[SOLVED] SSD as main storage and HDD with windows as back up

[anwarmohammad0820]

Hi,

So I recently purchased a SSD and wanted to know if i could just make the SSD as my primary boot drive while having my old HDD that already has Windows 10 on it.

If I just put my boot order as my SSD first and my old HDD with windows and files as secondary, will I be able to use anything i have saved on my HDD such as files, applications and so on?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and answers

 

[RealBeast]

No, you can clone the HDD to the SSD if there is sufficient space on the SSD compared to the HDD or you can do a clean install and re-install your programs.

Programs need to have registry entries in the OS drive registry, they will not work with those in the HDD if it is no longer the boot OS drive.

You can set up the HDD to be used for storage and keep current data files there though.

 

[King_V]

I'm not even sure what you're asking - what does it mean to have the SSD as the first/primary boot drive in the boot order, but only have the OS on the HDD (the second drive)?

 

[USAFRet]

Hi,

So I recently purchased a SSD and wanted to know if i could just make the SSD as my primary boot drive while having my old HDD that already has Windows 10 on it.

If I just put my boot order as my SSD first and my old HDD with windows and files as secondary, will I be able to use anything i have saved on my HDD such as files, applications and so on?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and answers

No.
Windows needs to be on the SSD to boot from that.

If you merely put the SSD as an entry on the boot list, the BIOS will look at it, find nothing, and skip right by.
"Oh, there's nothing on this drive, let me go to the next entry on the list"

 

[anwarmohammad0820]

I'm not even sure what you're asking - what does it mean to have the SSD as the first/primary boot drive in the boot order, but only have the OS on the HDD (the second drive)?

Sorry, forgot to mention that part.. I will have a fresh installation on the SSD. Just wanted to know if the HDD can be a backup even if it has Windows on it still.

 

[anwarmohammad0820]

No, you can clone the HDD to the SSD if there is sufficient space on the SSD compared to the HDD or you can do a clean install and re-install your programs.

Programs need to have registry entries in the OS drive registry, they will not work with those in the HDD if it is no longer the boot OS drive.

You can set up the HDD to be used for storage and keep current data files there though.

What if i add Windows on the SSD and keep the hard drive as is? and have the boot drive order as SSD primary?

 

[King_V]

I'm not even sure what you're asking - what does it mean to have the SSD as the first/primary boot drive in the boot order, but only have the OS on the HDD (the second drive)?

Sorry, forgot to mention that part.. I will have a fresh installation on the SSD. Just wanted to know if the HDD can be a backup even if it has Windows on it still.

It can be a backup for data, for the most part, but any installed programs would have to be cleanly installed again.

The best thing to do is make a backup of all the data on the HDD - whether to another directory or partition, or, ideally, to an external source (cloud, USB or SD drive, another HDD, etc).

Then do a clean install of Windows 10 on the SSD with the HDD disconnected.

Then wipe the HDD.

Then bring back all the data that you backed up.

Then install software, etc.

 

[RealBeast]

No, you can clone the HDD to the SSD if there is sufficient space on the SSD compared to the HDD or you can do a clean install and re-install your programs.

Programs need to have registry entries in the OS drive registry, they will not work with those in the HDD if it is no longer the boot OS drive.

You can set up the HDD to be used for storage and keep current data files there though.

What if i add Windows on the SSD and keep the hard drive as is? and have the boot drive order as SSD primary?

You could do that, but then none of your programs would work when you boot from the SSD.

You have two choices, either clone the HDD to the SSD or do a clean Windows installation to the SSD and reinstall your programs. While a clone sounds nice, the best long term solution is usually to do the clean SSD OS install (without the HDD attached), reinstall your programs, then attach your HDD move your data to the SSD or other backup, reformat the HDD, copy your data back to the HDD.

By the way, what size is your SSD and how much space is currently used on your HDD?

 

[USAFRet]

What if i add Windows on the SSD and keep the hard drive as is? and have the boot drive order as SSD primary?

That path leads to confusion and tears.
2 identical bootable OS's in the same system...I've seen multiple cases of complete confusion.

 

[anwarmohammad0820]

No, you can clone the HDD to the SSD if there is sufficient space on the SSD compared to the HDD or you can do a clean install and re-install your programs.

Programs need to have registry entries in the OS drive registry, they will not work with those in the HDD if it is no longer the boot OS drive.

You can set up the HDD to be used for storage and keep current data files there though.

What if i add Windows on the SSD and keep the hard drive as is? and have the boot drive order as SSD primary?

You could do that, but then none of your programs would work when you boot from the SSD.

You have two choices, either clone the HDD to the SSD or do a clean Windows installation to the SSD and reinstall your programs. While a clone sounds nice, the best long term solution is usually to do the clean SSD OS install (without the HDD attached), reinstall your programs, then attach your HDD move your data to the SSD or other backup, reformat the HDD, copy your data back to the HDD.

By the way, what size is your SSD and how much space is currently used on your HDD?

SSD is Samsung evo 500GB
I think i used up about 800GB on my 1TB HDD...haha

 

[RealBeast]

No, you can clone the HDD to the SSD if there is sufficient space on the SSD compared to the HDD or you can do a clean install and re-install your programs.

Programs need to have registry entries in the OS drive registry, they will not work with those in the HDD if it is no longer the boot OS drive.

You can set up the HDD to be used for storage and keep current data files there though.

What if i add Windows on the SSD and keep the hard drive as is? and have the boot drive order as SSD primary?

You could do that, but then none of your programs would work when you boot from the SSD.

You have two choices, either clone the HDD to the SSD or do a clean Windows installation to the SSD and reinstall your programs. While a clone sounds nice, the best long term solution is usually to do the clean SSD OS install (without the HDD attached), reinstall your programs, then attach your HDD move your data to the SSD or other backup, reformat the HDD, copy your data back to the HDD.

By the way, what size is your SSD and how much space is currently used on your HDD?

SSD is Samsung evo 500GB
I think i used up about 800GB on my 1TB HDD...haha

So either back up some of the crap and delete it and do a clone, or clean install and then reinstall the programs -- the choice is yours. In any case *always* backup anything that matters *always* -- if that isn't clear -- *always* back up if in doubt. :lol: