[SOLVED] How to use SSD for Games and HDD for storage

[Prentafy]

Just a question how do i make my SSD the boot drive and hold all my games/programs and my HDD to just hold some of my files

 

[Dj0gany]

Go into i bios>Boot>set the boot order to your ssd.
For games,just choose your hdd when the game asks u where to download it

 

[USAFRet]

Just a question how do i make my SSD the boot drive and hold all my games/programs and my HDD to just hold some of my files

What size/make/model is the SSD?
Where is the OS now?

 

[USAFRet]

Go into i bios>Boot>set the boot order to your ssd.
For games,just choose your hdd when the game asks u where to download it

ummmm....that only works if the actual operating system is ON the SSD.

More info is needed here.

 

[Prentafy]

What size/make/model is the SSD?
Where is the OS now?

SSD is Samsung 870 QV0 1 Tb 2.5 inch Sata. My 2tb seagate HDD has windows on it

 

[Dj0gany]

ummmm....that only works if the actual operating system is ON the SSD.

More info is needed here.

So if u want to boot off off a ssd,you need to have ur OS on that SSD?
I didnt know that,thx for input

 

[USAFRet]

So if u want to boot off off a ssd,you need to have ur OS on that SSD?
I didnt know that,thx for input

Yes, thats the way it works.

You cannot boot from a drive that has nothing to boot from.

 

[USAFRet]

SSD is Samsung 870 QV0 1 Tb 2.5 inch Sata. My 2tb seagate HDD has windows on it

OK.
So one way or the other, Windows needs to be on the 870.

How much space is consumed on the current 2TB HDD?
Is there any data on the SSD?

EDIT: And do you have some other large storage space available?

 

[Prentafy]

OK.
So one way or the other, Windows needs to be on the 870.

How much space is consumed on the current 2TB HDD?
Is there any data on the SSD?

I have not put anything on the SSD and according to file explorer I have used 900GB out of the 1.81Tb that is available. I just deleted a lot of games and programs I don't use as I was using 1.5 Tb of space on the HDD and that would be too much for the SSD

 

[USAFRet]

I have not put anything on the SSD and according to file explorer I have used 900GB out of the 1.81Tb that is available. I just deleted a lot of games and programs I don't use as I was using 1.5 Tb of space on the HDD and that would be too much for the SSD

OK, we're close but not quite there.

If you can get that actual used space to below 800GB, we can migrate the whole thing to the 1TB SSD.
Then, delete ALL from the HDD.
Then you can use it as desired.

Get to under that 800GB level and come back.
We'll go into specifics on this.

 

[popatim]

Unless an external backup drive can come into play here all I can think of is: Shrink the hdd partition and move steam,etc games there and then clone the OS paritions to the ssd

 

[Prentafy]

OK, we're close but not quite there.

If you can get that actual used space to below 800GB, we can migrate the whole thing to the 1TB SSD.
Then, delete ALL from the HDD.
Then you can use it as desired.

Get to under that 800GB level and come back.
We'll go into specifics on this.

Wait so if I migrate the whole thing it will still be possible for me to use the HDD for the files that take up lots of space . As of right now I will struggle to get under 800GB because I will have to reinstall most of the games on the SSD anyways So then there wont be enough space on the SSD for everything. I could be looking at this wrong but that is just my assumption

 

[USAFRet]

Wait so if I migrate the whole thing it will still be possible for me to use the HDD for the files that take up lots of space . As of right now I will struggle to get under 800GB because I will have to reinstall most of the games on the SSD anyways So then there wont be enough space on the SSD for everything. I could be looking at this wrong but that is just my assumption

To migrate to the SSD, the actual consumed space of the source (the HDD) needs to be under 800GB.

Whatever you do not need, or can download again, or can move off to some other device....do that.
Get to under 800GB, then we migrate to the SSD.

Then, we delete ALL from the HDD.
Then, you can move games (If Steam/Origin/etc) to the HDD.

The issue is...you can't split things out during the migration operation. Either before or after, not during.

 

[USAFRet]

Or, you could do it the complicated way, with a fresh OS install ont he 870 QVO.
Thisis the OS, drivers, applications, everything.

Then, install whatever games you want on this drive.

That leaves the jumbled up mess that is the current HDD. The stuff you wish to keep is in there with the stuff you wish to remove (the old OS). And under a different user account, which makes access a pain.

