Question Can i install windows on NVME and get rid of windows on my current SSD?

[Kiga]

So basically im planning on upgrading to an NVMe M.2 SSD. However i dont want to go through the painstaking process of re-downloading/ installing all of my games/ back up all my files. So I was just wondering if it was possible to just say install my NVMe without any of my harddrive/SSD plugged in and boot windows on it. Then go back and uninstall windows on my SSD while keeping all my other stuff. If such a method would work how would i uninstall windows on my SSD? This wouldnt in any way corrupt my game installs would it? Theoretically is this safe to do?

 

[rgd1101]

there is no uninstall windows from a disk. need to delete the directory manually

need to reinstall the apps. new windows install will have no idea your previous installed app

 

[Kiga]

there is no uninstall windows from a disk. need to delete the directory manually

need to reinstall the apps. new windows install will have no idea your previous installed app

Thanks for the heads up. I had a feeling this would be the case.

 

[TJ Hooker]

However i dont want to go through the painstaking process of re-downloading/ installing all of my games/ back up all my files

You can copy all the data from your old drive to your new drive after you've installed windows (make sure old drive is disconnected while you do this), but you'd have to reinstall any games/applications. However, if you make sure the games you copied over are in the appropriate directory, clients like Steam will detect the existing game files rather than redownload them all when you install them.

 

[Kiga]

You can copy all the data from your old drive to your new drive after you've installed windows (make sure old drive is disconnected while you do this), but you'd have to reinstall any games/applications. However, if you make sure the games you copied over are in the appropriate directory, clients like Steam will detect the existing game files rather than redownload them all when you install them.

Noted. I know what you mean. It will reinstall the files needed. But it wont have to redownload the bulk of the files that would take hours to download. Also, do you know if it is worth getting an NVMe? I currently already have an SSD and bought into the idea that SATA bottlenecks the SSD compared to an NVMe which would read and write a lot faster as it is not bottle necked. Would you say that booting windows on a NVMe woud make a significant change to the load time of a regular SSD?

 

[TJ Hooker]

I recently moved from a SATA to NVMe drive, didn't notice much difference. Maybe shaved a few seconds off boot time.

Unless you need a new SSD anyway because you want a larger capacity or something, I wouldn't bother.

 

[Kiga]

I recently moved from a SATA to NVMe drive, didn't notice much difference. Maybe shaved a few seconds off boot time.

Yeah i saw some youtube videos benchmarking game load speeds and the difference was literally just a second. Figured maybe when its time to reboot my system is when i should install my NVMe because its honestly not worth the time it'll take to get everything up and running. Also considering there are some settings in my games that i would need to replicate which would add more painstaking work.

 

[DMAN999]

Why not just clone the old drive to the new drive.
I just did that on an old i7-870 rig that I threw together from old parts I had laying around.
I cloned an old 320 GB IDE HDD to a MX500 500 GB SATA III SSD using the Crucial supplied Acronis True Image and it worked perfectly.
I just plugged the SSD into a SATA port booted into windows then formatted it and downloaded and ran the cloning software.
It did take a while though because that old IDE is REALLY, REALLY slow.

 

[Kiga]

Why not just clone the old drive to the new drive.
I just did that on an old i7-870 rig that I threw together from old parts I had laying around.
I cloned an old 320 GB IDE HDD to a MX500 500 GB SATA III SSD using the Crucial supplied Acronis True Image and it worked perfectly.
I just plugged the SSD into a SATA port booted into windows then formatted it and downloaded and ran the cloning software.
It did take a while though because that old IDE is REALLY, REALLY slow.

Something i'll consider in the near future. Im sure since im cloning an SATA SSD to an NVMe SSD it wouldnt be too bad. Thanks for the response.

 

[popatim]

Just install the nvme drive as additional storage; load programs/games there & keep windows on the SSD.

 

[retroforlife]

ive found samsung data migration tool great to move all data to new storage but in all fairness nvme more for people who do large file work etc that need the extra speeds ssd more than good for gaming on sata . i have a ssd sata 500 gb for os and a few games and have my movies , game install files , software installers backed up to a hdd for freeing up space on my faster storage for os programs and games that are installed

 

[mdd1963]

With Intel's 660P M.2/NVME prices at $95 for 1 TB, most would be hard pressed to intentionally choose an 860 EVO or Corsair MX500 over the M.2 option just to save $15.... (the choice was a little less clear 26 months ago when 500 GB of NVME storage cost $250, vice the ~$75-$95 it costs today)