Moving Windows to a new drive

[A_Useless_Mess]

I recently got a 256gb ssd and I want to move Windows off my 1tb HD. What ways can I go moving Windows or will I have to do a fresh install?

 

[ss202sl]

I would do a fresh install, but cloning may be an option. How much data is on the 1TB drive?

 

[USAFRet]

How much space is consumed on your current drive?
What, specifically, consumes that space?
What OS is this?

 

[A_Useless_Mess]

I'm on Windows 10 and I'm using about 800gb, most of which is games, pictures and music

 

[USAFRet]

I'm on Windows 10 and I'm using about 800gb, most of which is games, pictures and music

Well...obviously that won't fit in a 256GB drive.
And you can't move 'only the OS'.

That leaves 2 options.
Pare down the total used space to below 200GB, and clone it over.
or
A clean install on the new SSD.

Which way do you want to go?

 

[A_Useless_Mess]

If I did a clean install would that entail wiping my 1tb HD clean and installing Windows on the SSD? Cause if that's the case I would rather uninstall all my stuff and hack everything down to 200gb.

 

[USAFRet]

If I did a clean install would that entail wiping my 1tb HD clean and installing Windows on the SSD? Cause if that's the case I would rather uninstall all my stuff and hack everything down to 200gb.

A clean install of the OS also means installing all (most of) your applications.
Steam games can be reused, but other than that...everything else would need to be reinstalled.

If you can reduce down to ~200GB, we can discuss cloning options.

 

[A_Useless_Mess]

A clean install of the OS also means installing all (most of) your applications.
Steam games can be reused, but other than that...everything else would need to be reinstalled.

If you can reduce down to ~200GB, we can discuss cloning options.

Alright so I plan to reduce to 200gb and then clone (I'm gonna reduce before I install my SSD because I don't want to go a weekend with nothing to play), what are my options?

 

[USAFRet]

A clean install of the OS also means installing all (most of) your applications.
Steam games can be reused, but other than that...everything else would need to be reinstalled.

If you can reduce down to ~200GB, we can discuss cloning options.

Alright so I plan to reduce to 200gb and then clone (I'm gonna reduce before I install my SSD because I don't want to go a weekend with nothing to play), what are my options?

Exactly like this:

Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

 

[A_Useless_Mess]

Do you have any suggestions for hacking down on used space? I'm about 20 gigs from my goal of 220 rn

 

[A_Useless_Mess]

Nevermind turns out I had about 40 gigs of data sitting in recycle bin because I never empty it 😛