 

[Prentafy]

To migrate to the SSD, the actual consumed space of the source (the HDD) needs to be under 800GB.

Whatever you do not need, or can download again, or can move off to some other device....do that.
Get to under 800GB, then we migrate to the SSD.

Then, we delete ALL from the HDD.
Then, you can move games (If Steam/Origin/etc) to the HDD.

The issue is...you can't split things out during the migration operation. Either before or after, not during.

Ok I see, so migrate to the SSD then I can move anything taking up space to the HDD and that will still give me the faster boot and load times of the SSD for my programs and games. And to migrate Data I just use Samsung Data Migration software or some similar software to transfer data from HDD to SSD and make the SSD the bootdrive. Btw I'm sorry for asking so many questions this is my first time and the YouTube videos don't explain everything.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok I see, so migrate to the SSD then I can move anything taking up space to the HDD and that will still give me the faster boot and load times of the SSD for my programs and games. And to migrate Data I just use Samsung Data Migration software or some similar software to transfer data from HDD to SSD and make the SSD the bootdrive. Btw I'm sorry for asking so many questions this is my first time and the YouTube videos don't explain everything.

The FIRST aspect of the migration is to get the actual used space to under 800GB.
Samsung Data Migration won't even start unless that level is met.

Once migrated to the SSD, we can move things around.

And details on the actual migration steps to follow after you get to that 800GB level.

 

[Prentafy]

The FIRST aspect of the migration is to get the actual used space to under 800GB.
Samsung Data Migration won't even start unless that level is met.

Once migrated to the SSD, we can move things around.

And details on the actual migration steps to follow after you get to that 800GB level.

Ok I will do that tomorrow in my free time, thanks for helping me to understand this a lot better!

 

[USAFRet]

Ok I will do that tomorrow in my free time, thanks for helping me to understand this a lot better!

OK.
Reply here and I'll see it.

This can be done, but it needs info and planning.

 

[Prentafy]

OK.
Reply here and I'll see it.

This can be done, but it needs info and planning.

Ok one last question before I go, I get the drive under 800GB Migrate it and then since the HDD is wiped clean I can just drag and drop whatever I want in it (Videos, Music, Photos, Documents, Word files and Games that don't require an SSD to start up fast) and then it will be easier to manage storage. Also, I see people that have 2 tb hard rive and 256GB SSD so do they have a clean install of windows and their games on the SSD

 

[USAFRet]

Ok one last question before I go, I get the drive under 800GB Migrate it and then since the HDD is wiped clean I can just drag and drop whatever I want in it (Videos, Music, Photos, Documents, Word files and Games that don't require an SSD to start up fast) and then it will be easier to manage storage. Also, I see people that have 2 tb hard rive and 256GB SSD so do they have a clean install of windows and their games on the SSD

Well...'drag and drop' is kind of the way, but not really.
For instance, you don't just grap the whole "Documents" folder and drag that over to the HDD. Tears will result.

And with a 256GB drive? That generally starts with a fresh install on the small SSD.
Then, whatever else fits. Everything else on the HDD.

 

[Prentafy]

Well...'drag and drop' is kind of the way, but not really.
For instance, you don't just grap the whole "Documents" folder and drag that over to the HDD. Tears will result.

And with a 256GB drive? That generally starts with a fresh install on the small SSD.
Then, whatever else fits. Everything else on the HDD.

Ok and should I backup my data to the cloud before I do anything?

 

[USAFRet]

Ok and should I backup my data to the cloud before I do anything?

You should ALWAYS have a backup of any critical data.
No matter what you're doing.

I don't turn a system on without a known good backup of it.


But yes, back up somewhere. Just in case.

 

[Prentafy]

You should ALWAYS have a backup of any critical data.
No matter what you're doing.

I don't turn a system on without a known good backup of it.


But yes, back up somewhere. Just in case.

Ok I will do this over the weekend, thank you so much for being patient and explaining everything

 

[USAFRet]

Ok I will do this over the weekend, thank you so much for being patient and explaining everything

Not a problem.

 

[Prentafy]

Not a problem.

Alright i have backed up my files and i am ready to migrate the data, i was able to reduce the space taken up on my drive from 1.8tb to 540gb, so now i just run the data migration?