Installing Windows 10 on a new SSD without wiping HDD that windows 7 is currently installed on

[Jack the crackerman]

Hi guys,

I currently have windows 7 on my 1TB hard drive and have recently bought a new 256gb Crucial SSD (but not installed it in my desktop yet).

I bought the SSD to be able to install games onto it so they load quicker but also if possible to have my OS booting from it so my computer loads quicker from switching on.

Someone put me onto the idea of using a program called Steam Mover to be able to move games from my HDD to the SSD without having to uninstall them and then re-download them direct to the SSD. I understand this can also be used for other programs like photoshop etc too.

I want to upgrade to Windows 10 but don't want to have to do a clean install and lose all the programs that i currently have installed such as Photoshop, Office, iTunes etc. Is it possible to somehow upgrade my OS on my HDD but then actually boot from the SSD perhaps by using the Steam Mover program? Any pointers as to where I can find out how to do it if its possible would be helpful too!

If not, does anyone have any other suggestions or do I just have to bite the bullet and accept that I will either lose or have to reinstall a number of programs to my HDD? I do have a second 1TB HDD which is empty at the moment in case its needed for cloning files if that helps?

Thanks in advance!

 

[boosted1g]

Just clone the HDD to the SSD.

If you got a Samsung SSD they come with software to do this.

Is your SSD bigger then the used space on your 1 TB drive

 

[Jack the crackerman]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry, should have mentioned that the used space on my current HDD is much more than the 256gb SSD space. I have used about 600GB of HDD space.

 

[boosted1g]

Ok, with cloning it is an all or nothing deal so you cant pick and choose which programs to move.

Out of that 600GB, how much of that is personal fines and how much of that is programs?

Have you ever cleaned out your temp internet fles/ cache etc, and have you ever cleaned out your downloads folder, and have you ever emptied recycle bin?

 

[Eximo]

Well to redeem your free upgrade you would have to actually upgrade I think, not do a fresh install.

Crucial will have a cloning tool you can download (for money, should have picked another brand most offer these tools for free) from their website here. All you have to do is reduce the size of your files on the 1TB to less then that of the SSD and you can move the OS to the new drive, then upgrade to 10. (Or upgrade to 10 and then move it)

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ctssdinstallac

Then copy back over your Steam folder and use the Steam Mover to tell it the source of the files. It will 'reinstall' each game properly.

To accomplish the first task you might shrink your partition using AOEMI Partition Assistant, create a new partition, and backup your files.

 

[kyllien]

This has been repeated a few times.

You need to upgrade first. That is boot Windows 7 on your HDD and upgrade that to Windows 10. Then make sure your Windows 10 activated. Once you are activated and only after your Windows 10 is activated can you can proceed to perform a clean install. You can download the Windows 10 installer from Microsoft and make a USB or DVD install source to perform the clean install.

If you change enough of the hardware, such as the CPU or Harddrive you may need to call Microsoft to activate your Windows 10 install.

 

[James Mason]

The only way to "do this" would be to install windows 7 on the SSD and then upgrade it to 10, and then transfer over your files.
You don't need a special program to move steam files, you can just copy the SteamApps folder to a new Steam install folder or steam library you created on the new drive.

If you’d prefer not to download extra software, you don’t have to—both Steam and Origin have ways to “detect” installed games after you’ve moved them. You just have to perform the right steps in the right order. If you’re using Steam:

Create a folder in the new location where you’ll store your games. If you’re on Steam, you’ll need to do it through Steam. Head to Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders and click “Add Library Folder”.
Navigate to your new Steam library folder and create a new folder within it called steamapps. Then, create a folder in steamapps called common.
Head to your current Steam folder and find the folder for the game you want to move. You’ll likely find it in steamapps/common. Copy the game’s folder, e.g. “Borderlands 2”, to the new steamapps/common folder you created in step 2.
Open Steam, right-click on the game you’re moving, and select “Delete Local Content”. This will uninstall the game from its original location.
When that’s done, click the Install button to re-install the game. In the “Choose location” dropdown, choose the Steam folder on your new hard drive.
Instead of re-downloading the game (which could take hours), Steam will detect the existing files there and make any necessary minor changes. When it’s done, you should be able to play the game as usual.