Question Formatting SSD, am I losing my HDD programs?

[FioGermi]

Good evening!

I'm getting a little uncomfortable with my PC performance recently and I would like to format or getting a clean installation of Windows 10. I have my OS in a SSD and all the programs and games (Steam, Epic, etc.) in TWO HDDs. My question is: Will I be able to use my programs and games on my HDDs or I will have to reinstall all of it again? That's basically what's stopping me because I wouldn't like to reinstall almost 2tb of games all over again if I have an efficient way to avoid that.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Endre]

Good evening!

I'm getting a little uncomfortable with my PC performance recently and I would like to format or getting a clean installation of Windows 10. I have my OS in a SSD and all the programs and games (Steam, Epic, etc.) in TWO HDDs. My question is: Will I be able to use my programs and games on my HDDs or I will have to reinstall all of it again? That's basically what's stopping me because I wouldn't like to reinstall almost 2tb of games all over again if I have an efficient way to avoid that.

Thank you so much for your help!

Hello!

If you re-install Windows clean, then yes, you'll have to also re-install the drivers, programs, games, etc.

 

[FioGermi]

Hello!

If you re-install Windows clean, then yes, you'll have to also re-install the drivers, programs, games, etc.

So it would be a good idea to also format my two HDDs right?

Thank you!

 

[Endre]

So it would be a good idea to also format my two HDDs right?

Thank you!

Hello again!

No. By formatting the HDDs you'll lose the personal files without any positive gain.

You could defragment the HDDs using Windows built-in option. That will optimize them.

 

[FioGermi]

Hello again!

No. By formatting the HDDs you'll lose the personal files without any positive gain.

You could defragment the HDDs using Windows built-in option. That will optimize them.

Thank you! Will give it a look then

 

[nbartolo7]

Will I be able to use my programs and games on my HDDs or I will have to reinstall all of it again?

I don't see why it wouldn't work. If you don't move any folders around, once you reinstall Windows on the SSD, it should recognize everything perfectly. The other drives (HDDs) have nothing to do with the SSD, so you should not have to reinstall your games. It should be fine.

 

[USAFRet]

A clean OS install means a reinstall of all your applications as well.
No matter where they live.

Games from one of the major platforms like Steam may be OK, depending on where they are.
But the Steam client, and all your other applications WILL need to be reinstalled.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. If you don't move any folders around, once you reinstall Windows on the SSD, it should recognize everything perfectly. The other drives (HDDs) have nothing to do with the SSD, so you should not have to reinstall your games. It should be fine.

It doesn't work like that.