How much of a chore is it to reinstall windows 10 to an ssd from a usb when it was on ur hdd? Must buy ssd first build?

David_24

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Aug 26, 2015
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If I want to install windows 10 onto an ssd someday should I really be buying the ssd or can I just add the ssd later on and easily switch windows onto it?

Will I loose any of my files on the hdd?
will all my programs still be installed correctly?
are there any unforseen consiquences or problems.
how long will it take me?

I have a very tight budget with a large upgrade path so this is an important question for me.
 
Solution


1. No, not just the size of windows. Everything on that C drive or partition

2. For Steam games, yes, sort of. It's a little more complex than that, though.
For all other games and applications, no.

USAFRet

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If the total used space on the existing HDD is smaller than the size of the new SSD, it can be relatively easy.
Clone from old drive to new drive.
If everything goes right, maybe an hour.
If everything goes right, you lose no files, and everything works exactly as it did before, just on the new SSD.

Or, you simply do a new OS install on the new SSD, just like you do the first time on the HDD.
Starting again from a bare OS.
 

David_24

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sorry, if I'm using a couple terribytes of the hdd I can't clone with smaller ssd or you just mean the size of windows on the hdd?
if i do a new OS install on the new SSD then rehook my hdd to the pc will all my games still be installed on the hdd and understood where they are by the ssd os??
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


1. No, not just the size of windows. Everything on that C drive or partition

2. For Steam games, yes, sort of. It's a little more complex than that, though.
For all other games and applications, no.
 
Solution