How do I move windows to another Drive?

[bnewlands32]

I want to move Windows to an SSD so I can use it as a boot drive. The SSD is a lot smaller so I can't clone the whole thing. How can I do this?

 

[USAFRet]

GPU: https://www.amazon.com/GeForce-Overclocked-DisplayPort-Graphic-TURBO-GTX960-OC-4GD5/dp/B016TZUPSQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499641226&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+960+turbo+4gb
Which of the motherboard drivers do I download to the USB stick?

GPU drivers here:
https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards/STRIXGTX960DC2OC4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

Motherboard?
LAN, audio, chipset, and whatever else they have.
Just the most recent, non-beta versions.

I don't have the strix version of the card.

OK then...the Turbo
https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards/TURBO-GTX960-OC-4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

For the motherboard do I have to download the manuals?

Only if you want a local copy...
I usually do. Helpful if you get into some situation where you cannot get online for some reason.

 

[bnewlands32]

GPU: https://www.amazon.com/GeForce-Overclocked-DisplayPort-Graphic-TURBO-GTX960-OC-4GD5/dp/B016TZUPSQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499641226&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+960+turbo+4gb
Which of the motherboard drivers do I download to the USB stick?

GPU drivers here:
https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards/STRIXGTX960DC2OC4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

Motherboard?
LAN, audio, chipset, and whatever else they have.
Just the most recent, non-beta versions.

I don't have the strix version of the card.

OK then...the Turbo
https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards/TURBO-GTX960-OC-4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

For the motherboard do I have to download the manuals?

Only if you want a local copy...
I usually do. Helpful if you get into some situation where you cannot get online for some reason.

I booted up, updated, etc with the new SSD. I used the disk during installation and logged in then. It saved a few things like my backgrounds. I went to plug the USB stick in when I was in BIOS but it said Update file not found or something like that. SO I think my drivers saved, I didn't need to install any of them. Now what do I do?

 

[USAFRet]

I booted up, updated, etc with the new SSD. I used the disk during installation and logged in then. It saved a few things like my backgrounds. I went to plug the USB stick in when I was in BIOS but it said Update file not found or something like that. SO I think my drivers saved, I didn't need to install any of them. Now what do I do?

That message would seem to be speaking of a BIOS update. Which you do not need.

What you have on your USB (hopefully) is your hardware drivers.

Install those as needed. GPU, audio. if you have a fancy keyboard or mouse.

Did the OS activate itself?

 

[bnewlands32]

I booted up, updated, etc with the new SSD. I used the disk during installation and logged in then. It saved a few things like my backgrounds. I went to plug the USB stick in when I was in BIOS but it said Update file not found or something like that. SO I think my drivers saved, I didn't need to install any of them. Now what do I do?

That message would seem to be speaking of a BIOS update. Which you do not need.

What you have on your USB (hopefully) is your hardware drivers.

Install those as needed. GPU, audio. if you have a fancy keyboard or mouse.

Did the OS activate itself?

I didn't need any drivers. I haven't tried the GPU yet but that's because I don't know how to access my games. All I had to do with the OS is login with my Microsoft account. I plugged my HDD's in now but don't know how to transfer the files. I want to transfer some of the programs to the SSD too. Which I also don;t know how to do...

 

[USAFRet]

You can't transfer programs like that.
They will need to be reinstalled.

 

[bnewlands32]

You can't transfer programs like that.
They will need to be reinstalled.

What about all my files like pictures, game saves, etc.?

 

[USAFRet]

You can't transfer programs like that.
They will need to be reinstalled.

What about all my files like pictures, game saves, etc.?

Pictures, sure.
Game saves...you'll have to find those.

 

[bnewlands32]

You can't transfer programs like that.
They will need to be reinstalled.

What about all my files like pictures, game saves, etc.?

Pictures, sure.
Game saves...you'll have to find those.

so do I just drag and drop with my pictures? wouldn't the game saves be in my steam folder?
Why can't i use the HDD normally now?

 

[USAFRet]

so do I just drag and drop with my pictures? wouldn't the game saves be in my steam folder?
Why can't i use the HDD normally now?

Not every game saves it in the Steam folder. (actually, steamapps folder)

Yes, you can copy/paste your pics, etc.
The reason you want to move everything off the old drive and wipe it is because that Windows install is just sitting there taking up space.
And getting rid of 'windows' while there is still stiff in that partition is non-trivial.
Easier to know there is nothing in there, and then wipe the entire drive.
Then you can use it for whatever you wish.

 

[bnewlands32]

so do I just drag and drop with my pictures? wouldn't the game saves be in my steam folder?
Why can't i use the HDD normally now?

