How do i transfer data from a hard drive w/ windows 7 to a new build with windows 8???

[NickCapolupo]

I want to transfer all the data from my hard drive now, over to a new build i plan on building soon.. it will have windows 8 until windows 10 comes out. I am curious as to how i should transfer all my data over, without transfering the actual windows 7. The new build will have a SSD that i want to install the OS on, and then a normal hard drive, that i would like to transfer all my data to from the old. Does this make sense? Is it possible? Is it difficult? Thanks for the help.

-Nick

 

[LostAlone]

Yes it's certainly possible. And while I know this might sound kinda silly, all you need to do is drag and drop.

Something like this - Format the new HDD and install windows 8, then boot the PC up with both hard drives attached and drag what you want from one hard drive to the other. Or just leave your files on the old HDD and keep both connected.

However; you won't be able to keep installed programs. Most applications will let you back up user data, but you will still need to do nice, clean installs of each application then manually restore the backed up data yourself. I know it sucks, but honestly you'll spend more time trying to avoid this than just biting the bullet and getting on with it.

 

[NickCapolupo]

Dang. Thats gonna suck. Thanks though

 

[LostAlone]

Dang. Thats gonna suck. Thanks though

I had to do it myself fairly recently. I spent maybe three days trying to find a way to export that stuff onto a clean windows install (and I was just doing Win7 to Win7) but in the end it took me maybe three hours to get my day to day stuff re-installed and set-up how I like. I felt stupid, lol.