Tips for moving to an SSD from a 1TB HDD - Logistics hurt my head.

David_VI

David_VI

David_VI

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I'm considering an SSD in the next week or so and it hurts my head a little. So Windows would be installed on it and Steam with some Steam games.

Windows is currently on a 1TB drive and its nearly full. So somehow I have to move all this stuff around instead of just copying to another drive like I usually do when reinstalling windows.

How do people do it? Do you move your libraries that Windows usually puts on C:/ with Windows to another drive?

If I check my user folder its nearly 300gb. So I can't take all that onto the SSD, some of my libraries will have to move! I'm guessing the 'Downloads' folder can definitely move as its pointless on an SSD. But what about Music (114gb), Pictures (27gb) and Documents? (23gb) It just feels odd to me to have them not on C:/!

Another problem, my two most played games at the moment, that I would move onto the SSD are both 19-20gb and 40gb.

How much does Windows take up?

Please advise me, it hurts my head. Am I going to need two SSDs? Or a bigger one? (Was thinking 250gb).. Please go ahead and spec me :p

Thanks
 
Am confused. You want Windows and some of your steam stuff on the SSD, and everything else on the HDD right? Surely you install the SSD, install windows, then copy over anything else you want, and use the steam folder mover thing to put the games you need on the SSD?

Apologies if I've misunderstood what you are attempting to do.
 
1) Install Windows on your new SSD, and have your current HDD as 2nd hard disk
2) Remap Music/Pictures/etc folders onto your HDD using this guide:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/Redirect-a-folder-to-a-new-location
3) Move the files from where they are now into your newly redirect folders.
4) Reinstall your apps and install to HDD where it's not worth being on SSD, and on SSD when you think they ought to be on SSD
 
In general, music, video, pictures aren't worth putting on SSD. Your music is not going to play any faster (nor would you want it to).
 
one ssd is plenty,ideally 128-256gb in size,im running windows 7 on a 60gb drive just fine and it takes up 25gb (win7 ultimate)

however its best to use 128gb minimum as youll always end up wanting more space

pair your ssd with a large mechanical hdd,and stick the os on the ssd,and storage hdd for everything else
 
Yeah I know I was over complicating it, it just seems crazy going from a 1TB where i'm so used to keeping most things on my system drive, to a SSD.

So really I want Windows and a few Steam games on my SSD. If i'm keeping most of my libraries off of it then that leaves a lot for the Steam games.

Does anyone know how much space Windows would use? I need to figure out if 250gb would be enough for what I'm hoping to put on it. (Edit: Was answered.. missed it, cheers!).

A problem I see. My Mobo only has 6 SATA ports. Two are used by DVD drive and Esata port and the leftover 4 are harddrives, so I don't have room to add an SSD while keeping the current ones. I'm thinking of replacing two drives with a bigger one which would fix it. Or I could get a PCI card to give myself more SATA ports?
 
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yeah it should be fine imo,i trust samsung

if you could get hold of a 256 samsung 830 it is a better drive,the 840 pro is still too expensive atm
 
Oh yeah. Wow the 830 is cheaper but harder to find :(

I guess the Samsung 250GB SSD 840 is a good deal.. The Pro version is a lot more expensive for 6gb extra and some other numbers I know nothing about.. haha.
 
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its discontinued now the ones that are left in stock are overpriced

tha standard 840 should be fine though,or pick a crucial m4?
 
Wouldn't work out cheaper for me that way ;).

SSD here today! I must be a bit OCD (not real OCD of course ;)) but I hate the thought of my original C:/ sitting there still full while I move a few things across. I guess eventually I hope to format it and get rid of all the crap you don't see so it can be a true data drive. But that surely will take a while...

Do people install general programs on their SSDs? Usually after reinstalling windows I install all my drivers then things like Winamp and Office.. I imagine it takes a lot of effort to remember to change the drive path on installers i'd usually just click through.
 
Of course, if you start installing things to HDDs your SSD is just going to waste. Obviously games are a slightly different issue because of their size, but generally anything you use often you want on your SSD.
 
Just avoid dragging large files over repeatedly, this will kill your SSD and dramatically shorten the lifetime.
 
If you still have issues with no free ports, move one of the opticals to an interface card with SATA. You dont want to run the SSD on a interface card, you want to use one of the ports on the motherboard, preferrably one with SATA6 if you have it (normally a different colour).
 
Got it installed in a white SATA port, which is the 6gb/s one I believe.

Windows installed! Just sorting out other drives. Boot is quite quick but my bios boot screens take ages. The SATA AHCI Bios where it lists the drives seems to take quite a few seconds.. No way to get rid ?
 
David_VI said:
Got it installed in a white SATA port, which is the 6gb/s one I believe.

Windows installed! Just sorting out other drives. Boot is quite quick but my bios boot screens take ages. The SATA AHCI Bios where it lists the drives seems to take quite a few seconds.. No way to get rid ?
Click to expand...

No

welcome to the real world of boot to workable DT with SSDs
 
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bLinK said:
Just avoid dragging large files over repeatedly, this will kill your SSD and dramatically shorten the lifetime.
Click to expand...

I'm going to be buying the Samsung 840 500GB to replace my games drive.

My D drive only has games installed on it. What is the best way copy all my games over without causing any harm?

Clone it ?
 
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