Not every game saves it in the Steam folder. (actually, steamapps folder)

Yes, you can copy/paste your pics, etc.
The reason you want to move everything off the old drive and wipe it is because that Windows install is just sitting there taking up space.
And getting rid of 'windows' while there is still stiff in that partition is non-trivial.
Easier to know there is nothing in there, and then wipe the entire drive.
Then you can use it for whatever you wish.

How do I know which ones are saves? do I just copy the whole game folder?

 

[USAFRet]

How do I know which ones are saves? do I just copy the whole game folder?

Copy the entire SteamApps folder off to the new HDD.

 

[bnewlands32]

How do I know which ones are saves? do I just copy the whole game folder?

Copy the entire SteamApps folder off to the new HDD.

OK I copied the whole then created a new folder for steam downloads then moved them to that but I didn't have any of them downloaded. Is this right? Also, where do I access pictures and videos?

 

[USAFRet]

OK I copied the whole then created a new folder for steam downloads then moved them to that but I didn't have any of them downloaded. Is this right? Also, where do I access pictures and videos?

Did you install the Steam client again, with the new OS?
If so, can you see those games in the Steam client game list?

Pictures? From the old drive?
They are wherever you had them before, on that drive.

 

[bnewlands32]

OK I copied the whole then created a new folder for steam downloads then moved them to that but I didn't have any of them downloaded. Is this right? Also, where do I access pictures and videos?

Did you install the Steam client again, with the new OS?
If so, can you see those games in the Steam client game list?

Pictures? From the old drive?
They are wherever you had them before, on that drive.

I did install steam again. I see all the games but they are not installed.
There was a pictures tab but I don't see it on the old drive

 

[USAFRet]

I did install steam again. I see all the games but they are not installed.
There was a pictures tab but I don't see it on the old drive

If the Steam client can see them, they are (mostly) installed. Run one, and it will probably install some minimal stuff. Not the whole game again.

Your pictures on the old drive are probably under:
D:/Users/<YourUserName>/Pictures

 

[bnewlands32]

I did install steam again. I see all the games but they are not installed.
There was a pictures tab but I don't see it on the old drive

If the Steam client can see them, they are (mostly) installed. Run one, and it will probably install some minimal stuff. Not the whole game again.

Your pictures on the old drive are probably under:
D:/Users/<YourUserName>/Pictures

I tried ARK and when it went to install it was 19.7 Gb which I assume is the whole game.

 

[USAFRet]

I tried ARK and when it went to install it was 19.7 Gb which I assume is the whole game.

I'm thinking you've not told the new Steam client about the current location of the games.
In the Steam client:
Steam
Settings
Steam Library Folders

What does it show?

 

[bnewlands32]

I tried ARK and when it went to install it was 19.7 Gb which I assume is the whole game.

I'm thinking you've not told the new Steam client about the current location of the games.
In the Steam client:
Steam
Settings
Steam Library Folders

What does it show?

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam 0 0 bytes 199.96 GB
I:\Steam Games Yes 0 0 bytes 1,365.03 GB
i added spaces but it didn't show I don't know how to fix it

 

[USAFRet]

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam 0 0 bytes 199.96 GB
I:\Steam Games Yes 0 0 bytes 1,365.03 GB
i added spaces but it didn't show I don't know how to fix it

This is my current Steam locations:

How does yours compare?

 

[bnewlands32]

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam 0 0 bytes 199.96 GB
I:\Steam Games Yes 0 0 bytes 1,365.03 GB
i added spaces but it didn't show I don't know how to fix it

This is my current Steam locations:

How does yours compare?

Mine is the same but installed, used space, and free space are all 0 for both

 

[USAFRet]

Mine is the same but installed, used space, and free space are all 0 for both

As suspected, the new Steam client does not know where the SteamApps folder lives.

So then Add that location:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

 

[bnewlands32]

Mine is the same but installed, used space, and free space are all 0 for both

As suspected, the new Steam client does not know where the SteamApps folder lives.

So then Add that location:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

I did that and added the whole steamapps folder to it.

 

[USAFRet]

I did that and added the whole steamapps folder to it.

And then?
It may just need to run through some initialization, rather than actually downloading the whole game again.

 

[bnewlands32]

I did that and added the whole steamapps folder to it.

And then?
It may just need to run through some initialization, rather than actually downloading the whole game again.

When I went to install one it was the whole size of the game though. Should I transfer the whole steam folder?

 

[USAFRet]

I did that and added the whole steamapps folder to it.

And then?
It may just need to run through some initialization, rather than actually downloading the whole game again.

When I went to install one it was the whole size of the game though. Should I transfer the whole steam folder?

All it should need is the SteamApps folder. Assuming you copied that correctly from the original location.

In my system:
G:/SteamGames/steamapps/AndThenAllTheGameStuff