How to install old HDD into a new PC without formatting it?

[HOonix]

Hey there,

I'm gonna build a PC tomorrow. I have a 1TB HDD which stores my Steam Library, how can I install that HDD without formatting it?

Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

Hey there,

I'm gonna build a PC tomorrow. I have a 1TB HDD which stores my Steam Library, how can I install that HDD without formatting it?

Thanks

Is this to be a secondary drive, and the OS in the new system will be on a different drive?
What else is on this besides your Steam lib?

 

[gergguy]

The good news is there is no reason to format the drive if you don't want to. The bad news is if this is the drive with your operating system on it, you are probably going to have to delete the directory of the OS on it and reinstall it.

 

[HOonix]

Hey there,

I'm gonna build a PC tomorrow. I have a 1TB HDD which stores my Steam Library, how can I install that HDD without formatting it?

Thanks

Is this to be a secondary drive, and the OS in the new system will be on a different drive?
What else is on this besides your Steam lib?

Yup, it's going to be a secondary drive, OS on a SSD.

 

[USAFRet]

Hey there,

I'm gonna build a PC tomorrow. I have a 1TB HDD which stores my Steam Library, how can I install that HDD without formatting it?

Thanks

Is this to be a secondary drive, and the OS in the new system will be on a different drive?
What else is on this besides your Steam lib?

Yup, it's going to be a secondary drive, OS on a SSD.

Then you don't need to do anything with it.
After the OS is installed ont he SSD, then simply connect this old HDD.

In your new Steam client, tell it about the location of the folder on the HDD.
Play on.

 

[HOonix]

Hey there,

I'm gonna build a PC tomorrow. I have a 1TB HDD which stores my Steam Library, how can I install that HDD without formatting it?

Thanks

Is this to be a secondary drive, and the OS in the new system will be on a different drive?
What else is on this besides your Steam lib?

Yup, it's going to be a secondary drive, OS on a SSD.

Then you don't need to do anything with it.
After the OS is installed ont he SSD, then simply connect this old HDD.

In your new Steam client, tell it about the location of the folder on the HDD.
Play on.

Thank you so much!

 

[gergguy]

Hey there,

I'm gonna build a PC tomorrow. I have a 1TB HDD which stores my Steam Library, how can I install that HDD without formatting it?

Thanks

Is this to be a secondary drive, and the OS in the new system will be on a different drive?
What else is on this besides your Steam lib?

Yup, it's going to be a secondary drive, OS on a SSD.

You should be fine then. You can just add your old HDD to the new system. Just make sure the boot order is set to boot to the SSD first or it will try to boot from your old HDD. Here is a guide on how to get Steam working with out downloading all your games again (it's for moving to a new drive, just skip the moving part) http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/migrate-steam-hard-drive-si/