How do I migrate my os to a ssd if it is to big

[FreshPineApples]

My os is mixed in with all my games and such on the c drive so is there a way to isolate just the os and put it on the ssd with out all the other stuff?

 

[USAFRet]

My os is mixed in with all my games and such on the c drive so is there a way to isolate just the os and put it on the ssd with out all the other stuff?

No, there is not a way to do that easily. You can't just do parts of the install.
You have to reduce the size of your C partition to significantly below the size of the SSD.

For instance...with a 250GB SSD, you want to total used space to be below 200GB.

Now...what you need to so is analyze exactly what is taking up your space.
Music and video, maybe? That can easily be moved to elsewhere.

 

[FreshPineApples]

I don't really have any music or videos so I can just delete what I have if anything but I think the main things taking up space is my games and programs especially the bigger ones like gta v and bf4 would I just have to delete them sense I don't have a external drive?

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

What version of windows are you using? Why not just reinstall fresh on the SSD? Windows install isn't as bad as it used to be. Plus it's nice to start fresh sometimes. If you do decide to start fresh, make sure to unplug the current hard drive.

 

[FreshPineApples]

What version of windows are you using? Why not just reinstall fresh on the SSD? Windows install isn't as bad as it used to be. Plus it's nice to start fresh sometimes. If you do decide to start fresh, make sure to unplug the current hard drive.

I am using windows 10 and I am hesitant on just reinstalling due to how long it would take to redownload my games and programs.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't really have any music or videos so I can just delete what I have if anything but I think the main things taking up space is my games and programs especially the bigger ones like gta v and bf4 would I just have to delete them sense I don't have a external drive?

If you have no where else to put them, you are out of luck.
For a cloning operation, the source data must be smaller than the target drive.
You can't pick and choose what you want to clone over. All or nothing.

 

[USAFRet]

What size data and drives are we talking about?

 

[FreshPineApples]

Well could I just do a clean install of the os to the ssd and then just delete to old version from the hard drive it would be a lot easier than losing everything.

 

[FreshPineApples]

What size data and drives are we talking about?

The ssd is a evo 850 250 gb and the hdd c drive is 705 gb (disk management says about 255gb)

 

[USAFRet]

What size data and drives are we talking about?

The ssd is a evo 850 250 gb and the hdd c drive is 705 gb (disk management says about 255gb)

2 options:
Remove about 60GB from your current install. Probably 2 games.
Then clone it over.
or
Clean install on the new SSD.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

You may want to look up migrating the games. For example I know the steam folder can simply be moved from one hard drive to another. I'm pretty sure this goes for EA Origin as well. Battle.net games can be moved. You just have to reinstall the Battle.net program, then there is a option next to install to locate the game. The programs may be a different matter. Personally I would suck it up and just start fresh on the ssd.

You can install fresh to the SSD. Then attach the second hard drive. From there you should be able to copy all the stuff you need or just leave it there.

 

[viometrix]

personally id do a clean install.... youll get faster performance for it overall and nice and tidy files

 

[FreshPineApples]

I am going to go for the clean install on the ssd and then leave the hdd for the bigger files and games I don't play to often I will let you know how the install goes.

 

[FreshPineApples]

I got everything working but I am curious if I should move over my users file to the hdd in order to preserve the lifespan of the ssd? and would it be bad to put my antivirus on the ssd or would it be bad because of all the temp data the installer doesn't have an option to set the instillation location.

 

[USAFRet]

I got everything working but I am curious if I should move over my users file to the hdd in order to preserve the lifespan of the ssd? and would it be bad to put my antivirus on the ssd or would it be bad because of all the temp data the installer doesn't have an option to set the instillation location.

NO. Do not do this.
There are no good reasons to do it, and many bad reasons.

Current consumer grade SSD lifespan is measured in years. It will become obsolete due to being too small far earlier than it will die from too many writes.

A typical SSD has a warranty of 5 or 10 years, or 75TB or 150TB total writes.
My 3 year old Kingston 120GB boot drive, which I just got finished swapping out...has 12.5TB total writes over those 3 years of 24/7 operation. You do the math.

Why NOT to move your /User/ folder? Read this:
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/