Remove windows but keep other data

[Rydis]

Anyone know how to do this?

I am using a 80 GB SSD and just bought a 1TB Sata 3 HDD. I have somethings on the SSD I wish to use and keep on there, like Skyrim+mods and other game installations. But there isn't a lot of room. So I want to remove windows from the SSD and install it on the new HDD but I dont want to format the SSD, I want to keep all my other data..I just want windows removed.

Is it possible?

 

[Blaylock]

Just my 2c. Conventional wisdom would say to keep the OS on the SSD for faster boot times and transfer the Games and other files to the larger(and slower) HDD. If you were to do it this way there would be no reason to format the SSD.

 

[wagex]

+1 keep the os on the ssd. i have just a 60gb SSD and a wd black for games. you will enjoy it much more. the way you have it.

 

[Rydis]

Just my 2c. Conventional wisdom would say to keep the OS on the SSD for faster boot times and transfer the Games and other files to the larger(and slower) HDD. If you were to do it this way there would be no reason to format the SSD.

I really want to keep skyrim and fallout on the ssd. I see a significant difference in loads. Especially un Dragon age inquisition. That being said my other sagas have been Sata 2..so not sure how would work on sata 3 vs ss d. But I never turn my pc off ever. So os load times is really a non issue for me.

 

[c627627]

My Windows partitions are only 35GB, is the remaining 45 GB enough for your Data?

If not, simply drive imaging to another drive, taking out old drive, making sure new drive works, then deleting Windows files from old drive would get you what you want.


Having said that...

Moving Windows away from an SSD would decrease your usage speeds to such a significant extent that you would be able to actually 'feel it' - even going from an old generation of SSD to new generation yields speed advantages you can feel - running Windows from a mechanical drive doesn't make sense since small SSDs can be bought for cheap and would give you returns in a speedier Windows experience every single day you use Windows... I second above posters just in case anyone else is reading this, SSD is more beneficial than even slightly overclocking your computer or doing any other minor upgrade... Many minor upgrades are still not as good as having your Windows partition on an SSD drive instead of a mechanical drive, even if it is a 10,000 RPM mechanical drive, for real life Windows usage SSDs smoke mechanical drives significantly.

 

[Rydis]

My Windows partitions are only 35GB, is the remaining 45 GB enough for your Data?

If not, simply drive imaging to another drive, taking out old drive, making sure new drive works, then deleting Windows files from old drive would get you what you want.


Having said that...

Moving Windows away from an SSD would decrease your usage speeds to such a significant extent that you would be able to actually 'feel it' - even going from an old generation of SSD to new generation yields speed advantages you can feel - running Windows from a mechanical drive doesn't make sense since small SSDs can be bought for cheap and would give you returns in a speedier Windows experience every single day you use Windows... I second above posters just in case anyone else is reading this, SSD is more beneficial than even slightly overclocking your computer or doing any other minor upgrade... Many minor upgrades are still not as good as having your Windows partition on an SSD drive instead of a mechanical drive, even if it is a 10,000 RPM mechanical drive, for real life Windows usage SSDs smoke mechanical drives significantly.

It really isn't.

DAI alone is 26 gigs, skyrim with mods is over 30. Then fallout..and any other future games I think would be beneficial with the loading experience..hmm.

 

[c627627]

Windows being on SSD is the most important thing.
Other than deciding which game to place on a mechanical drive, do you think 120GB SSD will be enough? Latest generation can be had on sale this week for about $50...
http://slickdeals.net/newsearch.php?searchin=first&forumchoice[]=9&forumchoice[]=4&forumchoice[]=54&forumchoice[]=10&forumchoice[]=25&forumchoice[]=30&q=120gb+ssd

 

[c627627]

Original Poster, here's a guy that just moved his Windows away from an SSD and onto a mechanical drive:
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/757272-boot-times-slow-win-8-amp-10

 

[habbajabba]

You can NOT simply relocate programs from c drive (keep the ssd as c) without doing a lot of registry work. You CAN specify all future installs to a secondary disk however. There is a prog called Steam Mover which CAN physically relocate programs to a second disk. I believe it simply creates hardlinks or something when moved. It was designed for steam games but supposedly does work well with progs in general. Other than that, do as suggested and keep the OS on the ssd, but you will have to reinstall everything custom to the sata.
www.traynier.com/software/steammover

 

[Rydis]

You can NOT simply relocate programs from c drive (keep the ssd as c) without doing a lot of registry work. You CAN specify all future installs to a secondary disk however. There is a prog called Steam Mover which CAN physically relocate programs to a second disk. I believe it simply creates hardlinks or something when moved. It was designed for steam games but supposedly does work well with progs in general. Other than that, do as suggested and keep the OS on the ssd, but you will have to reinstall everything custom to the sata.
www.traynier.com/software/steammover

yeah, I didn't want to relocate programs I wantd to install windows on new HDD and remove only windows from my SSD

 

[c627627]

Easily done though imaging your operating system partition and reimaging it onto a new drive, provided your BCD partition is on your C drive, if it isn't you need to image that too or sometimes Windows Repair or EasyBCD software can recreate them.

 

[habbajabba]

"yeah, I didn't want to relocate programs I wantd to install windows on new HDD and remove only windows from my SSD"

So how is the new os disk supposed to magically work with the ssd and it's programs? It won't. You are wanting what is impossible. If you really want to run the os off the sata, cloning is the only option, but again!, the programs won't be seen on the ssd. Whatever, if you choose the slower drive as the os I see no point here.