[SOLVED] Can I reuse a hard drive after doing the Windows 10 "Reset this pc, remove everything" option?

[ironstem]

I'm getting an SSD for this pc build, obviously im using it to install windows, but after that I need a hard drive for storage. Luckily, I do have this 1 TB hard drive in my prebuilt, and I was wondering if it's safe it reuse after resetting the pc and removing everything.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm getting an SSD for this pc build, obviously im using it to install windows, but after that I need a hard drive for storage. Luckily, I do have this 1 TB hard drive in my prebuilt, and I was wondering if it's safe it reuse after resetting the pc and removing everything.

You can't "reset" to a new drive.
That will be a full fresh install on this SSD.

During that "reset and remove everything", you can't choose which drive to apply it to.

So, you do the install with only the SSD connected.
Later, you reconnect the HDD and you can wipe it clean of ALL data.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

For the HDD, commandline function diskpart, and the clean command will wipe everything on it.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/format-hard-drive-command-prompt,37632.html

How to Diskpart Erase/Clean a Drive Through the Command Prompt | Support Seagate US

This article explains the Microsoft Diskpart Erase utility. The command that erases the drive during this process is "Clean". In this article "Clean" and erase are used interchangeably. Cleaning or erasing a storage device removes all data and partitions from the drive.

www.seagate.com

 

[USAFRet]

Another possible option is a migration from the existing drive to the new SSD.

We can explore that if you wish.

 

[ironstem]

You can't "reset" to a new drive.
That will be a full fresh install on this SSD.

During that "reset and remove everything", you can't choose which drive to apply it to.

So, you do the install with only the SSD connected.
Later, you reconnect the HDD and you can wipe it clean of ALL data.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

For the HDD, commandline function diskpart, and the clean command will wipe everything on it.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/format-hard-drive-command-prompt,37632.html

How to Diskpart Erase/Clean a Drive Through the Command Prompt | Support Seagate US

This article explains the Microsoft Diskpart Erase utility. The command that erases the drive during this process is "Clean". In this article "Clean" and erase are used interchangeably. Cleaning or erasing a storage device removes all data and partitions from the drive.

www.seagate.com

Well, wouldn't resetting the pc and removing everything on the hard drive make it safe though? I don't have the SSD yet, I'm just trying to reset the pc anyways since I don't need to use it anymore. Why not do the "remove everything" option?

 

[USAFRet]

Well, wouldn't resetting the pc and removing everything on the hard drive make it safe though? I don't have the SSD yet, I'm just trying to reset the pc anyways since I don't need to use it anymore. Why not do the "remove everything" option?

Yes, but that "remove everything" does not get anything onto the SSD. And it does not remove the OS from the HDD.

Everything is on the HDD. You're getting an SSD (eventually).
What do you want the end state to be?

 

[ironstem]

Yes, but that "remove everything" does not get anything onto the SSD. And it does not remove the OS from the HDD.

Everything is on the HDD. You're getting an SSD (eventually).
What do you want the end state to be?

Alright. I'm not trying to put anything on the SSD to begin with. I'm only installing windows to make windows faster, and maybe a couple of games. That's it.

 

[USAFRet]

Alright. I'm not trying to put anything on the SSD to begin with. I'm only installing windows to make windows faster, and maybe a couple of games. That's it.

Then you'd want to do a full wipe and reinstall. On whichever drive.
"Reset" is not quite the same thing.