Question Installing older/used HDDs into a new build

[magicfiber]

I am in the process of building a new rig, with 2 1TB SSDs. My plans are to use the main SSD for the OS (Windows 10) and my main programs (Adobe Suite & games), and use the other SSD for various other programs and storage for footage that I am editing. However, in my current rig, I have two HDDs (1TB & 2TB) that I would ideally like to install for extra backup storage.

I'm just wondering how this interaction will work and how I can make this as simple as possible. The 1TB HDD has Windows 7 on it and a ton of other programs - basically everything I've been using for the past 6 years. The other 2TB HDD also has programs installed (mostly games) and a bunch of movies and television shows.

I'm wondering if I install these two HDDs, how they will interact with my new rig. Will the programs be considered "installed" already, since they are already installed on these old hard drives? I would preferably like my most important programs installed on the SDDs, not the HDDs. Is there anything I should do to them before removing them and installing them into my new rig.

Appreciate any help on this you can give – thanks.

 

[RealBeast]

No, the HDD programs will not be installed on the new W10 install.

When you do your new W10 SSD install only have one SSD, your OS SSD, attached.

Then attach everything else. Your machine will boot from the OS SSD and the other SSD and two HDDs will be available for storage or installation of programs if you direct them to be so installed when you do the new program installation.

None of your old programs on the W7 HDD will run, but your data will be on the two HDDs unless you format them to start with and then they will be clean and empty. You also can move around any data you want to keep to back it up to another drive when doing the formats.

I would probably not reformat the 2TB that is just a data drive and save any data off the 1TB to the 2TB before formatting the 1TB. Reinstalling all your programs after a clean W10 install is the best option IMO.

 

[magicfiber]

No, the HDD programs will not be installed on the new W10 install.

When you do your new W10 SSD install only have one SSD, your OS SSD, attached.

Then attach everything else. Your machine will boot from the OS SSD and the other SSD and two HDDs will be available for storage or installation of programs if you direct them to be so installed when you do the new program installation.

None of your old programs on the W7 HDD will run, but your data will be on the two HDDs unless you format them to start with and then they will be clean and empty. You also can move around any data you want to keep to back it up to another drive when doing the formats.

I would probably not reformat the 2TB that is just a data drive and save any data off the 1TB to the 2TB before formatting the 1TB. Reinstalling all your programs after a clean W10 install is the best option IMO.

Thank you so much for your response -- this definitely helped