OS to SSD without the programs.

[megamidge11]

Hi there,

i got a new SSD. i want to put the OS onto it (transfer or install a fresh one, either way works for me). I then want to have all the programs i have on the HDD to stay there, and still work. Maybe putting some software on the SSD (Large games, photoshop, etc). How would i do this?
Will i have to reinstall everything or not?

Thanks
~sam

 

[Emerald]

you will have to reinstall the software programs since the will be no registry entries for them after the fresh install.

 

[Wisecracker]

Samsung and Sandisk offer free 'cloning' tools with their SSDs.

edit: Be certain to check for SSD firmware updates prior to cloning.

 

[megamidge11]

But i don't want to clone. That would involve moving EVERYTHING, i can't, and don't want to move everything.

 

[Wisecracker]

Maybe ... delete what you do not want to move ??

 

[SortNVF]

Either you clone what you got, or you edit what you got then clone.
It used to be a good idea to keep a ghost image of you SSD on regualr HDD, just in case of SSD file corruption. But SSD's are better theese days.

Hmm now you got me confused. Ar you running your pc with one huge partition with all kinds of programs installed on the same drive as your operating system?
And now you want just the OS and some select few programs moved to the SSD, but you cant do that cause "clone" meens the whole partition?

 

[megamidge11]

yeah. its all on one partition, a 1tb harddrive. the ssd being 256gb, thats not gonna work from the get go (and my program files exceed 300gb+).
So yeah, and i want to realistically keep all of the programs, just want to move the OS to the SSD to reap the benefits like fast boot up etc, as well as put several large games and reap the benefit there, such as loading times.

 

[SortNVF]

Sorry to say this but you made a rookie mistake.
First off you have to realise the operating systems are inherently evil. As such they will eventually have to be put down before they die on their own.

To prevent issues with deleting family photos, 200+ hrs worth of savegames etc. You really should never install anything unreplacable on your OS drive.
This meens set you Desktop to save on another drive (possibly a partition but preferably a physically different unit), set your games the same way (atleast hour intensive ones).

Obviusly with SSD you want your game installs on it, but its unlikely that you can really shave things off your current install to fit the SSD with a decent result.
Possibly given a third disk, you could clone the old HDD spend hours uninstalling non vital programs and deleting files, till you have something thatll fit the SSD.

But your really better off starting from a fresh install adding high priority programs to the SSD and putting the rest on your old HDD. Once you have the SSD as you want it, make a ghost image of your install and clean out the old HDD before installing whatever you want on there.

For future reference, keep you OS partition around 100-200Gig and put only core programs in there.

 

[megamidge11]

okay thanks. So freshly install windows onto the ssd, and then reinstall everything?

 

[USAFRet]

okay thanks. So freshly install windows onto the ssd, and then reinstall everything?

Yes. That is the recommended way. FAr less chance of fail over a clone, even if data space were not an issue.

 

[megamidge11]

Okay thanks. Will any /most steam

 

[megamidge11]

Okay thanks. Will most steam games or anything transfer without needing a re download. I know it needs registry entries and that may cause issues but not everything does right? Or atleast just makes a new one. What folders should I delete from old hardrive? I understand the windows folder is protected and is difficult to get access

 

[USAFRet]

Okay thanks. Will any /most steam

Steam games can generally be moved from one drive to another.
See this: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?p_faqid=231

Don't worry about moving the client....that will be reinstalled with the new OS anyway. Just the actual game content.