first time uprgading SSD with OS on it

[SchrammD]

Hey all, I am sick of my 64G SSD filling up with system files, system restores, and the inevitable game that likes to save to the C drive. I want to upgrade to a 125G or 250G Samsung Evo SSD to replace the Adata 64G that contains strictly my OS, Windows 8.1, and things like Skype on there. My question is in regards to bringing over Windows to the new SSD. I want to do a fresh install, but keep all my games and settings as much as possible. Do I just delete everything on my SSD after backing up my games, and reinstall with my windows disk? Or is cloning Windows a viable option with no negatives? --My first pc build, so I was going for budget when I got the 64G.

 

[mbreslin1954]

You can't do a fresh install of Windows and "keep" the games from your old system. Every application needs to be installed on a fresh installation of Windows, although you can save and move over any saved games. But all applications, including games, will need to be re-installed on a clean (fresh) install of Windows on a new drive. Applications drop files all over the "C" drive, and they put many entries into the Windows Registry, the Windows configuration database. The only way to replicate the files and registry entries is to install the application/game, you could not copy them over.

 

[Tradesman1]

You can clone your old SSD to the new one then manually clean it up (or better yet, clean up the old and then clone it)