Still confused by going to SSD

beany_bot

beany_bot

beany_bot

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So I am thinking about getting an SSD (about time right..) and I'm going to just go ahead and get windows 10 for it. (I have 10 at work and I like it, plus DX12 and all that).

But I'm still confused how to do it while still having my "stuff" and programs on my existing HDD? and for it to all work seamlessly.

My main concern if I am being honest isn't random files and steam games (as they can be reinstalled at the drop of a hat). But it's FSX. I have literally amassed 100's of addons for FSX over the years. Some are just files added to FSX but many are installs in their own right, ad have programs and folders. Anyone who also has addons for FSX will know what I am on about, it's a right mess really (but works). I have Aerosoft folders, dedicated programs like active sky, etc etc. It all works, but it is delicate. So It wouldn't be as simple as transferring FSX to the SSD because there are files associated with it dotted all over the place.

Can I just leave all of this on the HDD? But it is associated with windows 7? Can I leave windows 7 on the HDD and just keep this as a "computer" that I use for playing FSX? and have my SSD with windows 10 as a fresh install on the SSD and reinstall my steam games / chrome / office / powerdirector. And have this as a seperate "computer" so I decide at boot which windows to load? Im really lost how to do this?

Whats the best way to move forward here. If I am being honest I have no massive urge to move to SSD other than everyone telling me it really is very very good.
 
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do a clean install of windows on the ssd,connect your old 3tb hdd and see if you can still play fsx,it depends,some games let you and some will need re installing,can leave your old windows on the hdd still

just boot from the new ssd/install
 
wazza300 said:
do a clean install of windows on the ssd,connect your old 3tb hdd and see if you can still play fsx,it depends,some games let you and some will need re installing,can leave your old windows on the hdd still

just boot from the new ssd/install
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Could I just boot from the old HDD everytime I wan't to play FSX? I have no problem with doing that if its possible. Just boot the "current PC" I currently have.

And I can go about installing steam ETC on the new windows 10 SSD.
 
yeah you can,but the whole point is fast bootups with an ssd,you'll be waiting a good ten minutes for the hdd/os to load up

upto you though,id try and see if it lets you play it once booted from the ssd

theres also a program called steam mover,that moves your games to a new hdd/ssd without re installing
 
wazza300 said:
yeah you can,but the whole point is fast bootups with an ssd,you'll be waiting a good ten minutes for the hdd/os to load up

upto you though,id try and see if it lets you play it once booted from the ssd

theres also a program called steam mover,that moves your games to a new hdd/ssd without re installing
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Yes true. But that would only be the case when I am playing FSX, which nowadays is fairly infrequent. All othertimes I use the PC would be with the SSD / win 10. Steam mover sounds good to me.
 
ahh fair enough then,depends on the board but you can press f8 or f12 at splash screen to bring up the boot menu then you can choose which os/ssd/hdd to boot into
 
Are all the FSX files housed in one main folder? Like a folder in Program Files? Or are they scattered around the HDD? i.e. Prorgam Files, Documents, etc
 
rhysduck said:
Are all the FSX files housed in one main folder? Like a folder in Program Files? Or are they scattered around the HDD? i.e. Prorgam Files, Documents, etc
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All over the place. Many are in the FSX folder. some Add-on developers like Aerosoft create their own whole folders in Program files, some even dump into C:! Really really scattered. Think of FSX as a fragile glass pyramid. Works great but I wouldn't want to dismantle it and try and rebuild it because something will break! Not to mention I think my FSX folder is like 400GB or thereabouts and even if I reinstalled them all , they all need setup and tweaked and have to be installed in the right order. It's been a labour of love for the last 10 years but I wouldn't want to do it again...
 
I think the best thing for me will be to Keep the HDD exactly as it is. Get an SSD, put win 10 on it and go about moving steam over, installing office Etc. Won't take too long. If I fancy playing FSX, I just boot to the HDD and play as I normally do.

What about things that have a licence like Office and Powerdirector? Will they allow me to install twice? And more to the point. Will steam fit...
 
It will only try and boot from the HDD if there is nothing on the SSD.

Change the boot order, stick your Windows USB installation (or however you're planning on installing it, DVD, etc), and install.
 
MichaelAwkward said:
It will only try and boot from the HDD if there is nothing on the SSD.

Change the boot order, stick your Windows USB installation (or however you're planning on installing it, DVD, etc), and install.
Click to expand...

Thanks, good to know. Any idea about the licence products like Office and powerdirector? Can I install them too? are they based on ip address or what?
 
beany_bot said:
All over the place. Many are in the FSX folder. some Add-on developers like Aerosoft create their own whole folders in Program files, some even dump into C:! Really really scattered. Think of FSX as a fragile glass pyramid. Works great but I wouldn't want to dismantle it and try and rebuild it because something will break! Not to mention I think my FSX folder is like 400GB or thereabouts and even if I reinstalled them all , they all need setup and tweaked and have to be installed in the right order. It's been a labour of love for the last 10 years but I wouldn't want to do it again...
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how FSX is setup and how it runs but how does the game know where all of it is if it's just dumped anywhere so to speak?

I'd much prefer to reinstall the whole lot and use a dedicated addon folde for EVERYTHING.
 
rhysduck said:
I'm not sure how FSX is setup and how it runs but how does the game know where all of it is if it's just dumped anywhere so to speak?

I'd much prefer to reinstall the whole lot and use a dedicated addon folde for EVERYTHING.
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't know how it all works, but trust me stuff is everywhere. It's just the nature of the beast. Whole forums dedicated to all that stuff. FSX with a lot of addons basically operates on a knife edge. If it's working well you are in luck and don't touch it! You can't chose where a lot of the stuff is installed. Honestly re-installing it all would literally take weeks, and then months to get it all working together nicely. Also, FSX and windows 10 doesnt agree very well. I've spent that much money on FSX over the years its well worth having a drive dedicated to it.

My steam folder is 150GB. So I guess If I got a 500gb SSD I could comfortably move that, windows 10 and office over to the SSD. Basically just leaving my old drive for FSX.
 
your better off unplugging all your hdd's and just attach the new ssd when installing windows,once installed attach the other drives/pop in the bios and set the ssd as first boot device

it wont install any boot partitions on the other drives then
 
wazza300 said:
your better off unplugging all your hdd's and just attach the new ssd when installing windows,once installed attach the other drives/pop in the bios and set the ssd as first boot device

it wont install any boot partitions on the other drives then
Click to expand...

Im going to do that.

500GB SSD
Win 10
Steam
Office
Power director. I estimate this will take up no more than 200GB, 250 MAX

They are the main things I use (chrome obv and silly little programs like HWmonitor blah blah blah)

so 95% of the time I will be using the SSD fully. When I want to play FSX I boot from HDD.

:D
 
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