[SOLVED] How do I install windows 10 on a new ssd while keeping my hdd for storage?

[Blime187x]

Can someone please help explain step by step how I would install windows 10 on a new 1tb ssd and use it for my boot drive, while keeping my 1tb hdd for storage (which is currently running windows 7)

Would I lose anything that is already on my hdd? How would I transfer the things that I want from my hdd to my ssd?

Any help and thorough explanations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

 

[USAFRet]

What, specifically, do you seek to 'transfer'?

 

[Blime187x]

Mainly my games and maybe some media content. Would I have to download all of them again? Onto the new ssd? or would I be able to just transfer them from my hdd?

 

[USAFRet]

Mainly my games and maybe some media content. Would I have to download all of them again? Onto the new ssd? or would I be able to just transfer them from my hdd?

Ideally what will we want to happen is copy anything you want elsewhere, and later we will wipe that HDD completely.
Then, copy that data back.


Your media content - The best way is to locate all that, and copy it to some other storage device. Flash drive, external USB, whatever.
Copy the files, not the Library that contains them. Those built in Libs carry the permissions of your Win 7 user, and will be a pain later.


Games - Are these Steam games? If so, locate the SteamApps folder, and copy that whole thing to another drive.


Now that we have your personal data saved elsewhere and offline during this, we do a fresh install of WIn 10 on the 1TB SSD.
You do this with ONLY the SSD connected.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

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Later, you then connect the old drive and wipe ALL partitions on it. THis leaves it all blank for you to use as desired.

For your Steam games, the new Steam client can be told where those games reside on the HDD.
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder