Moving windows

spix

I need to copy a windows installation from my ssd onto my hdd. I have both running in the same pc at the moment, can I simply drag and drop the windows folder or is there more to it?

ED E

You'll want imaging software.

The MBR etc arent "files" that explorer can see.

tuxy

If you just copy the files windows will not boot.

I just this software to image drives
http://www.acronis.com/articles/imaging-software/

But it's very expensive for what it is. There is probably free software someone can recommend, sorry I don't know which free ones are good.

spix

Is there any software that will just move windows, don't want all the contents moved. I was using the hdd for games and ssd just for os, but I don't have many games so I moved them all onto the ssd.

Now I want to use the hdd in another pc, would it be easier to just install windows on a new partition?

ED E

Yeah, you cant half and half really. It'll break too much. Some programs work within their own folder fine, but if they call out to any external files with a fixed path then everything stops.

Perform a fresh install, reinstall programs, then copy any configs/data you need back off the old one.

tuxy

Installing windows is probably the best option then. Cloning is only worth it if you want to keep all settings and all programs installed when moving windows to a new hard drive.

spix

All I have on the hdd at the moment is 30gb worth of games on steam/origin which I want to keep on there

If I install windows from the cd I take it I can keep those files (instead of formatting?whenever I have installed windows in the past I wipe everything so don't have a clue if I can keep them) I know I could copy them from the ssd once a clean windows install is done on the hdd but don't want to have to do that if its not necessary.

ED E

Even if you could, you'd have to install steam again, which I think wipes that directory.

But nah, you need to backup first unless there is a copy of windows there already(itd then make windows.old and dump to that).

spix

In a bit of a dilemma, this is the spec of the pc I'm putting together now

i3 2120
asus z68-lx motherboard
his 7770
bitfenix raider case
8gb ram

The hdd I was going to use is a 1tb caviar green but... I have a brand new samsung ssd 830 128gb lying about. I am probably going to end up selling this on adverts, which do you think a potential buyer would prefer? If using the samsung then the asking price will be a bit higher, which sort of negates the purpose of it as a budget gaming pc.

tuxy

imo 128 gb is not enough for a full system. Even if everything fits the new owner many want to install lots of software and download and store molives.
The SSD should be easy to sell as a stand alone advert.

spix

tuxy wrote: »

imo 128 gb is not enough for a full system. Even if everything fits the new owner many want to install lots of software and download and store molives.
The SSD should be easy to sell as a stand alone advert.

I agree but I think the caviar green might be a bit slow as a main drive, I got it for games/storage due to this. If I'm not going to use the samsung in this pc then I'm keeping it :P

tuxy

It's only slightly slower than other mechanical hard drives, very little in it.
It's difficult to predict what a potential buyer might pick but 128GB is tiny for total system storage.