[SOLVED] How do I move/install my OS onto a SSD without losing any of my HDD files/apps?

[cloudpersonn]

Hello,

I've brought a Samsung 970 Evo 1TB SSD recently for gaming. I plan to move my OS (Windows 10) to it, however, I don't want to lose all my HDD files and apps. Is there any way I can move just the OS to my SSD? I don't want to clone all of my HDD files over to my SSD as my HDD is around 1.6tbs in size and my SSD is only 1tb in size.

I've already put Windows 10 installation files onto a USB using the media creation tool in the event that's needed, and I was originally planning to just reinstall Windows onto the SSD and then delete Windows on the HDD, but now I worry I'll lose everything on my HDD if I do that.

 

[USAFRet]

You cannot move "just the OS". There is no tool or function to do that.

With the Samsung tool, it gives the capability to leave off static files. (Documents/Video/Music).
But I find that to be FAR too clunky to be useful.

To migrate into a 1TB 970, the actual consumed space on the source drive must be below 800GB.

 

[cloudpersonn]

You cannot move "just the OS". There is no tool or function to do that.

With the Samsung tool, it gives the capability to leave off static files. (Documents/Video/Music).
But I find that to be FAR too clunky to be useful.

To migrate into a 1TB 970, the actual consumed space on the source drive must be below 800GB.

Well, is there a way I can reinstall the OS onto the SSD w/o losing any files? I read somewhere I could use a USB with the W10 installation media on it to install W10 onto the SSD, set the SSD as the boot drive and then keep all of the stuff on my HDD.

 

[USAFRet]

Well, is there a way I can reinstall the OS onto the SSD w/o losing any files? I read somewhere I could use a USB with the W10 installation media on it to install W10 onto the SSD, set the SSD as the boot drive and then keep all of the stuff on my HDD.

Yes, but....

Applications on the HDD will not be usable with the new OS on the 970.

Games like via Steam/Origin will probably be OK. You just have to tell the new Steam client where they live on the HDD.

Personal files like Doc/Video/etc are accessible, but a bit of a pain if they are in the Library folders. Those folders carry the permissions of the original user. If at all possible, copy those files out to somewhere other than the default Library folders. Then, accessing those is no problem.


And after installing the OS on the 970, you really really need to remove the whole Windows thing from the HDD> You don't want 2x bootable OSs in this system.

 

[cloudpersonn]

Yes, but....

Applications on the HDD will not be usable with the new OS on the 970.

Games like via Steam/Origin will probably be OK. You just have to tell the new Steam client where they live on the HDD.

Personal files like Doc/Video/etc are accessible, but a bit of a pain if they are in the Library folders. Those folders carry the permissions of the original user. If at all possible, copy those files out to somewhere other than the default Library folders. Then, accessing those is no problem.


And after installing the OS on the 970, you really really need to remove the whole Windows thing from the HDD> You don't want 2x bootable OSs in this system.

That's unfortunate. Is there anything else I can do to put the OS/install the OS onto the SSD without issues like this or is this my best option?

 

[USAFRet]

That's unfortunate. Is there anything else I can do to put the OS/install the OS onto the SSD without issues like this or is this my best option?

What, exactly, is on the HDD?

Reduce that consumed space to below 800GB, and you can migrate the whole thing over.
Do you have another drive around? Even an external with some blank space would work.
Move things to some other drive.
Migrate what is left to the SSD.
Wipe the HDD.
Then move things into the now blank HDD.

 

[Krotow]

Seems easier and FASTER way is

1. Disconnect HDD from computer.
2. Connect SSD to computer as first drive.
3. Install Windows, software, games etc. on SSD.
4. Connect back your old HDD as second drive. Clean not required stuff aka old windows and software and continue to use this disk as archive drive.

Even better if you can move your documents and other required files from HDD elsewhere and format that HDD before using it as archive drive.

 

[cloudpersonn]

What, exactly, is on the HDD?

Reduce that consumed space to below 800GB, and you can migrate the whole thing over.
Do you have another drive around? Even an external with some blank space would work.
Move things to some other drive.
Migrate what is left to the SSD.
Wipe the HDD.
Then move things into the now blank HDD.

Is 872GBs enough to migrate to a 1tb SSD? I will likely transfer a lot of stuff back to the HDD afterwards (likely just leaving the OS on the SSD w/ all of the applications and files I migrated moved back to the HDD as I don't want 90% of them on the SSD) so I'll probably get it under 800gb after that

Disconnect HDD from computer.

By the way, if I go with installing W10 onto the SSD why is this needed? Can't I just leave the HDD in and just set the SSD as boot drive instead of having to swap the HDD in, out, and then in again?

 

[USAFRet]

Is 872GBs enough to migrate to a 1tb SSD? I will likely transfer a lot of stuff back to the HDD afterwards (likely just leaving the OS on the SSD) so I'll probably get it under 800gb after that

To migrate to a 1TB drive, the actual consumed space MUST be below 800GB.
Not 872.

By the way, if I go with installing W10 onto the SSD why is this needed? Can't I just leave the HDD in and just set the SSD as boot drive instead of having to swap the HDD in, out, and then in again?

When installing Windows, have only ONE drive physically connected. You reconnect other drives later.

Why? It is quite likely that the install process will put the boot partition on the other drive. Nothing you select or do. It just does it.
Just unplug the data and power cables. Takes 30 seconds.

 

[USAFRet]

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