So I cloned my HDD to an SSD and I want everything but the OS on the HDD for storage

[thenftyjokr]

Can someone type or give me a link to a walk through of how I can do this, I just want the SSD for the OS and nothing else is there a way I can do this?

 

[USAFRet]

If you've not already cloned this....

Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

Later, once the system is running....connect the old HDD, and delete ALL partitions on it.

For storage on the HDD instead of the SDD, here:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html


For Steam games, here:
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

 

[popatim]

If you still have the original hdd intact the easus todo baxkup can migrate the os to the ssd for free. I've never used this utility myself.

There is a paid for program named Migrate OS to SSD that I have used several times to do the job.

 

[thenftyjokr]

If you've not already cloned this....

Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

Later, once the system is running....connect the old HDD, and delete ALL partitions on it.

For storage on the HDD instead of the SDD, here:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html


For Steam games, here:
Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

Will I have to uninstall programs on the ssd and reinstall them on the HDD or can I just move them by moving the location of the program folder to the HDD i'm sorry I've never done this and I think about the small thing on situations like this.

 

[USAFRet]

Will I have to uninstall programs on the ssd and reinstall them on the HDD or can I just move them by moving the location of the program folder to the HDD i'm sorry I've never done this and I think about the small thing on situations like this.

Programs can't be simply moved around like that.
You'll have to Uninstall, and then reinstall later.