Installing an SSD.

[Schirmy]

Hey friends,

I've done a fair bit of research but I would like to ask this here to get more information. Santa is bringing me an SSD for Christmas. I currently have a 2 TB HDD and will be using the SSD for Windows 10 and important programs, while using the HDD for storage.

Let me know if I have this process correct:
1. Download Windows 10 on a dvd or USB. My Bios has CD/DVD Rom already enabled so i'll be using that.
2. Install SSD in computer, using Sata and power cable. Unplug HDD.
3. Boot up computer with disc in and install Windows 10 on the SSD. Apparently you don't need a key and it should detect W10 already on your bios.
4. Download whatever essentials to it.
5. Shut down computer and rehook HDD up. Restart and boot into bios, set boot priority to SSD first.
6. Possibly format old HDD?

Thanks, friends.

[SidFwuff]

Hey friends,

I've done a fair bit of research but I would like to ask this here to get more information. Santa is bringing me an SSD for Christmas. I currently have a 2 TB HDD and will be using the SSD for Windows 10 and important programs, while using the HDD for storage.

Let me know if I have this process correct:
1. Download Windows 10 on a dvd or USB. My Bios has CD/DVD Rom already enabled so i'll be using that.
2. Install SSD in computer, using Sata and power cable. Unplug HDD.
3. Boot up computer with disc in and install Windows 10 on the SSD. Apparently you don't need a key and it should detect W10 already on your bios.
4. Download whatever essentials to it.
5. Shut down computer and rehook HDD up. Restart and boot into bios, set boot priority to SSD first.
6. Possibly format old HDD?

Thanks, friends.

Pretty much. You don't need to disconnect the HDD- when you turn the computer on there will be an option for a boot manager ("Press F12 to enter boot manager") for example that will let you choose which device to boot from. Select the CD/DVD drive, and it should boot from the Windows DVD. (You may see a 'Press any key to boot from DVD' message, in which case hit a key).

When you install Windows you can pick a drive to format and partition- it will be clear whether it's your 2TB HD or the SSD, as the name and capacity are labeled. Simply install to the SSD.

Once the installation is finished and you reboot, it should default to your SSD automatically. Windows 10 (and 8) make use of UEFI, which is an intended replacement for BIOS. Microsoft has a bit on it here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows-8/what-uefi

The gist is that which drive you boot from, priority, and many features that used to be in BIOS are now available from inside Windows.

[Artorius]

Yes skip the activation part and activate online later inside Windows. You don't even need to unhook the HD but do it for satefy, you might select the wrong drive when installing Windows.

[chazus]

I would still recommend disconnecting the HDD prior to install. Even if you install Windows on the SSD, it might still detect a bootstrap present on the HDD. The result would look the same (C drive is SSD, D drive is HDD), but if the D/HDD drive is removed, the system wont boot. I've only seen it occasionally but better safe than sorry, as it's only 15 seconds extra work.

[Schirmy]

Alright, thanks for the information. Is it worth to format the HDD or just leave stuff on there? I hear talks of the two Windows OSs conflicting but also not.

[chazus]

Personally, if you have a place to temporarily back up the 'stuff' that isnt the OS, I would do that, wipe the drive, and put it back on. There isn't really issues about conflicts for the most part, however thats ~10-15gb wasted space and just junk cluttering things up.

[Schirmy]

Personally, if you have a place to temporarily back up the 'stuff' that isnt the OS, I would do that, wipe the drive, and put it back on. There isn't really issues about conflicts for the most part, however thats ~10-15gb wasted space and just junk cluttering things up.

I have an external HDD for that holds about 1.3 TB. Main reason I ask is because re-downloading 30 steam games is a pain. =/

[Artorius]

I have an external HDD for that holds about 1.3 TB. Main reason I ask is because re-downloading 30 steam games is a pain. =/

You could also clone the drive if the SSD is big enough but starting clean is generally good...

[Heathy]

I recently got myself a 120gb ssd for a couple games, at first i didn't think it worked because it didn't automatically detect it or at least it doesn't tell you its found a new drive or anything. but for me I had to go into disk management (rightclick start in win10) and actually assign it a letter / let it format, then it showed up as usable and in the file explorer..

[Aurimas]

I have an external HDD for that holds about 1.3 TB. Main reason I ask is because re-downloading 30 steam games is a pain. =/

Your steam games, assuming you have room, would be part of "back the stuff up". You can copy the steam games folder over to the external, re-install steam after the wipe, and then copy the games back again.

I'm not 100% sure that is the procedure as I always google it before I wipe, but as stated; a quick google will figure that out. Steam games can be safely moved and moved back. You can also use steam's built in backup and restore functionality too, but that takes significantly longer.

I don't know if I'd wipe the other drive. Half the time I do and half the time I don't. Once you make sure you have everything you need out of the old "documents" folder, just deleting the old "windows" "program files" and "users" directory will get rid of most of that extra junk.

Oh yea, if you have not already upgraded to windows 10 then you are missing a couple steps. (if your running 7 and plan on upgrading with the hard drive). Otherwise you are correct.