[SOLVED] Can I install an m.2 NVMe SSD with Windows 10 onto an existing system, and not have to clone/reinstall anything?

[shafihol]

I already have a computer with a 2TB hard drive (which is the current boot drive that has everything, including Windows 10, on it), but I want to make my boot times faster and put important stuff, like Windows 10, Chrome, and Spotify, on an SSD, as one does. My question is this: can I install windows via USB drive to a new 256gb m.2 nvme ssd and turn it into the boot drive, without it interfering with my hard drive that already has windows 10 installed? As my hard drive is 2TB and more than half full, I'd rather not clone or reinstall everything, so I'm hoping this is possible, as I couldn't find any information anywhere about this.
Thank you!

 

[Nemesia]

You can install Windows 10 on the ssd with your other drive unplugged. After the install you just boot from the SSD once and finish the install etc. After that you can plug that HDD back and do whatever you want with it. It is now storage and your SSD is the new OS drive.

"I'd rather not clone or reinstall everything "

Unfortunately all the programs will have to be reinstalled.

 

[shafihol]

You can install Windows 10 on the ssd with your other drive unplugged. After the install you just boot from the SSD once and finish the install etc. After that you can plug that HDD back and do whatever you want with it. It is now storage and your SSD is the new OS drive.

"I'd rather not clone or reinstall everything "

Unfortunately all the programs will have to be reinstalled.

Aw. That seems silly that I can't install a new boot drive and just leave the hard drive as it is. Considering my terrible internet speeds for downloading, that sucks.

 

[Nemesia]

Aw. That seems silly that I can't install a new boot drive and just leave the hard drive as it is. Considering my terrible internet speeds for downloading, that sucks.

It will leave the HDD as it is but the new OS on the SSD will not have what your HDD OS had in the registry, start menu etc and the pathing is all wrong because your HDD was C:\ and after adding a SSD as boot drive it will be D:\

 

[shafihol]

It will leave the HDD as it is but the new OS on the SSD will not have what your HDD OS had in the registry, start menu etc and the pathing is all wrong because your HDD was C:\ and after adding a SSD as boot drive it will be D:\

Can I not just go into admin commands and designate D:\ as the boot drive?
Do you have any idea what would happen if I tried booting my computer through the ssd whilst the hdd (with windows 10) is connected? Would the computer just not recognize the hdd, or would it not boot at all?

 

[Nemesia]

Can I not just go into admin commands and designate D:\ as the boot drive?
Do you have any idea what would happen if I tried booting my computer through the ssd whilst the hdd (with windows 10) is connected? Would the computer just not recognize the hdd, or would it not boot at all?

Nothing will happen if you boot through your SSD while your HDD is connected. The HDD with your old OS will become a storage drive and all the files will still be on that drive.

If you want to use the SSD as your boot drive with a new Windows 10 install it has to be this way.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Aw. That seems silly that I can't install a new boot drive and just leave the hard drive as it is.

You can.
But during installation of windows on SSD, HDD has to be disconnected.
If you don't do that, SSD will not be made bootable. You will not be able to boot into windows without HDD present.