Where do I install windows? SSD or mSata SSD ? Sandisk or Crucial

[varun12]

Hello,

Recently bought Sandisk ultra ii 960gb SSD and Crucial MX200 mSata 500GB.

Both based on my budget. I looked into Evos but there was minimum 100$ difference which is a lot for me currently.

Alienware 2014 M14 i7 4700MQ , 765m nVidia, 16GB RAM DDR3

Where should I install my OS - ?
Should I do a clean install ? since it came with Win 7 currently on Win 10-I have made a recovery USB but not sure what saves on it. Drivers and Windows both? or just enough files for repair?

I have a lot of essential programs like Adobe and games installed -I'd like to move them as is. Is that possible ?
For example a clean windows install and moving those programs as is ? lol so I don't lose my games?


TIA

 

[USAFRet]

1. You can't move 'applications'. Steam games, yes.
2. What drive is the OS on now?

 

[varun12]

1. You can't move 'applications'. Steam games, yes.
2. What drive is the OS on now?

It's currently on my 1TB 5400 rpm HDD with mSata boot cache.

 

[USAFRet]

1. You can't move 'applications'. Steam games, yes.
2. What drive is the OS on now?

It's currently on my 1TB 5400 rpm HDD with mSata boot cache.

How much total used space is on the 1TB?

 

[varun12]

1. You can't move 'applications'. Steam games, yes.
2. What drive is the OS on now?

It's currently on my 1TB 5400 rpm HDD with mSata boot cache.

How much total used space is on the 1TB?

975 or so total but I have free space of like 186gb

 

[USAFRet]

OK, I'm just trying to gauge what the options are
1TB (actually 931GB) with 186 free is not a viable option to clone to the 500GB drive. Unless you do a LOT of pruning.

Which drive for the OS and applications?
Recommend the 500GB. This would require a clean install, along with all your applications.
Use the 960GB SSD for other stuff.

 

[varun12]

OK, I'm just trying to gauge what the options are
1TB (actually 931GB) with 186 free is not a viable option to clone to the 500GB drive. Unless you do a LOT of pruning.

Which drive for the OS and applications?
Recommend the 500GB. This would require a clean install, along with all your applications.
Use the 960GB SSD for other stuff.

Are you saying that based on speed? mSata faster than my Sandisk? or something else?

Right now I never bothered to do any sort of clean up- I have like duplicate files of duplicate files on the 1tb lol
Compressed version of games then uncompressed version of same games then installed games.

I think I get your point-regardless of what I do I won't be able to move games? I was thinking installing Win on mSata and then cloning laptop 960 HDD to my 960 SSD then manually deleting windows from it.

This was it'll preserve my games and the levels I've achieved in them lol

 

[photonboy]

My suggestion is something like THIS:

1) install the mSATA SSD
2) test and apply a firmware update (if one exists) if you know how

3) CLONE W7 from the HDD (assuming it's a hard drive) to the mSATA drive. (Machrium Reflect Free should work fine)
4) test
5) remove the HDD (it will still have the original Windows OS and data so keep aside for now)

6) Upgrade to Windows 10 through the default pop-up and make sure to KEEP PROGRAMS AND DATA
7) test (i.e. make sure NVidia GPU is working properly and switching between Intel and NVidia GPU's as applicable)
8) *Delete the W7 backup (you have another full HDD anyway)
a) file manager
b) select c-drive (right-click-> properties->general)
c) disk cleanup
d) cleanup system files
e) choose the LARGE file that may say "W7_old" or something. I forget the name, then delete it to recover space.

9) Other SSD->
Unless you ran out of space trying to transfer to the 500GB SSD then you don't have to do much here. Perhaps:
a) Install the new SSD
b) if bootup fails, go into BIOS and change the boot order (on some newer drives that may be POWER+F2 or similar to get into the BIOS) as it may be trying to boot from the same SATA location

c) Format, upgrade firmware if possible etc.

10) STEAM:
You can have one folder per drive. If space is an issue then make a Steam folder on the larger SSD then transfer over some games. One option is to:
a) backup game
b) Delete game
c) RESTORE game but now choose the folder on the larger SSD (i.e. "E:\Steam2" or whatever name you created for the folder)
d) Delete the backup (Keep if using MODS to restore easily, but I'd keep on the larger SSD to minimize size of backup Image of c-drive)

11) C-DRIVE IMAGE backup:
Acronis True Image or similar. How to use this type of tool is a discussion for another day, but make sure you have at least one backup IMAGE after you get all this sorted out or if you get a drive failure, or unrepairable data corruption you'll end up having to reinstall everything.

 

[varun12]

OK, I'm just trying to gauge what the options are
1TB (actually 931GB) with 186 free is not a viable option to clone to the 500GB drive. Unless you do a LOT of pruning.

