[SOLVED] How to install windows 10 onto SSD without losing any data or saves

[ashbg23]

I just bought a Samsung 970 Evo Plus 250gb and want to install my OS onto it to make my computer faster. I have already tried simply copying my OS from my 1tb HDD to my SSD and changing the boot order but the computer still only recognizes my HDD as my C drive. I want to know how I can use my SSD as my boot (possibly reinstalling windows) and reap the benefits of having an SSD without losing any data for any of my games or programs. Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

 

[USAFRet]

Step 1 - have a known good recoverable backup of any data you do not wish to lose.
There is ALWAYS the possibility of a mistake, misclick, unwanted power outage, etc, etc.
Always always always have a backup, and know how to recover that.

Second...simply "copying my OS from my 1tb HDD to my SSD" does not work. There are specific tools and procedures.

Questions:
What motherboard is this on?
How much space is consumed on your current HDD?
What OS?

 

[ashbg23]

Step 1 - have a known good recoverable backup of any data you do not wish to lose.
There is ALWAYS the possibility of a mistake, misclick, unwanted power outage, etc, etc.
Always always always have a backup, and know how to recover that.

Second...simply "copying my OS from my 1tb HDD to my SSD" does not work. There are specific tools and procedures.

Questions:
What motherboard is this on?
How much space is consumed on your current HDD?
What OS?

It is on Gigabytes Z390 Aorus Ultra
there is 190 gb consumed on the HDD
and it is windows 10

 

[USAFRet]

190GB consumed and a 250GB target SSD...that is just barely doable.

Clone everything from the old drive to the new:


-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

 

[ashbg23]

Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)

190GB consumed and a 250GB target SSD...that is just barely doable.

Clone everything from the old drive to the new:


-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

Ok thank you very much I will let you know when I finish all those steps and if I have any questions

 

[ashbg23]

Ok thank you very much I will let you know when I finish all those steps and if I have any questions

I went through all of the steps above and it is now booting from my SSD and it is also my C drive. I plugged my HDD sata cable back in and booted up the computer but it made the HDD the C drive again and made my SSD disapear. I was wondering how I would go about wiping that drive and making it usable without interfering with the SSD.

 

[USAFRet]

I went through all of the steps above and it is now booting from my SSD and it is also my C drive. I plugged my HDD sata cable back in and booted up the computer but it made the HDD the C drive again and made my SSD disapear. I was wondering how I would go about wiping that drive and making it usable without interfering with the SSD.

If it boots from the HDD when connected, that is a problem in your BIOS boot order.
Fix that.