Important SSD question, expert needed!

[FrostySharks]

So my scenario is that i want to install an SSD and install an operating system to it (window 7) but i already have an HDD that already have window 7 installed on it. What do i do? Do i uninstall window 7 from the HDD and install it on the SSD? Im quite new to this hard drive business, so if anyone can provide a detailed and yet an easy to understand process/solution, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lp231]

remove the HDD and replace it with your SSD. Then install a clean version of Windows 7.
When it's done, reconnect your old HDD as a 2nd drive to be used as storage or programs.

 

[Rohit G Nair]

If you don't uninstall the os from hdd you won't enjoy the power of ssd. the os should be installed in ssd for better boot times and if you have os in both set boot priority to ssd if you don't want to remove the os from hdd.

 

[FrostySharks]

If you don't uninstall the os from hdd you won't enjoy the power of ssd. the os should be installed in ssd for better boot times and if you have os in both set boot priority to ssd if you don't want to remove the os from hdd.

I want to uninstall the OS from my HDD but i dont know how. I want to uninstall OS from HDD and install it on the SSD, so that my HDD is just a storage. Do you or anyone have any idea how to do that?

 

[Rohit G Nair]

Best way is to install os in ssd and after booting from it format all partitions of hdd or use some software for full format or use windows disk manager and full format it. its the best way so you can also delete some files which won't go along with os. before full formatting backup your data. the whole process takes just a few hours.

 

[lp231]

Disconnect the two cables from the hdd and plug that to ssd. Install windows. When it is all done, grab a new sata cable and connect that to your hdd. When it boots up, go to hdd and format it. If there are important data back up first.

 

[RealBeast]

Disconnect the two cables from the hdd and plug that to ssd. Install windows. When it is all done, grab a new sata cable and connect that to your hdd. When it boots up, go to hdd and format it. If there are important data back up first.

This is the correct approach! Do not uninstall Win 7 first -- just disconnect the HDD and do a clean install to the SSD (with AHCI SATA mode enabled). Then later after you are sure you have all the data you want out of the old Win 7 install you can delete that folder, reformat drive, or whatever.

 

[FrostySharks]

Disconnect the two cables from the hdd and plug that to ssd. Install windows. When it is all done, grab a new sata cable and connect that to your hdd. When it boots up, go to hdd and format it. If there are important data back up first.

This is the correct approach! Do not uninstall Win 7 first -- just disconnect the HDD and do a clean install to the SSD (with AHCI SATA mode enabled). Then later after you are sure you have all the data you want out of the old Win 7 install you can delete that folder, reformat drive, or whatever.

So after reading all of your advice (which i greatly appreciated) i come a solution that I THINK would be best for me.

I was thinking that i should take off the two cable from my HDD and plug them into the SSD, and install window 7 on the SSD. After that, i should take off the cable from the SSD and plug them back to the HDD and uninstall window 7 from the HDD. Do you think that will work? If If so, how do i uninstall window 7 from the HDD? Any software or is there an option to do so in window itself?

 

[RealBeast]

You are good up through the SSD install, but you cannot format a boot drive. If you have no extra SATA data and power cables, then once your SSD install is complete and working well you can attach the HDD with those same cables but boot from the installer DVD. Then rather than doing an install go to the command prompt and type:
diskpart
list disk
select disk n (where n is the HDD)
clean

This will result in an unallocated HDD. When you attach it and startup from the SSD (make sure to set the SSD and not the HDD as the boot device), go into disk management and initialize/format the HDD. This would wipe everything from the drive.

If you want to save anything from the HDD, just attach both the SSD and HDD, boot from the SSD, then delete what you want from the HDD (you may have to set the HDD to inactive to delete the Windows folder on it).

 

[lp231]

you will leave the ssd alone after you are done with the install. All you have to do is take another set of the same cables like how it is connected to ssd and connect that to hdd. If it is done correctly, in my computer there should be a c drive and other drives like d e or f. One of this would be your hdd. To delete everything, right click format. Select quick format and format.
If there is data backup to another hdd before formatting.

 

[FrostySharks]

You are good up through the SSD install, but you cannot format a boot drive. If you have no extra SATA data and power cables, then once your SSD install is complete and working well you can attach the HDD with those same cables but boot from the installer DVD. Then rather than doing an install go to the command prompt and type:
diskpart
list disk
select disk n (where n is the HDD)
clean

This will result in an unallocated HDD. When you attach it and startup from the SSD (make sure to set the SSD and not the HDD as the boot device), go into disk management and initialize/format the HDD. This would wipe everything from the drive.

If you want to save anything from the HDD, just attach both the SSD and HDD, boot from the SSD, then delete what you want from the HDD (you may have to set the HDD to inactive to delete the Windows folder on it).

The thing is i dont want to format my HDD because i have so much data on it, all i want is to delete window 7 from the HDD and use the already installed window 7 on the SSD to boot.

 

[RealBeast]

So I repeat: If you want to save anything from the HDD, just attach both the SSD and HDD, boot from the SSD, then delete what you want from the HDD (you may have to set the HDD to inactive to delete the Windows folder on it).

 

[FrostySharks]

So I repeat: If you want to save anything from the HDD, just attach both the SSD and HDD, boot from the SSD, then delete what you want from the HDD (you may have to set the HDD to inactive to delete the Windows folder on it).

How do you set the HDD to inactive?

 

[RealBeast]

You may not have to do this but if you need to do it (because you cannot delete the old Windows folder off the active HDD), you can use diskpart commands in an elevated command prompt window to make the HDD inactive (i.e. not an OS drive):

diskpart
list disk
select disk n (where n is the HDD)
list partition (I will assume at this point that you have only one active partition on the HDD -- the 100MB SRP)
select partition m (where m is the active partition)
inactive
exit