Question Transition from W7 to W10 with a new SSD drive

[taxpert]

Hi,

My current hard drive configuration:
System (C – Windows 7
Media (E
Backup (F
Drives C & E are the same physical drive (Samsung SSD 860 EVO). WD Black HDD is drive F:
Since I need to upgrade to W10, my idea is to install W10 in a separate SSD (to be bought) and then copy all the data (except OS and apps) to it, unpartition the Samsung EVO and make it one single drive and copy again copy all the data (except OS and apps) to the Samsung EVO.
In the end I want to have this:
System (C – Windows 10 – New SSD
Libraries (D – Samsung EVO 860
Backup (E
I think this is all possible to be done easily. My concerns are:

• The drive letters. The new SSD can have the C letter if I previously disconnect the Samsung EVO 860 from the mobo?
• Booting from W10 will allow me to see the data in the other hard drives, despite one of them having W7 installed?
• I have already W10 USB bootable pen. Do you think Microsoft will detect a hardware change if at the time of W10 installation the HDD’s configuration is different from the one I had when the USB bootable media was created?

Thanks for your input.

 

[Colif]

thats 1 happy post

1. drive letters should work. Boot drive always gets C drive. D & E should work based on which connectors they attached to on motherboard.

What is currently drive D?

2. Yes, you should gain access to all files though win 10 may balk at folders it recognizes as being windows. rest of folders you will be given the chance to take ownership the first time you open them. I would maybe move documents folders into another location so they easier to copy later.

3. changing hard drives doesn't set off a hardware change. the installer doesn't know what PC it will be used on so it doesn't track what you had when you created it.

 

[taxpert]

Tks for your reply.
Forgot to see the final version before posting the text (made in MS word). It looks like a Christmas tree
Drive D currently is not assigned.
If understood correctly, the best way is to disconnect everything and have only the new SSD attached to the mobo when installing W10. It's possible to create another partition in the new SSD when installing W10, right?
I ask this because in the meantime changed my mind, since the new SSD will have a 1TB capacity. So, my ideia is:
System (C – Windows 10 – New SSD, partition 1
Libraries (D – New SSD, partition 2
Work (E - Samsung EVO 860 SSD
Backup (F - HDD WD 1TB
I should connect the disks to the BIOS plug in the same letter assigning order, i.e. (C: & D: SATA 1), (E: SATA 2) and (F: SATA 3)?

 

[Colif]

SSD - only have it attached when you install win 10 is correct.
How old is motherboard? what do you have?

If motherboard supports GPT boot
when installing win 10 and on page where you choose drive to install too, Make the D drive partition first and then point win 10 at the remaining unallocated space and win 10 will create the partitions it needs, as it generally makes 3 partitions, 2 of which are tiny and 3rd being C drive. One of the tiny partitions will be the boot partition

unlike old boot methods, GPT (format used by windows) doesn't need boot partition as 1st on drive so you can put D there without any problems.

If motherboard doesn't support GPT boot
create 2 partitions of equal size and point the installer at 1st. The old drive format (MBR) doesn't need multiple partitions, I have installed it myself with just 1. But it does need the boot partition (which would be C) as 1st on drive or it won't boot.



motherboard drive order looks okay

 

[taxpert]

Sorry, don't know what GPT is.

I have a MSI 970 Gaming mobo. It has GPT?

 

[SgtScream]

First I would backup everything onto an external drive. I would then disconnect all drives as an extra percussion of accidental data loss. Then install 10 on to the new ssd. I would then plug the drives back in transfer the data then wipe the old ssd with windows 7.