Installation on second drive

zaarin_2003 · Feb 7, 2024

Hi,

I have two hard drive's, one has my copy of Windows 11 on it (let's call it drive C) and it is a Samsung HDD, the other is empty (drive G). G is a newer and faster Corsair SSD drive.

C - Windows (1tb) - Samsung HDD
G - empty (1tb) - Corsair SSD

I'd like to move Windows from C to G basically, and boot from that SSD instead for obvious reasons.

What's the best way to do this? Should I do a clean install of Windows 11 on drive G - how do I do that? Will Windows reassign the drive letters itself once I can boot into the install on G (G becomes C and vice versa)?

Or would it be better to clone C (Samsung HDD) to G (Corsair SSD)? If so, how? I tried to use DriveGenie a couple of weeks ago using the clone option to clone C to G, but G wasn't bootable, whatever order I chose in the BIOS, it always booted into the Samsung (I had to option to use System Migration, but that would have only copied over the OS, I assumed a full clone would copy everything and also be bootable).

Grateful for any advice! Thanks
z

Wynona · Feb 7, 2024

zaarin_2003 said:
Hi,

I have two hard drive's, one has my copy of Windows 11 on it (let's call it drive C) and it is a Samsung HDD, the other is empty (drive G). G is a newer and faster Corsair SSD drive.

C - Windows (1tb) - Samsung HDD
G - empty (1tb) - Corsair SSD

I'd like to move Windows from C to G basically, and boot from that SSD instead for obvious reasons.

What's the best way to do this? Should I do a clean install of Windows 11 on drive G - how do I do that? Will Windows reassign the drive letters itself once I can boot into the install on G (G becomes C and vice versa)?

Or would it be better to clone C (Samsung HDD) to G (Corsair SSD)? If so, how? I tried to use DriveGenie a couple of weeks ago using the clone option to clone C to G, but G wasn't bootable, whatever order I chose in the BIOS, it always booted into the Samsung (I had to option to use System Migration, but that would have only copied over the OS, I assumed a full clone would copy everything and also be bootable).

Grateful for any advice! Thanks
z

The first question is why you have a C: drive and a G: drive instead of a D: drive.

The second question is why do you want to change drives? I know Crucial is good, but so it Samsung.

This desktop came with Windows 11 Pro installed on the C: drive and an empty D: drive, which is named Data. I don't remember if I named it Data or it came that way. So, it's strange to me that you have a C: (?) and a G:.

zaarin_2003 · Feb 7, 2024

Wynona said:
The first question is why you have a C: drive and a G: drive instead of a D: drive.

The second question is why do you want to change drives? I know Crucial is good, but so it Samsung.

This desktop came with Windows 11 Pro installed on the C: drive and an empty D: drive, which is named Data. I don't remember if I named it Data or it came that way. So, it's strange to me that you have a C: (?) and a G:.

I want to swap Windows to G because it’s currently on a HDD and G is a SSD, which is a heck of a lot quicker.

It’s G because I also have a dvd drive, blue ray drive, removable media drive… G is the next letter in the sequence (it’s a new drive).

Ghot · Feb 7, 2024

@zaarin_2003

Yeah, you want to clone your windows install from the HDD to the SDD.

As you mentioned, you can also do a clean install...

Clean Install Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

If you decide to do a clean install, unhook the hard drive and the removable drive, before you do the clean install.
With the HDD unhooked the Windows clean install will be labeled as C:\
After the install you can set the HDD and the other drives to whatever letters you want in Disk Management.

In your case, I would probably do a clean install. Once you get everything installed and set up the way you like... get some 3rd party backup software, and make a full backup.

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

Assigning drive letters is easy in Disk Management. You can even get all OCD when you do it....

This may be of some use after a clean install...

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials Classic context menus... https://www.elevenforum.com/t/disable-show-more-options-context-menu-in-windows-11.1589/ Change...

www.elevenforum.com

NavyLCDR · Feb 7, 2024

The most reliable method of accomplishing what you want to do, which succeeds nearly 100% of the time is to do a clean install to G: drive. Once it boots into at least the first setup screen on G: drive (not the install USB flash drive), then copy only the Windows partition by itself right over the top of the brand new Windows partition.

Many times if you were to clone the entire physical disk from the old one to the new one you have to repair the boot files in the system partition, which isn't all that hard to do, but for the novice the clean install and then replace method works well.

Ghot · Feb 7, 2024

I would just do a clean install, period.
Your specs say Intel Optane, your topic says hard drive... and the new drive is SSD.

I would start completely fresh. You'll have less problems in the long run.

Wynona · Feb 7, 2024

zaarin_2003 said:
I want to swap Windows to G because it’s currently on a HDD and G is a SSD, which is a heck of a lot quicker.

Oh, now it makes more sense.

zaarin_2003 said:
It’s G because I also have a dvd drive, blue ray drive, removable media drive… G is the next letter in the sequence (it’s a new drive).

OK, so is "G" a removable drive or an internal drive?

bobkn · Feb 7, 2024

NavyLCDR said:
The most reliable method of accomplishing what you want to do, which succeeds nearly 100% of the time is to do a clean install to G: drive. Once it boots into at least the first setup screen on G: drive (not the install USB flash drive), then copy only the Windows partition by itself right over the top of the brand new Windows partition.

Many times if you were to clone the entire physical disk from the old one to the new one you have to repair the boot files in the system partition, which isn't all that hard to do, but for the novice the clean install and then replace method works well.

That approach is unfamiliar to me. I'm unclear on the details. You'd leave the original boot drive in place, do a clean install to the new drive, and then copy over the old drive's boot partition to the new at some point during the initial setup for the new drive?

I have cloned a boot disk a few times, using purpose made software. I've never had to repair the boot files. Just lucky, I guess.

abactuon · Feb 7, 2024

Split the Corsair into two parts: 100Gb and 900Gb.
Install Windows on the 100Gb.
On the 900Gb, create folders for Documents, Pictures, etc.
There will be drives C, D (Corsair) and E (Samsung).

bobkn · Feb 8, 2024

abactuon said:
Split the Corsair into two parts: 100Gb and 900Gb.
Install Windows on the 100Gb.
On the 900Gb, create folders for Documents, Pictures, etc.
There will be drives C, D (Corsair) and E (Samsung).

What is the point on an SSD?

zaarin_2003 · Feb 8, 2024

Ghot said:
@zaarin_2003

Yeah, you want to clone your windows install from the HDD to the SDD.

As you mentioned, you can also do a clean install...

Clean Install Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

If you decide to do a clean install, unhook the hard drive and the removable drive, before you do the clean install.
With the HDD unhooked the Windows clean install will be labeled as C:\
After the install you can set the HDD and the other drives to whatever letters you want in Disk Management.

In your case, I would probably do a clean install. Once you get everything installed and set up the way you like... get some 3rd party backup software, and make a full backup.

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

Assigning drive letters is easy in Disk Management. You can even get all OCD when you do it....

View attachment 86376

This may be of some use after a clean install...

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials Classic context menus... https://www.elevenforum.com/t/disable-show-more-options-context-menu-in-windows-11.1589/ Change...

www.elevenforum.com

Thank you!

The consensus seems to be to go down the clean install route. I did try to use cloning software but it didn’t seem to work, the PC just booted into the C drive no matter what order I chose.

So, just to be clear, if I unhooked C (Samsung) and booted into the installation USB I’d created earlier, I can do a clean install onto G (Corsair). Then, when it’s all working, rehook the Samsung?

Will it play ball then and boot into the Corsair, assuming I ensure it’s set top of the boot order, even though there’s another drive suddenly attached that’s bootable? I would like to erase the Samsung when I’m happy, rather than erase it beforehand, you know?

cereberus · Feb 8, 2024

zaarin_2003 said:
Thank you!

The consensus seems to be to go down the clean install route. I did try to use cloning software but it didn’t seem to work, the PC just booted into the C drive no matter what order I chose.

So, just to be clear, if I unhooked C (Samsung) and booted into the installation USB I’d created earlier, I can do a clean install onto G (Corsair). Then, when it’s all working, rehook the Samsung?

Will it play ball then and boot into the Corsair, assuming I ensure it’s set top of the boot order, even though there’s another drive suddenly attached that’s bootable? I would like to erase the Samsung when I’m happy, rather than erase it beforehand, you know?

Ah well, the zealous clean install brigade always say that.

Frankly, it is dead easy to simply backup drive 0 and then restore image to new drive.

As you are not changing PC, there is absolutely no reason to do a clean install if your current installation is ok.

What is the worst that can happen? Something (unlikely) goes wrong in image restore and you end up clean installing and you undertake all the crap that goes with a clean install.

Compare that with an image backup and restore that takes maybe max 1 hour (ymmv).

So
1) make image backup to external drive

2) restore image to new drive

3) set bios to boot from new drive

4) optional - temporarily remove old drive and check pc boots ok.

5) wipe old drive (only if you have tested with step 4)

6) enjoy speed of new ssd without hours of crap reinstalling.

I have changed drives many times and never once clean installed.

Clean installs are the LAST thing you should do.

zaarin_2003 · Feb 8, 2024

cereberus said:
Ah well, the zealous clean install brigade always say that.

Frankly, it is dead easy to simply backup drive 0 and then restore image to new drive.

As you are not changing PC, there is absolutely no reason to do a clean install if your current installation is ok.

What is the worst that can happen? Something (unlikely) goes wrong in image restore and you end up clean installing and you undertake all the crap that goes with a clean install.

Compare that with an image backup and restore that takes maybe max 1 hour (ymmv).

So
1) make image backup to external drive

2) restore image to new drive

3) set bios to boot from new drive

4) optional - temporarily remove old drive and check pc boots ok.

5) wipe old drive (only if you have tested with step 4)

6) enjoy speed of new ssd without hours of crap reinstalling.

I have changed drives many times and never once clean installed.

Clean installs are the LAST thing you should do.

So will that create basically an identical drive for it to boot from as if nothing had happened, boot records, recovery partitions and all that? What would happen to drive letters?

Also, Windows is currently installed on the old drive. The new drive is plugged in and empty. Can I do this from Windows on the old drive, create an image of the old drive and then restore that image to the new drive, all from windows on the old drive? Does that make sense? Basically I’d like to boot into Windows on the old drive, do what I need to do, then boot into the new drive and it be identical.

abactuon · Feb 8, 2024

bobkn said:
What is the point on an SSD?

For example, for a clean install of Windows. All your files are safe.
It takes 10 minutes to reinstall Windows. If there is a script to configure Windows.

zaarin_2003 · Feb 8, 2024

Wynona said:
Oh, now it makes more sense.

OK, so is "G" a removable drive or an internal drive?

Internal.

Ghot · Feb 8, 2024

zaarin_2003 said:
So, just to be clear, if I unhooked C (Samsung) and booted into the installation USB I’d created earlier, I can do a clean install onto G (Corsair). Then, when it’s all working, rehook the Samsung?

Yeah.

Unhook the Samsung AND the external drive as well.
Then do the clean install.
When that's done you can rehook the Samsung and the external.

Then you grab whatever you want from the Samsung. After that you can format the Samsung and use it for storage.

Scramjet · Feb 8, 2024

You can use EaseUS Partition Master Free to clone your drive to another drive. I have cloned my operating drive to a new drive many times. I still have my old drive installed just in case my OS runs into any problem. I use EasyBCD free to boot to whichever drive I want on any given day. You can set it in the BIOS to booth to a selected drive of your choice. You don't need to do a clean install. Hope this helps.

cheers

zaarin_2003 · Feb 8, 2024

Scramjet said:
You can use EaseUS Partition Master Free to clone your drive to another drive. I have cloned my operating drive to a new drive many times. I still have my old drive installed just in case my OS runs into any problem. I use EasyBCD free to boot to whichever drive I want on any given day. You can set it in the BIOS to booth to a selected drive of your choice. You don't need to do a clean install. Hope this helps.

cheers

I noticed on the EaseUS website it lists cloning as a capability of the free edition, but doesn’t list migrating the OS, which is a feature of a paid tier.