How can I only move my OS from my hdd to a ssd

[forestgather50]

So I am planning on buying a samsung evo ssd pretty soon. My hdd is 1 tb but the ssd I plan on getting is only going to be 250 GB mainly because I only want to move my os on there so I can have a faster pc.

Now from the various sources I have read it states that I have to have a like or larger storage for my ssd so that all my files from my hdd will move over. Is there anyway for me to just move the os?

I have also heard many people say that it is simply easier and better to simply do a clean install on the ssd and simply male that your boot drive. Which would be the better way to go?

 

[ron2456]

Are there any partitions for the OS only on the HDD? If not then you maybe out of luck.

 

[jankerson]

In your case the only way to go is to do a clean install on the SSD then just delete the unwanted stuff on the other drive later.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Windows 10 Clean install tutorial


That is what you want to do if you have more than about 200GB of data on your C: partition after cleaning it up and uninstalling any non-essential programs.

Honestly, if it's been a while since you've done a clean install, or if you never have, it's probably a good idea anyway. Be sure before you do anything though that the OS is attached to a Microsoft account which is registered to an email account you have access to, just in case. Should be no problem since you are not changing motherboards, but better safe than sorry.

How to associate your windows 10 license with a Microsoft account


Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change


Windows build 1607 and activation after a hardware change

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[USAFRet]

As above...you cannot migrate "only the OS".
There is no function or application for that.

For a 250GB SSD target drive, your actual consumed space needs to be below 200GB for this to work.
The Samsung Data Migration lets you leave off things like video and music, but other than that, everything goes.

Given that data usage, you really only have one option, a clean install on the SSD.
Of course, this means a clean install of everything else as well. Your applications currently living on the HDD won't be usable.

 

[forestgather50]

In your case the only way to go is to do a clean install on the SSD then just delete the unwanted stuff on the other drive later.

So what would happen with my my data on my old hdd? Would those programs still show up on my desktop after i plug it back after the clean install on my ssd or would i have to completely reinstall everything even though its already on my hdd and thats where i want it to be?

 

[jankerson]

Or they can get a larger SSD than 250GB.

 

[forestgather50]

As above...you cannot migrate "only the OS".
There is no function or application for that.

For a 250GB SSD target drive, your actual consumed space needs to be below 200GB for this to work.
The Samsung Data Migration lets you leave off things like video and music, but other than that, everything goes.

Given that data usage, you really only have one option, a clean install on the SSD.
Of course, this means a clean install of everything else as well. Your applications currently living on the HDD won't be usable.

So when i plug in my old hdd with all my programs on it after the clean install of the os on to my ssd the programs wont boot or anything?

 

[jankerson]

In your case the only way to go is to do a clean install on the SSD then just delete the unwanted stuff on the other drive later.

So what would happen with my my data on my old hdd? Would those programs still show up on my desktop after i plug it back after the clean install on my ssd or would i have to completely reinstall everything even though its already on my hdd and thats where i want it to be?

Nope, you would have to reinstall everything.

It's either that or get a larger SSD.

 

[USAFRet]

So when i plug in my old hdd with all my programs on it after the clean install of the os on to my ssd the programs wont boot or anything?

When an application is installed, it makes dozens, sometimes thousands of entries in the Registry and elsewhere.
Your new OS on the SSD knows nothing about them.

 

[Darkbreeze]

And when you've installed and then removed, or updated, any programs, it often leaves behind MANY of those registry entries and other files, which is a big part of the reason why a clean install is recommended in the first place. Sometimes those orphan files and registry entries tend to bog down or outright create problems for the operating system over time.

If you've been through one or more spring or fall major Windows 10 updates, or upgraded from a previous version of Windows to any build version of Windows 10, without having ever done a clean install, I'd highly recommend doing a clean install and reinstalling your applications whether you had a large enough SSD to handle the clone process or not.