[SOLVED] Windows transferred to new SSD. Can I plug in my old HDD?

[supressed]

Hey guys n gals, I have successfully transferred everything, and booted from my new SSD by unplugging my old HDD. I was unable to change the boot sequence in Dell's BIOS apparently (I'm relatively new at this) ...so I was suggested to immediately reboot with my old HDD unplugged, so that my PC would boot from it's 2nd drive. Now that I'm on the SSD, am I safe to plug back in the HDD or will my PC start booting from the HDD again? ...or can I plug it back in and format it, and have the PC boot from the only "bootable device" with Windows on it?

Thanks for your help!

 

[USAFRet]

What does the BIOS say about the boot order?

 

[jay32267]

So you can't change the boot order in the BIOS?

 

[supressed]

You again! lol, thanks alot for being with me. It says the same as last night, Windows Boot Sequence I believe? I will check our thread from last night, 1 sec...but all is well.

 

[supressed]

No Jay, it's not as simple as everyone elses BIOS it seems...

 

[supressed]

"windows boot manager" is what it says in the boot sequence dropdown menu.

 

[supressed]

I'm hoping/guessing that if Windows does not appear on the first drive it checks, that it will automatically check drive 2, and start rockin?

 

[USAFRet]

"windows boot manager" is what it says in the boot sequence dropdown menu.

And that is what you want.

 

[supressed]

And that is what you want.

I know, you taught me that last night, but my question still remains...I am good to plug in and format my old HDD with windows on it, and my SSD will remain the 'boot drive' automatically? I am just afraid to format my "backup drive" so to speak...

 

[supressed]

I am leaning towards yes, I dont mean to bug you with silly questions, I am just scared of course.

 

[supressed]

If I plug it back in, and reboot, will it not boot from the HDD first and foremost?

 

[geofelt]

Did you install windows on the ssd with NO other drives connected?
That is the correct way to do it.
If you did not, you will forever be unable to boot from the ssd without the old HDD attached.

If you have both the ssd and the hdd attached, each with a bootable copy of windows, it is the bios setting that will determine which you will boot from.
Use google to find how to get into the dell bios. Otherwise, the default may still be the old HDD.

Once you have that figured out and are booting from the ssd, you can do what you wish with the HDD. You can reformat it, clearing everything and making it another drive. Or, you can just delete folders such as the windows folders and still get access to your old data folders.
Apps on the HDD will need to be reinstalled if they used the registry(most will)

 

[USAFRet]

I am leaning towards yes, I dont mean to bug you with silly questions, I am just scared of course.

OK, heres a test.

Boot up with ONLY the SSD connected.
Create a text file on the desktop. Call it anything you like.
This file will exist ONLY on the SSD.

Now....connect that HDD.
Boot up.
Is that file still on the desktop?
If so...you are still booting from the SSD, and can clean everything off the HDD.

 

[supressed]

OK, heres a test.

Boot up with ONLY the SSD connected.
Create a text file on the desktop. Call it anything you like.
This file will exist ONLY on the SSD.

Now....connect that HDD.
Boot up.
Is that file still on the desktop?
If so...you are still booting from the SSD, and can clean everything off the HDD.

Aw yeah.
Thank you sir.
And to triple check, I checked in Windows Explorer, and the Windows icon is on my SSD, so I"m assuming that's what I want.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes.

 

[supressed]

Thanks a lot. I'm just about done. Might just leave windows on my 2TB HDD as a backup because I'm a scaredy cat, but you have helped me out immensely.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks a lot. I'm just about done. Might just leave windows on my 2TB HDD as a backup because I'm a scaredy cat, but you have helped me out immensely.

Maybe give it a few days, then wipe that thing clean.

Having 2 almost but not quite identical OS's in there leads to confusion.

 

[supressed]

Ok, deal. I blame Dell for my worry, I got a couple Orange Lights of Death, and as we spoke of last night....Dell told me this whole clone process was unachievable, which was just plain not true. So I'm just worried Dells are not made for this kind of torture. lol. Solved! Accept this trophy.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, deal. I blame Dell for my worry, I got a couple Orange Lights of Death, and as we spoke of last night....Dell told me this whole clone process was unachievable, which was just plain not true. So I'm just worried Dells are not made for this kind of torture. lol. Solved! Accept this trophy.

The front line help desk people are quite often completely wrong, on many fronts.
Microsoft, Asus, Dell...

"You can't do that"
Well, it says right here in your documentation, that we can. Specific tools and steps.