Windows 10 Clean Install / Storage Drive Questions?

[QuantumDecrypt]

I am upgrading my Main Boot Drive to a new 250Gb ssd. I recently upgraded to windows 10 from windows 7. Thanks to this Great coumminty here at TomsHardware, I know that I can install 10 and it should activate since it is the same motherboard/CPU.

My question now is Once windows 10 is installed on the new Ssd, I will be using my old Hdd for a storage drive, do i need to format that drive. Or can i get away with just deleting the windows files on the old drive. While i do have a backup, I would like to save the hassle of moving all my files around 2 to 3 times.

 

[CountMike]

There will be few partitions on your old drive which are of no use any more and just taking space for nothing. It's more than likely that newly installed windows will not let you delete at least some folders and files from HDD. There's much more to windows than just those few folders.
Best thing would be to put some effort into backing up/transferring personal files and re partition drive. That brings more benefits than only getting more space. Drive will be realigned and files/folders returned to it will be bunched together and faster to access. I would (and do) go to even higher extent and do Safe erase it so it will be filled with 0s and so get back to clean slate. It will be faster and more reliable.

 

[QuantumDecrypt]

Ok, So reformatting is my best option. What do you mean by "Safe Erase"? Also would it be safe once windows is installed on the SSD to plug in the harddrive, Move Steam, and my documents over, then repartition/reformat the Hdd. Steam is my biggest concern about moving over...