Fresh Install or Migrate Win7 to new SSD

[Benihana]

Hey guys, it has been a long time since I fired up a post here, but I am back with some new goodies and gear. I have a 120gig SSD Vertex 3, and I want to make it my OS drive and put a few Vital programs on it. Now I know I can move the progs myself, but is it better to migrate Win7 to the new SSD or is it better to fresh install and try and work with getting all my old settings back? Thanks for the help.

 

[Boulard83]

Alwais better to do a fresh install, mostly to make sure the SSD partition will be correctly aligned. there are work around to make sure its aligned and correct it if not but .... Sometime a fresh install if a good way to clean older "****" laying around BTW

 

[Benihana]

When I install it, can I just then delete the old folder in the HDD, or what can I do from there? I am more of a hardware and processor type guy, this gets me beat from time to time.

 

[Boulard83]

If you have another HDD or external storage, you can backup your stuff ( pics and other files ) and your save games. Backup your stuff before doing anything. BTW, backuping stuff is something you should do in a regular basis. Backuping stuff to another harddrive makes the re-install much easyer and faster. You can copy/paste your steam folder without any issue.

Unplug all HDD, plug only the SSD
Install clean OS to the SSD
Update and install MB drivers and other stuff
Replug Secondary HDD, re-install your games ( copy/paste if steam or similar ).
+ recopy your saved games and other backuped docs.

Well done. I usually reinstall my OS and all my games/backup in under 2 hours. Quite fast and your sure not to have issue with new hardware.

 

[Benihana]

Thanks buddy. Time to get the 1.5 TB HDD up and running as a back-up drive then. I cannot wait to get this going. Thanks for the help.

 

[Boulard83]

If you use steam for your games, keep the steamapps folder as a backup, and in "my docs" you will find some other save games, keep those as backup too.

After reinstalling OS
Reinstall steam
Close steam
recopy Steemapps folder
recopy save games in "my document"
restart steam and voila ! ** some games may run a checkup, but will work quickly **

 

[Benihana]

Yes, I do use steam for most of my games. That will save a bit of the headaches. Again thanks.