Can I move my documents from my HDD to my SSD?

[kay14]

I just bought a SSD and installed windows on it and I was wondering am I able to move my documents from my old HDD to my SSD?

 

[alexoiu]

Yes, you can move documents. You'd have to reinstall the apps and games, though.

 

[kay14]

That's fine. How do I do it?

 

[R0GG]

__You could have cloned your older HDD to your new SSD and get all your Documents and programs and games installed, but a fresh install of windows on the SSD is much better and worth the time to re-install few apps and games.
__Some SSDs come with a custom small version of either Acronis or Macrium Reflect to help with migration from older drive to SSD or you could download the tool from the SSD manufacturer website ( Samsung has Samsung Migration tool : once download and installed on your older Drive it will assist you cloning it with all it's programs apps games and files and folders to the new SSD

To transfer your documents to the new system, have older hard driver attached to your system ( of course) as internal drive or as external through USB, then :
1. BEST AND SAFEST WAY: you could do a manual copy and paste for each specific folder, one folder by one ( from older drive to your new one obviously) folders like photos, my documents etc
2. you could do file back up recovery while your older system it's RUNNING do a FILE BACK UP using windows built in back up tool. ( Do not perform a complete system back up, just files and folders), then switch boot drive to your new SSD windows system and launch windows recovery tool and point it towards the file and folders back up you created above

How to Quickly Transfer Your Files and Settings to a New PC (or Mac) >>https://www.howtogeek.com/211256/how-to-quickly-transfer-your-files-and-settings-to-a-new-pc-or-mac/
8 Backup Tools Explained for Windows 7 and 8 >> https://www.howtogeek.com/189452/8-backup-tools-explained-for-windows-7-and-8/

 

[alexoiu]

That's fine. How do I do it?

Power off, connect the HDD and make sure at restart that the SSD is still the primary boot device.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Just select the folder(s) the documents are located in and right-click on Copy. Then navigate to your SSD and select where you want the document folders to be located and right click on Paste. After you verify that the documents are all on the SSD (open a few of them to be sure), you can go back to the HDD and delete the document folder(s).