[SOLVED] Recovering Data Off Old Boot Drive After Installing Windows On New NVME

[ClemsonFanKyle]

So, here's the deal. I made this post about trying to boot off of my old drive and trying to keep the original configuration. The original post can be found here: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...nd-trying-to-book-off-old-boot-drive.3652495/

My new question is, since I am moving forward from that theory, and going to go ahead and download Window's onto the NVME drive that I just purchased. However, will I be able to recover any data that was on the old SSD boot drive? If so, how?

If not, I will move on with my life not knowing what will never be seen on the measly 250gb SSD.

Thanks for all responses and help in advance! Cheers!

 

[USAFRet]

Personal data, almost certainly, yes.
You may have to TakeOwnership, depending on where they are.

Applications, no. They will need to be reinstalled.

 

[ClemsonFanKyle]

Personal data, almost certainly, yes.
You may have to TakeOwnership, depending on where they are.

Applications, no. They will need to be reinstalled.

Personal data as in what? Pictures, school documents, other misc files?

 

[USAFRet]

Personal data as in what? Pictures, school documents, other misc files?

Yes.

 

[ClemsonFanKyle]

Yes.

How would I do this? Thanks for your advice 😁

 

[USAFRet]

How would I do this? Thanks for your advice 😁

For the OS activation, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

Install the OS on the new drive, with ONLY that drive connected.
Get it all running.

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

Later, reconnect your old drive.

Navigate around in that drive, and see what happens.
If those files are in the Libraries, the permissions on those are locked to your old User. Even if you have the same user, it is a different NTFS account
So, it will prompt you "You currently don't have access"
https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/take-ownership-folder-windows-10-using-file-explorer

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3841-add-take-ownership-context-menu-windows-10-a.html

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-take-ownership-files-and-folders-windows-10

 

[ClemsonFanKyle]

For the OS activation, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

Install the OS on the new drive, with ONLY that drive connected.
Get it all running.

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

Later, reconnect your old drive.

Navigate around in that drive, and see what happens.
If those files are in the Libraries, the permissions on those are locked to your old User. Even if you have the same user, it is a different NTFS account
So, it will prompt you "You currently don't have access"
https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/take-ownership-folder-windows-10-using-file-explorer

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3841-add-take-ownership-context-menu-windows-10-a.html

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-take-ownership-files-and-folders-windows-10

I’ll keep you updated. Installing windows now 👍🏼