[SOLVED] New HDD, But Can't Open Numerous Applications

[ExistentialCrisis]

Sorry if its the wrong sub-forum, I'm new here. So I recently upgraded my old 500GB HDD to a 2TB HDD, which has been working fine but I didn't change the drive path on the new HDD before I installed Windows 10 (I know I messed up). Even worse I didn't backup or copied any of my data from the old HDD. So I decided to go the idiot route and reconnect both HDD while booting from the old HDD to transfer data from the old to the new HDD. At the time I thought it was working as I was successfully copying data but when I disconnected the old HDD and booted from the new HDD, things started to get wonky.

I can't open iTunes, Sticky Notes, and other Windows Apps. I get a lot of errors regarding permissions or files not being located. I tried changing permissions through security tab but I also get errors saying files are not located. I can provide pictures for details if needed/allowed. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

TLDR: Got new 2TB HDD without reformatting it, but wanted the data on old HDD. So connected both HDDs to transfer data but now the new HDD gives a lot of permission and security errors when trying to open apps.

 

[USAFRet]

Please give us a full description of the drive configs before and after.
Physical drives, partitions, drive letters...as much detail as you can.

Also, what you did with the OS. Clean install, clone, what?

 

[ExistentialCrisis]

Not sure how to get a before and after summary of drive configuration as all I did was update Windows 10 and GPU. I did a clean install of Windows 10 by downloading Windows 10 Installation Media directly from Microsoft unto a USB flash drive. If it helps I also have a Microsoft account. I did not clone anything as the old drive had too much disorganized files and crap. How can I give you a good summary of my before and after drivers? My HDD is a 2TB HDD 7200RPM SATA III 6Gb/s 3.5" from WD (bought at Micro Center).

So the old 500GB HDD had the C: Drive, but so does the new 2TB HDD which I forgot to reformat before installing Windows 10. I connected both of them and booted from the old HDD not realizing that both shared the same Drive Letter. I noticed that windows changed my HDD to the D: drive and E: for a partition (only 505MB that I didn't create). Could I provide more details?

 

[USAFRet]

OK...with a clean install, any applications that live on the old drive will not work.

And you will only have one C drive at a time.
The old one was C, the new one is C.
The old drive is now something else.
Whatever drive the OS boots from will see itself as the C.

 

[ExistentialCrisis]

Almost correct, when both HDDs are connected and I boot from the old one, the new one is E while the old one remains C. Vice-Versa, the old drive simply isn't recognized (tried saving the old as more storage) If I boot from the HDDs separately they remain like you said both at C. So what are my options, should I reinstall Windows?

Edit:

https://imgur.com/a/qzi6SBo

View: https://imgur.com/a/qzi6SBo
here are some images of the issues I'm seeing.

 

[USAFRet]

Almost correct, when both HDDs are connected and I boot from the old one, the new one is E while the old one remains C. Vice-Versa, the old drive simply isn't recognized (tried saving the old as more storage) If I boot from the HDDs separately they remain like you said both at C. So what are my options, should I reinstall Windows?

They can't both be seen as a C drive letter at the same time.
Whichever drive you boot from will see itself as C, the other drive will be something else.

I would start over, with a new install on whichever drive you choose.
You still can't use applications from the old install, but you'll be starting from a known clean slate.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[ExistentialCrisis]

So if I decide to only use the new 2TB HDD, which is at C, is there anything regarding permissions or security changes I can do to fix these issues as shown in the pictures? Or do you think it some drivers and maybe BIOS configs are messed up? Thank you for the help!

 

[USAFRet]

So if I decide to only use the new 2TB HDD, which is at C, is there anything regarding permissions or security changes I can do to fix these issues as shown in the pictures? Or do you think it some drivers and maybe BIOS configs are messed up? Thank you for the help!

No.
When an application is installed, either from the Store or a standalone application, it makes dozens, sometimes thousands of entries in the Registry and elsewhere.
The new OS knows nothing about them.
Nor can you track them down and apply manually.

 

[ExistentialCrisis]

Ok I see what you're saying, I'll do a reinstall then, thanks for the help!