What are the next steps after a fresh OS install on my new SDD?

[louiscrawford486]

I have just finished a new install of Windows 10 onto my new SSD which I am using for a boot drive and the occasional steam game. My old HDD has all of my stuff on it and I obviously want to access it and use it as my main storage drive.

What are the next steps for me to take in order for me to have my PC like it was before with access to all my pictures, software, documents and applications etc? From what I have gathered so far from other posts and stuff is that I need to reinstall all applications like steam, but I still dont know how to access my documents and pictures from my old HDD (they dont seem to appear anymore). Furthermore, I have read about reformatting my HDD but am unsure about this.

Any help/advice/corrections will be greatly appreciated, TIA.

 

[Tanyac]

One of the first things you need to do is to turn off defrag. You do NOT want to defrag a SSD drive. Google it.

You should also make a back up of your documents, pictures etc if you have an external drive handy, or can get access to one. Better safe than sorry.

Don't reformat your HDD. Unless you have a separate back up of your data you will lose everything.

If you go into Windows Administrative tools, Computer Management, Disk Management you should see both your SSD and HDD. If you do not see your HDD that suggests it's not connected.

Yes, you will need to reinstall all of your programs and games.

Assuming your original drive is still installed and connected it should show up with a new drive letter. (SSD = C:\, HDD = D:\ for example).

If you stored all of your pictures, documents etc in the default Windows locations you won't see them because it is looking for them on the new C:\ drive.

Rather than making this a very long post, I encourage you to google "Move My Documents to a new drive Windows 10". You'll get about 10 million results. There will be some good advice in there. The same process applies to My Pictures and all the other folders.

 

[louiscrawford486]

One of the first things you need to do is to turn off defrag. You do NOT want to defrag a SSD drive. Google it.

You should also make a back up of your documents, pictures etc if you have an external drive handy, or can get access to one. Better safe than sorry.

Don't reformat your HDD. Unless you have a separate back up of your data you will lose everything.

If you go into Windows Administrative tools, Computer Management, Disk Management you should see both your SSD and HDD. If you do not see your HDD that suggests it's not connected.

Yes, you will need to reinstall all of your programs and games.

Assuming your original drive is still installed and connected it should show up with a new drive letter. (SSD = C:\, HDD = D:\ for example).

If you stored all of your pictures, documents etc in the default Windows locations you won't see them because it is looking for them on the new C:\ drive.

Rather than making this a very long post, I encourage you to google "Move My Documents to a new drive Windows 10". You'll get about 10 million results. There will be some good advice in there. The same process applies to My Pictures and all the other folders.

When I reinstall all my programs etc won't I create doubles of their files which will clog up space?
I have read it may be easier to back up any personal data like docs, pictures etc and then wipe HDD then fresh install programs, software, etc?

 

[Tanyac]

When I reinstall all my programs etc won't I create doubles of their files which will clog up space?
I have read it may be easier to back up any personal data like docs, pictures etc and then wipe HDD then fresh install programs, software, etc?

You would install your programs on your SSD.
If you know where every one of your personal files are, that's great. Back them up separately.

Sorry, what I meant to say was don't wipe your old HDD UNTIL YOU HAVE BACKED up all of your files. To make sure you got absolutely everything I always recommend taking an image of the entire drive, programs included and keep that back up accessible. As I said, better safe than sorry.

Once you have done that, you can reformat the HDD drive.

 

[louiscrawford486]

When I reinstall all my programs etc won't I create doubles of their files which will clog up space?
I have read it may be easier to back up any personal data like docs, pictures etc and then wipe HDD then fresh install programs, software, etc?

You would install your programs on your SSD.
If you know where every one of your personal files are, that's great. Back them up separately.

Sorry, what I meant to say was don't wipe your old HDD UNTIL YOU HAVE BACKED up all of your files. To make sure you got absolutely everything I always recommend taking an image of the entire drive, programs included and keep that back up accessible. As I said, better safe than sorry.

Once you have done that, you can reformat the HDD drive.

Okay thank you for your help!
Just to clarify:
1. I'm going to back up my HDD onto an external drive then wipe it/reformat it
2. Then I can reinstall all my programs, software, installs onto the HDD whilst keeping the SSD for windows and maybe some games
Does this sound okay?

 

[mjslakeridge]

When you did the fresh installation of Windows on your new SSD, was the HDD connected? If so, and you later remove the HDD or format it, you may no longer be able to boot from the SSD. Some boot files may have been written to the HDD when installing Windows on the SSD. Turn off your computer, and disconnect the HDD and try to boot back up. If successful, you are OK. If not, re-install Windows on the SSD with only the SSD connected.

As for reinstalling your programs on the HDD after a reformat, some programs will only install to the drive the operating system is installed on (your SSD). You will just have to try them 1 by 1, and if you can specify the drive letter of the HDD then select that.

 

[louiscrawford486]

When you did the fresh installation of Windows on your new SSD, was the HDD connected? If so, and you later remove the HDD or format it, you may no longer be able to boot from the SSD. Some boot files may have been written to the HDD when installing Windows on the SSD. Turn off your computer, and disconnect the HDD and try to boot back up. If successful, you are OK. If not, re-install Windows on the SSD with only the SSD connected.

As for reinstalling your programs on the HDD after a reformat, some programs will only install to the drive the operating system is installed on (your SSD). You will just have to try them 1 by 1, and if you can specify the drive letter of the HDD then select that.

No I disconnected the HDD when I installed windows on the SDD so I think im all good on that front!
Ah, okay so its just depends on the program whether it goes on my HDD or SSD?

Thanks for your help

 

[mjslakeridge]

You are welcome. Generally when you install a program, it will suggest a path to use for the installation. If you can change the drive from the C drive to the D drive (assuming C is the SSD and D is the HDD), then do that.