Large HDD to Smallish SSD

[Brendan_14]

I'm currently upgrading my storage solutions. I've got a 1tb filled to about 360gb (I keep a tidy rig) and am going to get a 250gb 840 evo.

Now, I'm also upgrading the rest of my rig all the way down to the motherboard itself, so I know I shouldn't try to clone anything over (even if I could shrink it that much). My question is, can I just plug my SSD into the internal SATA port, unplug my old drive, fresh install windows, plug the HDD back in, boot from the SSD, transfer all my important files (like documents, pics, whatever), format the HDD (to get rid of the OS) and then put all that <Mod Edit> back? Or are there short cuts/blocks that I'm not seeing?

Thank you for the help in advance! Also happy friday.

 

[USAFRet]

All that will work, but what you need to do first is to move all your existing documents out from under the current Documents/Music/Pictures/etc folders.

Those folders are tied via NTFS permissions to the existing user. On the new OS, you will be a different user. Even if you give it the same name.
As such, accessing those User folders will be a bit of a pain. You'd have to 'take ownership', etc.
You can do it, but this one step of moving the files first negates that hassle.

Moving those files out from under those folders gets around that completely. The folder permissions are linked, not the individual files.

 

[Brendan_14]

All that will work, but what you need to do first is to move all your existing documents out from under the current Documents/Music/Pictures/etc folders.

Those folders are tied via NTFS permissions to the existing user. On the new OS, you will be a different user. Even if you give it the same name.
As such, accessing those User folders will be a bit of a pain. You'd have to 'take ownership', etc.
You can do it, but this one step of moving the files first negates that hassle.

Moving those files out from under those folders gets around that completely. The folder permissions are linked, not the individual files.

So instead of having C:\Users\Me\Documents\Resumes\2014 I should just have it somewhere under C:\Users\Me? Sorry, just want to make sure, as this is my first time doing a drive swap. I can build a computer and start it from anywhere on the planet with internet, but I can't change out my drives...

 

[USAFRet]

All that will work, but what you need to do first is to move all your existing documents out from under the current Documents/Music/Pictures/etc folders.

Those folders are tied via NTFS permissions to the existing user. On the new OS, you will be a different user. Even if you give it the same name.
As such, accessing those User folders will be a bit of a pain. You'd have to 'take ownership', etc.
You can do it, but this one step of moving the files first negates that hassle.

Moving those files out from under those folders gets around that completely. The folder permissions are linked, not the individual files.

So instead of having C:\Users\Me\Documents\Resumes\2014 I should just have it somewhere under C:\Users\Me? Sorry, just want to make sure, as this is my first time doing a drive swap. I can build a computer and start it from anywhere on the planet with internet, but I can't change out my drives...

No. Completely outside the "Users" space. Something like C:\MyStuff\MyDocs and MyPics
This is only temporary, for eventual moving to where you really want it.

 

[Brendan_14]

Thank you for the help and quick responses. Greatly appreciate it.