How could i move my OS to another drive on my PC?

[horsemeAT]

I'm thinking about buying a 250gb SSD, since right now all i have is a 500GB HDD with everything on it. Now since my PC is an Acer desktop, would my OS be locked to the 500GB drive that came with my PC?
I plan to run just the OS from the SSD, and have everything else like programs, steam games, etc ran from the 500g HDD. I don't know much storage knowledge, so tell me whatever i need to know for this type of thing..

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

So long as you can create the media restore disk, then you should be able to reinstall the OS onto the SSD. Be sure to remove the old drive, install onto the SSD then reinstall the HDD, otherwise you may encounter odd boot issues.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

A fresh clean install of the operating system is the recommended method of installation. Once the installation is complete and the operating system is working satisfactorily you can delete the operating system from the hard disk drive.

If you are going to purchase a 256 GB solid state drive, then you should install the operating system, drivers, utilities, software applications, and a few favorite games to the ssd. Microsoft Windows only takes up about 20GB to 24GB. It would be a shame to waste over 200GB of unused storage capacity.

 

[MassEffectIT]

You can do this kind of thing with a cloning software, like Acronis. However, for optimal use of the SSD, it is better to install Windows on it fresh. Do you have the installation media for the Windows? (if it is Windows 10, you can just download it, no disks needed).
Install it on the SSD, use your serial to activate, and then copy the data from the HDD.

 

[horsemeAT]

You can do this kind of thing with a cloning software, like Acronis. However, for optimal use of the SSD, it is better to install Windows on it fresh. Do you have the installation media for the Windows? (if it is Windows 10, you can just download it, no disks needed).
Install it on the SSD, use your serial to activate, and then copy the data from the HDD.

I can make a recovery disc of my OS from this drive? Would that work? It's an acer computer so i have to use an acer compatible OS i think, so where would i download windows 10 for it?

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

If your computer is currently running Windows 10, search for the windows meda creation tool. When installing you can skip the activation key part. It will automatically validate once it goes online.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

The recovery disk will be the way to go otherwise. Just make the disk and do as I said in my previous post and you should be fine.

 

[horsemeAT]

If your computer is currently running Windows 10, search for the windows meda creation tool. When installing you can skip the activation key part. It will automatically validate once it goes online.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

The recovery disk will be the way to go otherwise. Just make the disk and do as I said in my previous post and you should be fine.

One last thing, do i have to uninstall the OS from my current HDD, THEN install the SSD and install the os on there? Otherwise i would have both drives with the operating system on them right?

 

[scottfree1_01]

I would pickup paragon partition manager free edition and use the "migrate os" wizard, this is designed to idiot proof the process, if all goes as planned you end up with 2 copies of your os and can select either from your boot menu, you can hang on to your original as a backup, and either just leave it, or format the old drive once your sure the new copy is good..

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

No you don't have to uninstall the OS from the HDD. Once installed, the SSD will be set to boot first. The HDD will still have the windows on it, but will not boot. Then if you want you can delete all the windows files or simply reformat the entire HDD to wipe everything off.

 

[horsemeAT]

No you don't have to uninstall the OS from the HDD. Once installed, the SSD will be set to boot first. The HDD will still have the windows on it, but will not boot. Then if you want you can delete all the windows files or simply reformat the entire HDD to wipe everything off.

So i'll be able to delete literally anything off the HDD? system files, anything?

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

Yes. But so we are in the same page I"ll list steps again.
1. Create restore disk, if you can take the time to verify them after creation. (should give option as you create the disk.)
2. Remove the HDD and replace it with the SSD
3. Run restore disk
4. Install old HDD and boot up to windows. It should boot to the new install.
5. Either...
a. Go into windows file explorer, find and delete the windows folder and any other files you don't want from the HDD
b. Go into Disk management and reformat the HDD to delete everything.
6. Enjoy

If for whatever odd reason your system boots to the old hdd. Download boot to GParted Software linked below. Use that to wipe the HDD and that should solve that issue.
http://download.cnet.com/GParted-Live/3000-2094_4-10698802.html

 

[horsemeAT]

Yes. But so we are in the same page I"ll list steps again.
1. Create restore disk, if you can take the time to verify them after creation. (should give option as you create the disk.)
2. Remove the HDD and replace it with the SSD
3. Run restore disk
4. Install old HDD and boot up to windows. It should boot to the new install.
5. Either...
a. Go into windows file explorer, find and delete the windows folder and any other files you don't want from the HDD
b. Go into Disk management and reformat the HDD to delete everything.
6. Enjoy

If for whatever odd reason your system boots to the old hdd. Download boot to GParted Software linked below. Use that to wipe the HDD and that should solve that issue.
http://download.cnet.com/GParted-Live/3000-2094_4-10698802.html

Sorry to be so particular, haha. But thanks for all your help man

 

[horsemeAT]

Yes. But so we are in the same page I"ll list steps again.
1. Create restore disk, if you can take the time to verify them after creation. (should give option as you create the disk.)
2. Remove the HDD and replace it with the SSD
3. Run restore disk
4. Install old HDD and boot up to windows. It should boot to the new install.
5. Either...
a. Go into windows file explorer, find and delete the windows folder and any other files you don't want from the HDD
b. Go into Disk management and reformat the HDD to delete everything.
6. Enjoy

If for whatever odd reason your system boots to the old hdd. Download boot to GParted Software linked below. Use that to wipe the HDD and that should solve that issue.
http://download.cnet.com/GParted-Live/3000-2094_4-10698802.html

Sorry i know this is late, but what if i don't want an image of the disk, what if i just want to do a clean windows installation on the SSD?

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

To do a clean install you would need the right copy of windows install. Unfortunately you can't do a clean install from the recovery disk. It will only allow you to do a factory restore. If you have Windows 7 or newer, you can use the windows media creation tool and upgrade to windows 10. Just use the Windows Product Key on the bottom of you laptop.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10