybe it isn't completely impossible?

[MCManiac52]

33 minutes ago, meenmeen1103 said:

Something recent.

I've never had an issue either, and I also haven't seen it happen to anyone I know, but maybe it isn't completely impossible?

Huh. That's odd, I've never seen that happen before, would love to know why it does and what causes it.

[genexis_x]

2 hours ago, tasho said:

Im buying the laptop brand new, its gonna be either the asus gl503 or gl703.

Umm please no. They have mediocre cooling, avoid them.