Upgrading to SSD- C Drive Woes

[cdb8457]

I'm going to switch to windows 8, and when i recently added a SSD to boot my windows it automatically gave it C drive as the name. I have a regular HDD I want to have as my C drive and only use my SSD as booting up windows and putting games on there for fast loads. I know it wont let me do this is Computer Management after I install everything, just give me error me an error. Do I do this when installing windows 8 and when?


Thanks,

Clint

 

[USAFRet]

It is generally advisable to have your boot drive be the C. Whichever it is...SSD or HDD.
You can change the boot to be on D or whatever, but some applications may have issues.

 

[popatim]

You can change your boot drive letter but anything you've already installed will need to be uninstalled first and then reinstalled because all the info for it will be wrong. Like registry settings pointing to boot drive which wont be c: anymore...

Basically you edit the registry to change d: to something not used like k:
then change c: to d:
then change k: to c:

Again this is not recommended at all and theres no guaranty that you OS will work correctly but heres MS KB article discussing the process but in terms of undoing this mess.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188

 

[cdb8457]

You can change your boot drive letter but anything you've already installed will need to be uninstalled first and then reinstalled because all the info for it will be wrong. Like registry settings pointing to boot drive which wont be c: anymore...

Basically you edit the registry to change d: to something not used like k:
then change c: to d:
then change k: to c:

Again this is not recommended at all and theres no gauranty that you OD will work correctly but heres MS KB article dicussing the process but in terms of undoing this mess.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188

Ok, thanks for the reply! Just to clarify- Now if i do a fresh re-install can I make my SSD a different drive letter and my HDD my c drive in the installation or do I have to do that after the fact?

Thx

Clint

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, thanks for the reply! Just to clarify- Now if i do a fresh re-install can I make my SSD a different drive letter and my HDD my c drive in the installation or do I have to do that after the fact?

Thx

Clint

I just have to ask - why?
You want the boot SSD (with Windows) to be the D, and the HDD with 'stuff' on it to be C?

You can, but why?

 

[cdb8457]

Ok, thanks for the reply! Just to clarify- Now if i do a fresh re-install can I make my SSD a different drive letter and my HDD my c drive in the installation or do I have to do that after the fact?

Thx

Clint

I just have to ask - why?
You want the boot SSD (with Windows) to be the D, and the HDD with 'stuff' on it to be C?

You can, but why?

My wife.....She keeps filling up my SSD with mindless crap. I want yo make it easy for her. SSD is going to be reserved for games and OS. I guess I have odd

 

[USAFRet]

My wife.....She keeps filling up my SSD with mindless crap. I want yo make it easy for her. SSD is going to be reserved for games and OS. I guess I have odd

Ahhh....now we come to the actual problem.
Making the boot drive the "D", and the HDD the "C" is trying to apply the wrong solution to an easily solved problem.

Keep the boot drive as the "C", as Windows expects.
1. Change the default download location in your browser(s) to somewhere on the HDD
2. Redirect the User/Docs location (for that user) to somewhere on the HDD
3. Don't let the wife install anything (standard user acct)
4. Create a folder on the HDD - Applications. Use that as the top level folder for installing things.

 

[cdb8457]

My wife.....She keeps filling up my SSD with mindless crap. I want yo make it easy for her. SSD is going to be reserved for games and OS. I guess I have odd

Ahhh....now we come to the actual problem.
Making the boot drive the "D", and the HDD the "C" is trying to apply the wrong solution to an easily solved problem.

Keep the boot drive as the "C", as Windows expects.
1. Change the default download location in your browser(s) to somewhere on the HDD
2. Redirect the User/Docs location (for that user) to somewhere on the HDD
3. Don't let the wife install anything (standard user acct)
4. Create a folder on the HDD - Applications. Use that as the top level folder for installing things.

Well that is way easier! Thanks!

 

[USAFRet]

Well that is way easier! Thanks!

This is why I always ask "why" when someone comes with a preconceived solution.
"What is the actual problem?" "Why are you trying to do this?"