Questions about an SSD/HDD configuration

[8tE1GH7]

Sorry in advanced for the questions but I'm a noob when it comes this stuff, currently picking out parts for a new PC and I want to have 2 drives, 1 SSD and 1 HDD. I want my SSD to have my OS on it, along with a handful of other programs (flash, photoshop, soild works), but with windows on the SSD can I have documents (word files, pictures, music), games (Steam and Orgin) and other goodies on my HDD? When I go to install windows how do I tell it to install windows on the right drive? What does creating a partition do? And is there benefits to partitioning my drives?
Thanks

 

[Sakkura]

Yes, you can install Windows on the SSD and install whatever programs you like on the HDD, and put whatever files you like there. With Windows 7 (and I assume 8 as well), you can for example have your image library show files from an image folder on the HDD alongside files from an image folder on the SSD, if you like.
Steam can install games to a secondary library on another drive than where Steam is installed. So you can install Steam on the SSD and put certain games on the HDD, or vice versa.

When installing, there should be an option for which drive to install to. But you can just disconnect the HDD while installing Windows, then it can't go wrong. Creating a partition makes a drive (or part of it) visible to and usable by the OS. Splitting a drive (SSD or HDD) into multiple partitions makes each part function like separate drives in most regards. Each partition will have a drive letter and show up separately in "My Computer" etc.

It's not necessary to do that, but in some cases it may protect data on one partition from corruption if another partition gets corrupted somehow. It's not a perfect safeguard at all though, and it's debatable whether it's worth the hassle.

 

[J_E_D_70]

^ pretty much that. Install with only ssd connected, run WEI in windows to let it do some basic ssd optimization then run the toolbox that comes with the ssd for further tweaks.

I like to get windows customized and folders pointed where I want them then make a system image to capture a baseline. Also means fewer patches if you ever have to restore.