Can a Windows OS SSD be moved to another SATA port?

[orestesdd]

I wonder if the SSD where Windows 7 is installed can be moved to a different physical SATA port without having to re-install the OS again.

My build:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K
HEAT-SINK: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 LGA 1155
RAM: Corsair 16 GB Vengeance Blue
Low Profile 1600mhz PC3-12800 240-pin
DVD Burner: Sony Optiarc 24X DVD Burner
GPU: XFX Double D HD-687A-ZDFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
CASE: Corsair Obsidian 650D
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200 1 TB 7200RPM SATA 6 Gb/s (Model ST1000DM003)
SSD: Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch SSD SATA 6Gb/s CT128M4SSD2
MONITOR: ViewSonic VX2250WM-LED 22-Inch
OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit [system build]

The reason I ask this is because I want to install another OS which will be on a new SSD but needs to be on a physical SATA3 0 controller whereas Windows will have to be moved to to a physical SATA3_1 controller and so shuffle other hard drives to other physical SATA controllers on my motherboard. By the way this is the layout of my MOBO:

GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 LGA 1155 (Ver. 1.3)

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[RetiredChief]

So currently you have the old SSD on Intel Sata0
what is on intel SATA1, if It's the HDD, then Move it and put he current SSD their.
A Sata III (6)HDD is a waste of a Good SATA III (6) port. Could move the HDD to the GSata (6) port, or stick it on the Intel sata II port.

Sata III HDD is just marketing Hipp, The ONLY performance improvement is on the very short Burst speed, avg throughput is Not increased one ioda.

 

[geofelt]

There is no problem unplugging an existing windows 7 installed on one sata drive and moving it to another sata drive.
You can shuffle other drives around without a problem.

Do make certain in the bios that you are booting from the correct newly moved drive.

The only drives that can benefit from sata3 are SSD's. Put the others where you will.

 

[orestesdd]

So currently you have the old SSD on Intel Sata0
what is on intel SATA1, if It's the HDD, then Move it and put he current SSD their.
A Sata III (6)HDD is a waste of a Good SATA III (6) port. Could move the HDD to the GSata (6) port, or stick it on the Intel sata II port.

Sata III HDD is just marketing Hipp, The ONLY performance improvement is on the very short Burst speed, avg throughput is Not increased one ioda.

ssd is on sata3_0
hdd is on sata3_1

According to what you are saying, I should move the hdd to gsata3_5, and then I can install the other OS on an ssd to install it either on sata3_0 and then move the ssd with Windows 7 to sata3_1. Am I understanding this correctly? Anyhow, thanks.

 

[orestesdd]

There is no problem unplugging an existing windows 7 installed on one sata drive and moving it to another sata drive.
You can shuffle other drives around without a problem.

Do make certain in the bios that you are booting from the correct newly moved drive.

The only drives that can benefit from sata3 are SSD's. Put the others where you will.

I will boot from a new SSD which will have a bootloader to handle both the new OS plus Windows. I hope this is the correct thing to do. Thanks.

 

[RetiredChief]

Yes on ports.

What I do for daul boot:
I do Not like soft ware Boot menu. and the interaction between boot drives, So
.. You have window 7 on the SSD, move to Sata_1 to verify it boots.
.. Shift HDD and verify you can still read.

.. Dissconnect both SSD and HDD, Connect new SSD to Sata3_0.
.. Install New Operating System.
.. Reconnect old SSD and HDD.
.. Set Boot priority to Most often used OS
When Powering on Hit the and you want the 2nd Operating system Hit the Key that brings up the Boot menu during Post (th is NOT the BIOS screen). select which device to boot to. If you reboot you will revert back to First drive, unless you hit Key. If You just sit back and watch post, you boot to what bios is set to.
On My Gigabye MB its F12, on My asrock MB it's F11.

 

[orestesdd]

Yes on ports.

What I do for daul boot:
I do Not like soft ware Boot menu. and the interaction between boot drives, So
.. You have window 7 on the SSD, move to Sata_1 to verify it boots.
.. Shift HDD and verify you can still read.

.. Dissconnect both SSD and HDD, Connect new SSD to Sata3_0.
.. Install New Operating System.
.. Reconnect old SSD and HDD.
.. Set Boot priority to Most often used OS
When Powering on Hit the and you want the 2nd Operating system Hit the Key that brings up the Boot menu during Post (th is NOT the BIOS screen). select which device to boot to. If you reboot you will revert back to First drive, unless you hit Key. If You just sit back and watch post, you boot to what bios is set to.
On My Gigabye MB its F12, on My asrock MB it's F11.

I think I will do what you said. I hope it all goes well. I just ordered another SSD and a HDD for the other OS. Thanks.

 

[orestesdd]

Best answer selected by orestesdd.