Need some clarification for moving OS to SSD

[Warhawk373]

I've read about it but I'm still a little confused. I only want my OS and like one steam game. So I know I disconnect HDD, connect SSD, fresh install windows, change boot priority to SSD, then connect HDD back. I get that part. But what I don't understand is whether the files from my HDD will work the same. After I fresh install windows, is it possible just to move folders such as games to the SSD sort of like a USB or do I have to fresh install anything that I want to run from the SSD (like if I want to play a steam game off of the SSD do I have to download Steam and the game on the SSD)? And what exactly does my OS include, is it just the file named "Windows" in my C: drive?

 

[Colif]

when you fresh install onto ssd, it has no idea what is on the hdd until you tell it. If you want programs like browsers to work, you need to reinstall them again. Most programs need to be reinstalled so they appear in the registry and windows knows what to do with them.

if you want steam folders to work, just install steam on the ssd and set the library location to the old library on hdd and steam will find them and stop you needing to reinstall them. I know you can move the library folders the same way as well. Same thing works for origin - https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/07/how-to-move-a-pc-game-to-another-hard-drive-without-re-downloading-it/

if its wow, you can just copy the folder over like if it was a USB, and just point shortcut at new folder location.

OS includes the windows folders, program folders and lots of hidden things you normally don't need to know about. Why do you ask? You need to use the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB, and use it to install windows, you can't just copy windows folders over.

 

[Warhawk373]

when you fresh install onto ssd, it has no idea what is on the hdd until you tell it. If you want programs like browsers to work, you need to reinstall them again. Most programs need to be reinstalled so they appear in the registry and windows knows what to do with them.

if you want steam folders to work, just install steam on the ssd and set the library location to the old library on hdd and steam will find them and stop you needing to reinstall them. I know you can move the library folders the same way as well. Same thing works for origin - https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/07/how-to-move-a-pc-game-to-another-hard-drive-without-re-downloading-it/

if its wow, you can just copy the folder over like if it was a USB, and just point shortcut at new folder location.

OS includes the windows folders, program folders and lots of hidden things you normally don't need to know about. Why do you ask? You need to use the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB, and use it to install windows, you can't just copy windows folders over.

Hmm...so here lies my problem. I am kind of a hoarder when it comes to computer files. I don't know what exactly is in my Windows folder and I don't want to delete the old one if it has something I won't be able to get back. I also have some programs that I don't have the install manager to and they are now unavailable to download...so how do I go about doing that (I still use them though)? I'm not against completely wiping my HDD but I would just hate to because I have like 100 different programs for things like video/audio editing, modding games, launching modded games, chat-room stuff like team-speak and discord...you get it.

As for steam, so if I install steam on the SSD then tell it to read the files from the HDD, that's the same as playing the game on an HDD isn't it? I've heard the SSD will drastically improve loading times on some games so I thought I had to have the game on the SSD for that to work.

Oh and what about GPU and CPU drivers? Do they need to be reinstalled? If so, would it help the computer if they were on the SSD or should I just put them on the HDD?

 

[Colif]

how big is the ssd? You could clone the contents of hdd onto the ssd and save all the programs? Biggest restriction is space on the SSD as if its smaller than the hdd, it may not work.

here is how that works:
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
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 bit more info - http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Cloning+a+disk


can you give me a screen shot of disk management with the hdd right now?

 

[Warhawk373]

how big is the ssd? You could clone the contents of hdd onto the ssd and save all the programs? Biggest restriction is space on the SSD as if its smaller than the hdd, it may not work.

can you give me a screen shot of disk management with the hdd right now?

It's only 250GB

I don't have it connected though.

 

[Colif]

Yeah, that isn't not going to work. 925gb doesn't go into 250gb... hmm, how to do this?

Depends what is more important to you, keeping all the programs you can't get now or having fast boot speeds. You could just keep using hdd as boot and put games on ssd as at least you can move them without too much pain, and will give you some more free space on hdd. If you want it as C then you need to find the installers for the old things.

I will ask if there is another way, I don't know if any software can copy at folder level.

 

[USAFRet]

There is no application that can clone 'only' the OS.

And the Windows OS is in many more places than just the folder called "Windows".

So...you have approx 775GB consumed on your current HDD, and a 250GB SSD.
Obviously, this will not work.

Either reduce that consumed space to below 200GB, or do a clean install on the SSD.

 

[Warhawk373]

Yeah, that isn't not going to work. 925gb doesn't go into 250gb... hmm, how to do this?

Depends what is more important to you, keeping all the programs you can't get now or having fast boot speeds. You could just keep using hdd as boot and put games on ssd as at least you can move them without too much pain, and will give you some more free space on hdd. If you want it as C then you need to find the installers for the old things.

I will ask if there is another way, I don't know if any software can copy at folder level.

I have so much crap on my HDD I might just do the fresh windows install on the SSD then wipe my hard drive and start over xD I'll just try to dig for a download link for the few programs that don't have one anymore.

One more thing though, I was still wondering if I will need to reinstall CPU and GPU drivers and if I should put them on the SSD or HDD

 

[USAFRet]

I have so much crap on my HDD I might just do the fresh windows install on the SSD then wipe my hard drive and start over xD I'll just try to dig for a download link for the few programs that don't have one anymore.

One more thing though, I was still wondering if I will need to reinstall CPU and GPU drivers and if I should put them on the SSD or HDD

Yes, you need to install all the relevant drivers.
And they go on the OS drive.

Once you have the system installed on the SSD, see this for how to manage space between the two drives:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

See this for Steam games locations:
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

And to move an already installed Steam game:
To move an already installed game
Games library
Right click the game
Properties
Local Files
Move Install Folder

 

[Warhawk373]

See this for Steam games locations:
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

And to move an already installed Steam game:
To move an already installed game
Games library
Right click the game
Properties
Local Files
Move Install Folder

That reminds me, to make a game load faster, does the game file need to be on the SSD or can just the steam client be on the SSD while the files are on the HDD?

And I'm also a little confused on the managing files between drives. I understand to make 'Documents' 'Downloads' 'Pictures' etc. But what about files like Program files (x86) and Users and all that stuff?

 

[USAFRet]

That reminds me, to make a game load faster, does the game file need to be on the SSD or can just the steam client be on the SSD while the files are on the HDD?

And I'm also a little confused on the managing files between drives. I understand to make 'Documents' 'Downloads' 'Pictures' etc. But what about files like Program files (x86) and Users and all that stuff?

For a game or whatever to respond faster, it needs to live on the SSD.

For "Program Files"....that is where your applications live.
There is no reliable way to cause ALL of that to live on a different drive, nor should you attempt to do so.

Each application will/should give you the opportunity to install to whichever drive you choose.
During the install, select Custom or Advanced, and you choose what drive/folder it gets installed to.

And leave the /Users/ folder on the OS drive. Bad things will happen if you try to force that to be elsewhere.
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/