Question How to delete Windows 10 from an old HDD without formating it?

[Angela91]

I got a new SSD for my PC, replacing the HDD I was using. However, I kept the old HDD installed on my PC because I plan on using it as additional storage for games, etc. Basically, I installed Windows 10 on the SSD through a USB, switched the boot order in the BIOS so that it will always boot the Windows 10 on the SSD and not the one in the HDD first. Everything is working perfectly fine with the SSD and with my new copy of Windows 10, however I now want to delete the old copy of Windows 10 installed on the HDD that I used to use as the main system. I would just format the HDD but I have a few saved files (game saves and documents) that I want to keep. So I was wondering, how can I delete the old Windows 10 without deleting the game saves and documents I want to keep? It's mostly just so I can free space on the HDD and delete the unnecessary old Windows 10 that I know I won't use.

By the way, my HDD is partitioned in D: and E:. D: used to be C: but because I now have Windows installed on the SSD, the name changed to D:. That's were the old Windows 10 copy is installed and the partition E: is just filled with game files and used to be empty (so not relevant to the Windows 10 issue but I'm mentioning it because I don't want to delete anything in that partition).

If it's absolutely neccesary, I can just format the partition D: but in that case, where are most game save files (ex: steam games) located? (assuming I didn't change the location). Also, where is the desktop stuff located? Because I had an important folder on my other desktop but now I can't find it. Actually, I just find it pretty hard to locate a lot of old stuff that I want to back up before formating the HDD.

 

[DSzymborski]

If it's just some saved game files and documents, just temporarily move them over to the SSD and then format the HDD. The documents ought to be backed up anyway; if they're not, you have a far more urgent problem there than the one you're seeking to address.

 

[Angela91]

If it's just some saved game files and documents, just temporarily move them over to the SSD and then format the HDD. The documents ought to be backed up anyway; if they're not, you have a far more urgent problem there than the one you're seeking to address.

Yeah but I'm not sure where they are. I already thought about that (as mentioned on the end of my post) but I can't even find the stuff that used to be on my other desktop. I searched on a lot of folders but I just can't find them. There also are a few important documents I need but I can't find them either.

Also what do you mean by "The documents ought to be backed up anyway; if they're not, you have a far more urgent problem there than the one you're seeking to address."?

 

[DSzymborski]

Yeah but I'm not sure where they are. I already thought about that (as mentioned on the end of my post) but I can't even find the stuff that used to be on my other desktop. I searched on a lot of files but I just can't find them. There also are a few important documents I need but I can't find them either.

Also what do you mean by "The documents ought to be backed up anyway; if they're not, you have a far more urgent problem there than the one you're seeking to address."?

Well, you'd need to find them. How would you know what to delete if you don't where they are?

Important documents should always be backed up. If you can't format a drive because of the presence of documents, that suggests you don't have a proper backup strategy. Having a proper backup of important files is a basic part of PC upkeep and if you don't have a proper backup of important files, that's a far bigger issue than having some space you want to clear up.

 

[Angela91]

Well, you'd need to find them. How would you know what to delete if you don't where they are?

Yes, I know I need to find them and that's what I'm trying to do. That's why I'm also asking "where are most game save files (ex: steam games) located? (assuming I didn't change the location). Also, where is the desktop stuff located? Because I had an important folder on my other desktop but now I can't find it." (copied from the end of my post).
Also, I do backup important files with OneDrive), however it's not a daily backup. So anything that was modified after my last backup, I need to save before formating. The issue being: I can't find them even after trying to locate them by name. I would just delete folders I already checked and know aren't neccesary but I can't because I need "TrustedInstaller" permissions and I have no idea how to get them.

 

[Lafong]

Most people save most stuff somewhere under C:\Users\your user name whatever it is.

But that's optional. You can save pictures of your cat anywhere if you want.

If you recall parts of any file names, you should be able to find any file in 1 second flat with a good search tool like Everything.