Using new SSD and old HDD?

[Dwyer_9]

Hey guys,
I'll be starting on my new build today (provided the parts show up like they're supposed to!), and will be installing a new 250GB SSD. I'll be using my current 1TB HDD which has my current OS install on it, but obviously want to install my new OS to the SSD.

What's the best way to go about this?

 

[shendao]

Depend on what your preference is. You can first remove your 1TB HDD from the new build and connect the SSD up and install your OS which is the best option, and use the 1 TB HDD for data and backup purpose.

 

[nwo]

Since you already have a large SSD, you will need to install the OS on your SSD and make your SSD the primary boot drive.

 

[Enigmoid]

Surprised no one has mentioned this but if you are fine with your current install (or have a lot of stuff on your drive that you do not want to re-install) you can simply copy/clone (using one of the multitude of programs available) your old HDD to your new SSD (readjusting partitions and such as well).

I believe that samsung drives generally come with (or is available on samsung's website) a utility for this.

Takes half an hour and you are good to go. All settings and programs retained.

 

[denis280]

Surprised no one has mentioned this but if you are fine with your current install (or have a lot of stuff on your drive that you do not want to re-install) you can simply copy/clone (using one of the multitude of programs available) your old HDD to your new SSD (readjusting partitions and such as well).

I believe that samsung drives generally come with (or is available on samsung's website) a utility for this.

Takes half an hour and you are good to go. All settings and programs retained.

This... and if you install your new ssd.make sure to disconnect the hdd.plug it back when os is finish installing.

 

[Dwyer_9]

Thanks for the advice guys, the parts came today, and the build is done. I ended up doing a clean install on the SSD, and then once that was done, hooked up the HDD, keeping the SSD as the boot device.

However, now when I go to open any program on the HDD it won't work, and won't even let me access some of the folders on it. Any thoughts as to why this is?

 

[BlackDragon24]

If you did a clean install of the OS onto your new SSD, then you will need to re-install all of the programs you previously had on the 1TB drive.

Realistically in order to avoid any future conflicts, what you should do is figure out a backup source for your data on the 1TB drive, back it up, reformat it to eliminate all traces of your first windows install, then place data back on drive.

That is what I would do. Then you can install new programs to wherever you want. But you have a big beautiful speedy new SSD...your programs should go there. If you have a huge amount of games (100's of GB's worth), then those should go on the Hard drive. My $.02.

 

[Dwyer_9]

So can I boot to the old HDD, backup my files onto a portable hard drive, then boot to the SSD, and format the HDD? Or do I need to put the HDD back into my old build and do it that way?

 

[KingFatty]

Yes, you can simply disconnect the SSD's SATA cable from the motherboard, connect the HDD's SATA cable, and your computer should boot to the HDD just like the old computer did.

Alternatively, you can leave both drives SATA cables connected, and go into your BIOS settings and look for assigning the drive of your choice as the first SATA device, so the computer will just boot from that device without needing to disconnect and reconnect cables. That way you'll see the SSD drive too, and can easily just plop your files directly onto the SSD as a super-fast pseudo backup. But please also do a real backup and get your files onto a 3rd unmentioned backup hard drive (such as a USB drive).

 

[Dwyer_9]

Thanks again for the help guys, pretty sure I've got it all sorted out now