Change boot drive to SSD but keep files on HDD

Question

I have just gotten a SSD for christmas (samsung 860 EVO 1TB) and was wondering how to change the boot drive to the SSD and then later move over the files that I want, like steam library and such. The big thing is that I want to keep all of the junk on the HDD so it doesn't clutter up the SSD. I've seen a lot of tips on migration but as said before, that's not quite what I'm after. I guess my question is: Is there any way to just install a clean copy of windows 10 home on my ssd, but still access and transfer files from the HDD?

Thanks!

(Btw I'm not the most tech intellegent, so no overcomplicated words would be appreciated.)

Answer 1

Yes, you can install a clean copy of Windows onto your new SSD while using your old drive to hold files like your steam library. Just know that while your files are preserved, the clean install of Windows means that you probably will have a lot of work to do getting things set up the way you had them before. Migration is a better solution if you don't want a fresh start.

The basics (clean install) are as follows:

1. Back up all of your data and keep that backup detached from the computer you are working on. This is extremely important to ensure that you can recover in case something goes wrong!
2. Create Instillation Media for installing Windows 10.
3. Boot into the instillation media.
4. Follow presented steps to install Windows on to the SSD. Triple check that you sellect the intended drive!
5. Open BIOS and make the SSD the first of your internal drives in boot order.
6. Remove installation media and boot into the clean install of windows and make sure it is working.
7. Make any changes you want to how your data is stored on the old HDD.
8. Tell Steam where your games are. (You can have a location on each drive.)

Answer 2

This is quite easy. Your computer must be capable of housing two internal disks:

• Take out the old HDD and replace it by the new SSD, using the same disk and power connectors
• Use bootable media to install Windows 10 to the SSD
• Add the HDD, connecting it using the other disk and power connectors
• Done.

If everything works to your satisfaction, and you need more space on the HDD, you may delete such folders as C:\Windows, C:\Program Files, C:\ProgramData.

If the computer cannot house a second disk, buy a suitable disk enclosure and use it as an external USB disk.

Answer 3

Nice SSD. I like Samsung's myself.

There are a couple of ways to go about this:

Option 1 and 2 below are easiest to keep you from having to reinstall Windows, and reinstall all of your software.

option 1) depending on the size of your HDD or if you have a > 1TB hdd, but less than 1TB of data, you can use an imaging program like Acronis True Image (my personal fav) and image your 1TB onto the SSD. Then, make sure your boot order in your BIOS loads the SSD (not the previous HDD). When the SSD boots, format your HDD (quick format would be fine), and then you can transfer your files off of the SSD to the HDD that you don't want to keep on the SSD (provided they aren't critical system files or installed application files).

option 2) If your hard drive is > 1TB or has > 1 TB of files making imaging to the SSD not possible, then if you have a spare HDD around, take a backup of your HDD (imaging program or manual file copy would be fine). AFTER, and ONLY AFTER, you backed up the files successfully, you can delete data files (files that aren't critical to computer operation or files created by installed apps), start removing them to get you under the 1TB mark so you can image the drive onto the SSD.

I know with Steam, transferring your games can be done in one of two ways. If you add your HDD with all the files in it already, you can go into Steam, then go to Steam > Settings > Downloads and click on the button [Steam Library Folders]. From there, you can change the C:\Program Files... location to D:\Program Files... where your HDD is now labeled as (since your SSD should load as your C drive in windows).

For Windows Documents, Downloads, Videos, Pictures, etc, you can go to [Window] + [E] key, and under the left side menu where it says "This PC" right-click on the folders for Desktop, Documents, Videos, Pictures, Music and go to "properties". Select the "Location" tab and redirect it to the D:\Users[yourusername][foldername]. When you do this, it will also ask you if you want to transfer your files there. You can accept, or transfer them manually yourself. Now, those items will automatically save to the HDD instead of the SSD.

Option 3) your HDD is > 1TB or has more than 1TB of files and you don't have the means to back it up, remove files to clear it < 1TB, or image it to the SSD, then I think your next option is a fresh install of Windows on the SSD and reinstall your programs.

In all cases (options 1-3) since you may not want to format your HDD with all your programs on it, it will still be capable of booting, so you will want to go into the BIOS and 1) make sure you set the SSD to the first bootable device (or first after floppy, CD, USB, etc); 2) disable the HDD as a bootable option.

For Steam, if you have to reinstall it... This article speaks the truth on a couple of ways to do it. https://www.ozarc.games/how-to-move-steam-games-to-another-computer/

1. First, install steam.
2. second, if using your HDD as a data drive for your steam apps, to into Steam settings (like I mentioned above) and change your steam library to your HDD drive [i.e. D:\Program Files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common ]
3. third, click on the Install option for each game - it should pretend like it will download, but then go to file verification, and report the game has been installed within a min or so.
4. [optional] if you want to use your C (SSD) drive as Steam apps drive, then install steam to your C drive (SSD), copy your files from your HDD [D:\Program Files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common] to [C:\Program Files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common]; start up steam, click install, and it should verify the files, then report them installed in about a min or so.

Hope this helps and I didn't spin you about too much...