[SOLVED] Having 2 SSD Drives With (Unactivated) Windows10 In PC - Possible ?

[worstalentscout]

hi,

is it possible to have 2 SSD drives in a desktop - both containing unactivated Windows10 and the same apps and programs ?

so in case the 1st one were to break down or taken out.......then i use the 2nd one as boot drive for the desktop ?

how about the Windows10 updates - will they be installed on both SSDs ?


many thanks in advance !

 

[Colif]

Yes, but I wouldn't have them both attached at same time

windows updates would only be installed in the currently active install so your best bet is have one unplugged and then swap them when you want to update 2nd

 

[worstalentscout]

Yes, but I wouldn't have them both attached at same time

windows updates would only be installed in the currently active install so your best bet is have one unplugged and then swap them when you want to update 2nd

many thanks......but what if i plan to use 1 as a boot drive and 1 to store data ?

i'm okay with Win10 updates only installed on the 1st drive........but possible to have the OS and the same programs and apps like Spotify, etc on BOTH drives ?

 

[Colif]

provided when you install on them only 1 is attached each time, it is probably okay to use one as OS and one as data.

you could have apps installed on both as they would be separate installs as far as they are concerned.

just don't have both in boot order or it might get confusing

 

[worstalentscout]

provided when you install on them only 1 is attached each time, it is probably okay to use one as OS and one as data.

you could have apps installed on both as they would be separate installs as far as they are concerned.

just don't have both in boot order or it might get confusing

many thanks for your reply.......

so when you mean ''only 1 is attached each time''.......you mean i must pull out the power cable + SATA cable from the 2nd drive ?

 

[USAFRet]

so in case the 1st one were to break down or taken out.......then i use the 2nd one as boot drive for the desktop ?

There are MUCH betters ways to do backups.

Having 2x identical bootable OS installed is not the way, and often leads to problems.

 

[worstalentscout]

There are MUCH betters ways to do backups.

Having 2x identical bootable OS installed is not the way, and often leads to problems.

so if the 2nd SSD has no OS then no issue ?

i was thinking if i had the OS on the 2nd SSD.......i can use it as a boot drive if the 1st SSD were to break down.......

 

[Colif]

so when you mean ''only 1 is attached each time''.......you mean i must pull out the power cable + SATA cable from the 2nd drive ?

power is probably enough, you don't want windows installer seeing the 2nd boot partitions when installing, it ends badly

 

[USAFRet]

so if the 2nd SSD has no OS then no issue ?

i was thinking if i had the OS on the 2nd SSD.......i can use it as a boot drive if the 1st SSD were to break down.......

Multiple drives is no problem.

Multiple OS's can be a problem.

You can use something like Macrium Reflect to create an Image of the C drive, to some other drive.
Automated, on a schedule. Does not have to be an identical drive.
And you can use the rest of the drive for whatever.

What is your backup situation at home?

What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[USAFRet]

i was thinking if i had the OS on the 2nd SSD.......i can use it as a boot drive if the 1st SSD were to break down.......

And physical drive breaking is only one way to have your data go bye bye.
And probably the least likely.

Virus, ransomware, otherwise corrupted....
A real backup situation protects against all of that, as well as physical drive death.

 

[worstalentscout]

you don't want windows installer seeing the 2nd boot partitions when installing, it ends badly

very sorry but i'm very very novice when it comes to computers so don't quite get what you mean .......

 

[worstalentscout]

Multiple drives is no problem.

Multiple OS's can be a problem.

You can use something like Macrium Reflect to create an Image of the C drive, to some other drive.
Automated, on a schedule. Does not have to be an identical drive.
And you can use the rest of the drive for whatever.

What is your backup situation at home?

What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong...

forums.tomshardware.com

many thanks for the info............

so the same (free version) Macrium Reflect for cloning HDD to SSD ?

so it will automatically create back-up on my 2nd SSD (the 2nd SSD must not contain OS) ?

or can i keep a copy of the OS on a thumbdrive ?........so if my 1st SSD (with OS) were to malfunction.......how do i boot the PC with my 2nd SSD has no OS ?

 

[Colif]

very sorry but i'm very very novice when it comes to computers so don't quite get what you mean .......

To make sure windows works properly on both drives, make sure only one is in PC when you install it each time.
if you put it on one SSD and then left it in PC, and did 2nd ssd, windows will see its already created part of itself on the first drive and will write over it, making the first drive not work by itself anymore.

Or just do what USAFRet is trying to explain.

 

[SkyNetRising]

if you put it on one SSD and then left it in PC, and did 2nd ssd, windows will see its already created part of itself on the first drive and will write over it, making the first drive not work by itself anymore.

I'm sorry, but that's just nonsense.

 

[USAFRet]

if you put it on one SSD and then left it in PC, and did 2nd ssd, windows will see its already created part of itself on the first drive and will write over it, making the first drive not work by itself anymore.

Actually, you have that backwards.

Installing a second OS on a second drive(B), the boot partition on the first drive(A) will contain both.

Drive A will work just fine by itself....Drive B will not.

 

[Colif]

not if they both windows 10, it might write itself over the top

 

[USAFRet]

many thanks for the info............

so the same (free version) Macrium Reflect for cloning HDD to SSD ?

so it will automatically create back-up on my 2nd SSD (the 2nd SSD must not contain OS) ?

or can i keep a copy of the OS on a thumbdrive ?........so if my 1st SSD (with OS) were to malfunction.......how do i boot the PC with my 2nd SSD has no OS ?

Yes, the Free version is fine.

You can use it to create an Image of the full drive, on whatever schedule you indicate.
That image will be a single file.
You can save it on whatever device you have that has enough free space.

On a small thumb drive, you also create a Macrium RescueUSB. Store this away in a desk drawer. I have mine in the bottom of my PC case, so it doesn't get lost or written over.

To recover:
Boot from that RescueUSB
It will give you the option to recover.
Tell it where the Image is, and what drive to apply it to.

 

[SkyNetRising]

not if they both windows 10, it might write itself over the top

Have you experienced anything like that personally?