Question New SSD with HDD that has OS on it already.

vensus

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So I recently bought a SSD and had the intention to make it my windows 7 boot drive, along with a few programs that I use often to make them load faster. My issue is that I have a 2TB HDD already that has my windows 7 os installed along with important files and programs. If I wanted to use my HDD as a storage and use the SSD as the new OS boot drive along with a few key programs to load off of it.. would I still have all my files/programs untouched on my hard drive if I unplug it before installing windows 7 to the SSD first, then after it's been done. connect the hard drive again to access my programs/files like normal?

Would any issues happen if i were to do this? Since my hard drive would still have windows 7 installed on it as well? Would it be safe for me to remove my windows folder on the hard drive after the SSD has the fresh windows 7 install on it, without causing my files/programs on the hard drive to be removed or have issues?

(I've put together a computer build in the past that had a HDD and SSD setup but it was a fresh build, so I'm just a little rusty with what the right steps to this process is again. Along with it using a existing hdd that has a os install already this time though.)
 

vensus

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depend on the programs. some might need to install on the new windows 7.
after tested with just the ssd connected. connect hdd, make sure it boot from ssd.
okay, since my hdd would still have windows 7 also but the ssd is the boot drive. will there be any issues that pop up with having the same OS on both of them at the same time like that?
 

USAFRet

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Would any issues happen if i were to do this? Since my hard drive would still have windows 7 installed on it as well? Would it be safe for me to remove my windows folder on the hard drive after the SSD has the fresh windows 7 install on it, without causing my files/programs on the hard drive to be removed or have issues?
Your applications on the old HDD won't be usable.
They would need to be reinstalled with the new OS on the SSD.

Your personal files on the HDD are fine.

The real way to do this is to copy any personal data off the HDD, and then wipe it completely.
THen, you can copy stuff back and use that HDD as desired.
 

jslinger

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Jul 23, 2019
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So I recently bought a SSD and had the intention to make it my windows 7 boot drive, along with a few programs that I use often to make them load faster. My issue is that I have a 2TB HDD already that has my windows 7 os installed along with important files and programs. If I wanted to use my HDD as a storage and use the SSD as the new OS boot drive along with a few key programs to load off of it.. would I still have all my files/programs untouched on my hard drive if I unplug it before installing windows 7 to the SSD first, then after it's been done. connect the hard drive again to access my programs/files like normal?

Would any issues happen if i were to do this? Since my hard drive would still have windows 7 installed on it as well? Would it be safe for me to remove my windows folder on the hard drive after the SSD has the fresh windows 7 install on it, without causing my files/programs on the hard drive to be removed or have issues?

(I've put together a computer build in the past that had a HDD and SSD setup but it was a fresh build, so I'm just a little rusty with what the right steps to this process is again. Along with it using a existing hdd that has a os install already this time though.)
you can install windows on your new ssd with the hdd still attached. when installing windows, you can select the drive wehere you want to install it on. make sure you choose the right one. before letting windows boot on the new drive, go to bios, select boot options and select the correct boot drive as standard boot drive. because the old hard disk is untouched, it is still possible to boot from it. thats why it is important you select the correct boot drive in your bios. to be safe, you can disconnect your hard disk. but its not neceserry. when windows is installed on your new drive, your desktop will be completely clean.
you can run programs from the disk running the exe files, but i dont think it will be detected on the installed program list in control panel. so basically, for everything to run smoothly and fresh, you have to reinstall these programs.
your hard disk will basically only be a storage drive when booting from the ssd. but when keeping the windows folders intact, it can always be used as a boot drive, which may cause annoyances when booting up your pc because something went wrong with the standard boot drive option or something. the best clean and easy solution, is to safely backup the files you need on another drive, and format the hard disk after that.
 

jslinger

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Jul 23, 2019
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That is an absolutely bad idea.

That will result in an unwanted dualboot situation.
i also explained how to prevent that. by selecting the standard boot before booting windows after the install. i did it myself.
i also mentioned to be safe, you can disconnect the disk, but when you do everything right the should not be a problem.
you will have to select the standard boot drive anyway, because when you connect the non-formatted hard disk again it will probably boot from it when the standard boot is not selected.
 

jslinger

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Jul 23, 2019
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before letting windows boot on the new drive, go to bios, select boot options and select the correct boot drive as standard boot drive. because the old hard disk is untouched, it is still possible to boot from it. thats why it is important you select the correct boot drive in your bios. to be safe, you can disconnect your hard disk. but its not neceserry.
 

USAFRet

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Nowhere in your text does it say to disconnect the old drive when you install on the SSD.

Leaving it in there WILL result in the boot partition on the HDD being modified to include the new OS on the SSD.
Resulting in an unwanted menu to choose from when you boot up.
And when you want to remove that HDD later...you don't even get to boot from the SSD, because there is no boot partition on it.

By far, the best way to install the OS on the SSD is to have the HDD physically disconnected when you do it.
 

vensus

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Your applications on the old HDD won't be usable.
They would need to be reinstalled with the new OS on the SSD.

