[SOLVED] How to remove windows 10 from old hard disk after installing SSD?

[terryvalencia]

I got a new SSD crucial MX500. I have installed windows 10 in it. Now, I want to remove the old windows 10 in my old hard disk. How do I do it?
Please ask all details that you need. that I might forget to given.

 

[Colif]

Do you want to format drive or just remove windows?

if hdd is in pc,
to format drive -
go to settings/update & security/recovery
under advanced startup, click restart now
this loads windows into a blue menu
Pick troubleshoot

Pick advanced

Pick Command Prompt

Type diskpart and press enter

Type list disk and press enter

This will show the list of drives currently attached to PC, make note of the drive number of the drive you want to wipe

If Disk 1 is the drive you want to clear, type select 1) and press enter. A message will confirm it is selected

Warning: Diskpart Erase/Clean will permanently erase/destroy all data on the selected drive. Please be certain that you are erasing the correct disk.

Once you sure its right disk, type Clean and press enter

The Command Prompt window will display the message "DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk". Close out of the Command Prompt window by clicking the red X in the upper right hand corner.


just remove windows
go to old install and rename the windows folder as windows.old
run disk cleanup on the old drive
choose clean up system files
this will let you select a choice called "Old windows installs"
that will remove windows but the drive will still have a boot partition on it. Only real way to remove it is format drive

 

[terryvalencia]

just want to remove windows.
windows is removed but program files are there.
any way to remove program files w/o going to startup repair. i'm scared that i might format everything on the way.

 

[TerryLaze]

If you installed windows with the old drive still connected then the new windows uses the old disk as a boot drive, this is what is still using it.

You will have to create a mbr and bcdstore on the new ssd and then change the bios settings to start from the new ssd.
After that you will be able to delete all the partitions on the old disk and or format them.

If that sounds like chinese to you your best option is to open up your case and disconnect the power plug from your old hard drive and then do a new fresh install on the ssd, after that has booted into windows and everything is fine you can reconnect the hard drive.
Changing the boot drive might still be required.

 

[terryvalencia]

If you installed windows with the old drive still connected then the new windows uses the old disk as a boot drive, this is what is still using it.

You will have to create a mbr and bcdstore on the new ssd and then change the bios settings to start from the new ssd.
After that you will be able to delete all the partitions on the old disk and or format them.

If that sounds like chinese to you your best option is to open up your case and disconnect the power plug from your old hard drive and then do a new fresh install on the ssd, after that has booted into windows and everything is fine you can reconnect the hard drive.
Changing the boot drive might still be required.

very hard, instructions very tough for me. pls suggest easy wayz. i want to remove program files now, windows.old is deleted now.

 

[terryvalencia]

everything is formatted now. thank god. i just did 2nd method of moderator sir then later formatted the drive manually without diskpart.

 

[Colif]

As long as it works for you, that is fine.