Which drive for the OS and applications?
Recommend the 500GB. This would require a clean install, along with all your applications.
Use the 960GB SSD for other stuff.

and when life goes on I'll install programs and all on mSata and games & other miscellaneous stuff will be saved on SSD?

 

[USAFRet]

The mSATA is marginally faster (but not so you'd notice)

You can do it either way.

If you can clean up the current drive to below 400GB, you can clone directly from the HDD to the mSATA 500GB.
Otherwise, you can clone directly from the 1TB to the 960GB SSD. Bring along all the junk as well.

 

[photonboy]

Update:
Okay, I see the FREE SPACE is an issue.

I also recommend the mSATA as the boot drive. Hmm... okay, do THIS:

1) Install the 960GB SSD, test/firmware etc

2) Create a folder "Temp Steamapps folder"

3) Exit Steam

4) CUT and PASTE your Steamapps folder to that temporary folder. Default location is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam

5) Delete Steam (will not delete Saves in Documents folder, or the folder you just moved)

6) Delete or move other stuff to get below 400GB (as low as possible without major hassle. Videos etc for example should be moved to the large SSD)

7) Remove that SSD for now (or use a USB->SATA device like the BlacX or basic enclosure if you have one to do this via USB)

8) Continue with the CLONE to the 500GB SSD etc.

Then...

9) attach 960GB SSD

10) Install Steam (default on c-drive), login, then create a folder called "E:\Steam2" or similar on the 960GB SSD

11) exit Steam

12) Cut/Paste the Steamapps folder into this new Steam folder

13) Start Steam

14) VERIFY LOCAL CONTENT for a game, then run. (Save games should work fine as they are almost always in the Documents folder somewhere, or also online)

15) If working, test all games, move any folders around you need right now (keep most on the larger SSD if possible), then

16) Make a backup Image of C-drive

**Later you should repurpose the HDD as a backup drive either as a second backup or if the 960GB SSD is too full. Again, BlacX or other basic enclosure exists though choose USB3.

***With more than on Steam folder you can choose where games get installed, or MOVE between drives as discussed in my other post.

 

[photonboy]

*May want to PRINT my main comments for reference**

 

[USAFRet]

10) STEAM:
You can have one folder per drive. If space is an issue then make a Steam folder on the larger SSD then transfer over some games. One option is to:

Actually, you can have multiple folders per drive.

 

[varun12]

The mSATA is marginally faster (but not so you'd notice)

You can do it either way.

If you can clean up the current drive to below 400GB, you can clone directly from the HDD to the mSATA 500GB.
Otherwise, you can clone directly from the 1TB to the 960GB SSD. Bring along all the junk as well.

Update:
Okay, I see the FREE SPACE is an issue.

I also recommend the mSATA as the boot drive. Hmm... okay, do THIS:

1) Install the 960GB SSD, test/firmware etc

2) Create a folder "Temp Steamapps folder"

3) Exit Steam

4) CUT and PASTE your Steamapps folder to that temporary folder. Default location is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam

5) Delete Steam (will not delete Saves in Documents folder, or the folder you just moved)

6) Delete or move other stuff to get below 400GB (as low as possible without major hassle. Videos etc for example should be moved to the large SSD)

7) Remove that SSD for now (or use a USB->SATA device like the BlacX or basic enclosure if you have one to do this via USB)

8) Continue with the CLONE to the 500GB SSD etc.

Then...

9) attach 960GB SSD

10) Install Steam (default on c-drive), login, then create a folder called "E:\Steam2" or similar on the 960GB SSD

11) exit Steam

12) Cut/Paste the Steamapps folder into this new Steam folder

13) Start Steam

14) VERIFY LOCAL CONTENT for a game, then run. (Save games should work fine as they are almost always in the Documents folder somewhere, or also online)

15) If working, test all games, move any folders around you need right now (keep most on the larger SSD if possible), then

16) Make a backup Image of C-drive

**Later you should repurpose the HDD as a backup drive either as a second backup or if the 960GB SSD is too full. Again, BlacX or other basic enclosure exists though choose USB3.

***With more than on Steam folder you can choose where games get installed, or MOVE between drives as discussed in my other post.

Ok so what I've decided is directly clone my current Win 10 1tb HDD to my new 960gb SSD. I'll be deleting even more stuff off from it just for the sake of it.

I wanted a clean installation because my laptop refuses to recognize my phone usb- so I thought if it'll be brand new installation it'll automatically wipe out everything and new drivers would start recognizing phones.

I guess I'd have to find a different way to make sure it starts to recognize.

I'll use the Arconian or whatever the name of software is that comes with SSD -to clone using usb 3.0 enclosure I have and call it a day.

I'll use mSata to install programs that I don't mind re-installing like Adobe and all that. In future new games will be moved on to that as well.

I'll keep 1TB drive as backup -in as is condition for "just in case" although I already have a USB with recovery stuff on it. Thanks all for the help.

I might be back to ask something else though lol