Your personal files on the HDD are fine.

The real way to do this is to copy any personal data off the HDD, and then wipe it completely.
THen, you can copy stuff back and use that HDD as desired.
Okay just wanted to check. I have some games that have certain settings in their folders/files, would I be able to copy those and transfer them to the ssd, then put those previous folder/files into the new game install just fine? or.. as another option is it possible to transfer some programs/folders to ssd first using a program to transfer them over, then install the os to the ssd after without an issue? (Trying to figure what would be the least headache.. as I have almost 2tb of stuff on my hdd, of course no where near that much stuff in going to the ssd.. but there's some programs that are a major pain to install and set back up how I have now currently.)

Sorry if I sound like I'm being difficult..
 

vensus

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Your game settings would be on a case by case basis.

Transfer "some programs"?
No.

There is no real "least headache". You can't transfer parts of the OS and application stack back and forth.
Okay I only ask about transferring some programs because i've seen software that copies folders/programs from one storage to another for you. But i don't know how reliable those are for the task.

Just as another option.. if i didn't want my os on the ssd, would I be able to instead just reinstall programs on ssd that I want loading faster (games, browser.) without any issues?

Sorry if i sound unsure of all this, I've installed a ssd before but it was with another computer build that was brand new. So for that build having both new ssd and hdd, it made things easy.
 

USAFRet

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Moderator
Okay I only ask about transferring some programs because i've seen software that copies folders/programs from one storage to another for you. But i don't know how reliable those are for the task.

Just as another option.. if i didn't want my os on the ssd, would I be able to instead just reinstall programs on ssd that I want loading faster (games, browser.) without any issues?

Sorry if i sound unsure of all this, I've installed a ssd before but it was with another computer build that was brand new. So for that build having both new ssd and hdd, it made things easy.
Applications that say they can transfer 'programs' either have a very limited selection of applications they can work with, or are very misleading in their wording, or are outright lying.

When an applications gets installed, there are dozens, sometimes thousands of entries made in the Registry and elsewhere.
You can't simply move those.



As for installing applications on the SSD? Sure.
You can leave the OS on the HDD where it is, and install things on the SSD.

Uninstall the application in question, and reinstall, selecting a folder on the SSD as the location.


Steam games, you can move those to a different drive without a reinstall.
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder
q24sFfe.png


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

vensus

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Applications that say they can transfer 'programs' either have a very limited selection of applications they can work with, or are very misleading in their wording, or are outright lying.

When an applications gets installed, there are dozens, sometimes thousands of entries made in the Registry and elsewhere.
You can't simply move those.



As for installing applications on the SSD? Sure.
You can leave the OS on the HDD where it is, and install things on the SSD.

Uninstall the application in question, and reinstall, selecting a folder on the SSD as the location.


Steam games, you can move those to a different drive without a reinstall.
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder
q24sFfe.png


To move an already installed game
Games library
Right click the game
Properties
Local Files
Move Install Folder
Okay again sorry for being a pain with all this, I think as of right now I'm just going to reinstall which programs and games I use often onto my ssd, uninstall them on the hhd. keep the os on the hdd for now and maybe later on sometime I'll do the whole os install on ssd thing. I know my boot up time will be much slower still, but i normally don't rush to have my computer boot up fast as possible. (as I normally power it on when I get up and go shower, make food or get some other stuff done anyways. It would've just been a nice bonus with the ssd is all.)

Thanks for all the help :)
 
Using manual mode you are supposed to be able to
Exclude by files and folders - this tab allows you to select specific files and folders from the
folder tree. Especially If the new drive is smaller. In the Acronis true image 2017 :
"10.1.3 Excluding items from cloning
If you do not want to clone specific files from a source disk (for example, when your target disk is smaller than the source one), you can opt to exclude them in the What to exclude step". See manual
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Using manual mode you are supposed to be able to
Exclude by files and folders - this tab allows you to select specific files and folders from the
folder tree. Especially If the new drive is smaller. In the Acronis true image 2017 :
"10.1.3 Excluding items from cloning
If you do not want to clone specific files from a source disk (for example, when your target disk is smaller than the source one), you can opt to exclude them in the What to exclude step". See manual
Right.
That refers to excluding specific data folders. Pic/Video/Doc/etc.
The Samsung Data Migration does this as well.

Not selecting which specific applications to migrate or not.

---------------------
As the OP said initially:
"along with a few key programs to load off of it "

Can't do applications selectively.
 
Aug 12, 2019
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You can use Migrate OS SSD / HDD. Help you transfer operating system from HDD to SSD. You do not need to reinstall the operating system. Provided that the Windows partition must be the same or smaller than your SSD.
Good luck
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You can use Migrate OS SSD / HDD. Help you transfer operating system from HDD to SSD. You do not need to reinstall the operating system. Provided that the Windows partition must be the same or smaller than your SSD.
Good luck
That would be helpful if the OP had partitions sized appropriately, and the OS on one of the correct size.
Since he apparently doesn't, this is less than helpful.