Proper Steps AFTER Installing Win10 on New SSD?

[kd5bvx]

Well, this is my first post here on Tom's Hardware but I've used it as a resource for years. Just had a quick question that I haven't really had any luck finding the answer to with the search function of the forums. I apologize in advance if it has already been answered; I know how it is to see the same stuff over and over as I'm active on some other forums.

Anyway, what I've done and my questions...

I recently purchased a new SSD (240GB) and installed it in my tower. I used the media creation tool in Windows 10 to make a bootable flash drive from which I could install Windows 10 Pro on the new SSD. This has been done and I'm actually posting this from within the new install.

In searching for the answer to my question, which I'll post in a moment, I ran across a thread that had these steps listed:

1. Backup everything important you want to keep
2. Buy SSD
3. Connect SSD, disconnect HDD
4. Set SATA mode in BIOS/UEFI to AHCI for the SSD
5. Install Windows
6. Reconnect HDD with the SSD connected.
7. Go to Disk Management and repartition and reformat your storage drive
8. Return the backed up data to the HDD
9. Enjoy

Here is my issue - I did not disconnect the HDD when installing Win10 to the new SSD. I also did not make any changes in the BIOS for the SSD. I have Windows 10 installed on both my original HDD right now (intentional) and the fresh install on the new SSD. My intention was to set the new install up as I want it as I get time and then when it is running as I want it (i.e. the programs I want installed are installed, etc.) then I can format the original HDD and use it for storage (already backed up to an external HDD).

Funny thing is I did some searching before I did the install and never ran across the "unplug the HDD" step until today (I did the install, etc., this past weekend). I haven't experienced any issues, though - if I restart my machine I am presented with a screen on which I can select which Windows 10 to boot and they both will boot and load fine (of course the SSD is faster).

So, my questions are...
1) Is the reason you say to disconnect the HDD when installing to the SSD simply so you don't get confused?
2) Will I / should I expect any issues since I did not disconnect it or was it just suggested for the reason mentioned above?
3) What is it I need to do in BIOS?
4) After making the change in the BIOS am I good to format the old 1TB HDD and switch it to storage use only?

Thanks in advance. And again, sorry if this is all covered but I promise I've done a couple of searches and usually see the steps above but not answers to my other questions, at least in the threads I viewed.

>> Dell XPS Core i7 2600 w/8GB RAM, Windows 10 64-bit

 

[marko55]

You don't need to disconnect the HDD. That may be kind of a best practice, to your point, to ensure you don't accidentally do a fresh windows of windows on the HDD again and wipe it clean.

 

[kd5bvx]

You don't need to disconnect the HDD. That may be kind of a best practice, to your point, to ensure you don't accidentally do a fresh windows of windows on the HDD again and wipe it clean.

Thanks. So I guess now I just need to check the setting in the BIOS and then can format the 1TB HDD since I have everything backed up and my new install on the SSD is working fine.

Right, folks?

 

[marko55]

Just check disk manager in windows. If your hard drive is there then format it & give it a drive letter and you're done.

 

[kd5bvx]

OK, that's all I thought I needed to do. Appreciate the replies!

 

[USAFRet]

What you need to do before making any other changes is to verify it actually boots with only the SSD connected.

What has probably happened is the boot manager lives on the HDD. This is why it is presenting you with a choice of which OS to boot into.

Power off
Disconnect all drives except the SSD
Power up and see if it boots properly.

 

[slingsrat]

Your boot files are on your old HDD. If you remove your HDD now your SSD windows won't boot (try it). You should check your SATA mode and make sure it is ACHI and not IDE but very new motherboards wont have IDE as an option.

 

[kd5bvx]

OK I will check this tomorrow night. Too late tonight. I did verify in the BIOS it says AHCI as the SATA mode. I had a feeling I was missing something and that if I just formatted the HDD then I'd have a problem. I'll try it tomorrow or Thursday and see what happens.

I do appreciate the replies so far! I'll try this and see what happens and report back.

 

[kd5bvx]

OK, it took me longer to get to it than I hoped but I got busy and had to go out of town. Anyway, I disconnected the original HDD and left just the SSD connected. Upon pressing power I was presented with a message about inserting bootable media. So, it was as you suspected. So...the next question is probably a given but...what do I need to do now?

 

[slingsrat]

OK, it took me longer to get to it than I hoped but I got busy and had to go out of town. Anyway, I disconnected the original HDD and left just the SSD connected. Upon pressing power I was presented with a message about inserting bootable media. So, it was as you suspected. So...the next question is probably a given but...what do I need to do now?

You need to plug both your drives in, download easyBCD and then use it to move your boot files to your new SSD. Then take out your HDD and confirm you can boot to your SSD. Then use easyBCD to clean up your boot menu after you have finished with the OS on your HDD.

 

[kd5bvx]

OK, it took me longer to get to it than I hoped but I got busy and had to go out of town. Anyway, I disconnected the original HDD and left just the SSD connected. Upon pressing power I was presented with a message about inserting bootable media. So, it was as you suspected. So...the next question is probably a given but...what do I need to do now?

You need to plug both your drives in, download easyBCD and then use it to move your boot files to your new SSD. Then take out your HDD and confirm you can boot to your SSD. Then use easyBCD to clean up your boot menu after you have finished with the OS on your HDD.

Alright, I will give that program a look this evening and see if I can figure out what steps to take to get everything taken care of. Thanks for the program suggestion!

 

[kd5bvx]

OK, Update:

Used EasyBCD's "Change Boot Drive" option and then shut down, disconnected, discharged the system, and then disconnected the original HDD from the board. Reconnect main power and power on the tower and no error so that's good, it seemed to work.

Then used EasyBCD's Edit Boot Menu feature to delete the old OS listing from the boot menu and saved settings. Reboot - no boot menu and it loaded right in to the newer Win10 install, as desired.

So, I am assuming that I can now reconnect the old HDD and after I make sure everything is off of it that I want, use the Windows Disk Management to reformat it and use it for storage. Is that correct? Nothing else I need to do before then, right?

 

[USAFRet]

OK, Update:

Used EasyBCD's "Change Boot Drive" option and then shut down, disconnected, discharged the system, and then disconnected the original HDD from the board. Reconnect main power and power on the tower and no error so that's good, it seemed to work.

Then used EasyBCD's Edit Boot Menu feature to delete the old OS listing from the boot menu and saved settings. Reboot - no boot menu and it loaded right in to the newer Win10 install, as desired.

So, I am assuming that I can now reconnect the old HDD and after I make sure everything is off of it that I want, use the Windows Disk Management to reformat it and use it for storage. Is that correct? Nothing else I need to do before then, right?

If it is verified working from the SSD only, then yes.
Wipe that old HDD
Delete all partitions, make one big one wit the space. Format it, give it a drive letter.
Use as desired.

 

[kd5bvx]

Thanks. I think I have everything done now and all is well. Thank you all for your replies and help to make sure I did things properly.