Question Fresh clean install - how to migrate?

[BladePocok]

Hey there!

I have two drives: an SSD that has my current OS on it and a HDD that has the programs/games.

I'm planning to buy a brand new SSD, alongside a fresh OS install, however I'm not sure what will happen to the programs/games on my current HDD.

Will the registry rebuild itself? Can the settings be copied over manually from the old SSD to the new one into their appropriate folders?

So the overall question is, how to approach this situation?

Thank you!

 

[USAFRet]

Migration (cloning) of the current OS from Drive 1 to Drive 2 incurs NO problems with whatever is on the other drive(s).

A fresh OS install is completely different.
All your programs would need to be reinstalled.
Most games can stay on the old drive, and the New game client simply told where they are.


So...which are you wanting to do?
Clone, or clean install?

 

[BladePocok]

Clean install is my goal here, this system feels quite bloated as it is.

 

[USAFRet]

Clean install is my goal here, this system feels quite bloated as it is.

Then none of the setting, programs, Reg entries will transfer, or are able to be 'copied'.

The only exception is things like Steam game content.

 

[BladePocok]

That's sad, I thought some items/programs could be salvaged.

I did install a couple of them separately to save space and hoped it will be a future proof method (once the clean install happens), but it seems that was a faulty logic to begin with.

 

[BladePocok]

So in the future, just get the crucial/everyday software under the C drive and let the documents/games/offline content rest on other drives?

 

[USAFRet]

That's sad, I thought some items/programs could be salvaged.

I did install a couple of them separately to save space and hoped it will be a future proof method (once the clean install happens), but it seems that was a faulty logic to begin with.

When an application is installed, it makes dozens, sometimes hundreds of entries int he Registry and elsewhere.
The new OS knows nothing about these.

Some applications are simple enough to be transferred. But is is much safer, and faster, to just redo it.

 

[USAFRet]

So in the future, just get the crucial/everyday software under the C drive and let the documents/games/offline content rest on other drives?

OS and applications go on the same drive.
Steam game content can go on different drives.
You can even designate a different drive as the default.

 

[BladePocok]

Thank you for the quick responses/help, appreciate it!