clean installing Win 7 now, with a question

[demonikal]

I'm doing a clean install of Windows 7 Professional 64-bit on my self-built PC right now.

My question is what is the best way, also maybe the easiest way, to get C:\Users\ onto my second hard drive?

I don't want to get program files onto my second hard drive - just my libraries, etc.

It seems from 2009 to now, I've read about 10 different ways to do this, including REGEDIT, DISKPART, Minitools, BCDEdit, and other programs for getting rid of "junctions" and all this other terminology I don't understand.

EDIT: This may or may not be the answer to my question: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/redirect-folder-new-location#1TC=windows-7 It specifies folders. I know I can do this with the different Libraries (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos), but I don't know if I can do this with the entire system drive C:\Users\ folder?

 

[johnb35]

You really don't need to move the whole users folder. You basically just want to change the storage location for music, photos, documents, downloads and possible videos. Just go into your user folder and right click on each folder I listed and click on properties, then click on location tab and change it to the drive you want it stored on.

 

[voyagerfan99]

You really don't need to move the whole users folder. You basically just want to change the storage location for music, photos, documents, downloads and possible videos. Just go into your user folder and right click on each folder I listed and click on properties, then click on location tab and change it to the drive you want it stored on.

Yeah just do this. Because you can run into issues if you move the entire user directory to another drive.

 

[demonikal]

Okay, when I change the location, do I remove the C: drive location so that the only location for each folder is pointing to my HDD?

And second question: after doing a clean install, it looks like Windows saved everything from my previous C: drive in a folder called Windows.old - Can I delete this now?

 

[voyagerfan99]

Okay, when I change the location, do I remove the C: drive location so that the only location for each folder is pointing to my HDD?

Change it to something like D:\Users\Music etc etc

And second question: after doing a clean install, it looks like Windows saved everything from my previous C: drive in a folder called Windows.old - Can I delete this now?

Why didn't you format your hard drive?

 

[demonikal]

Because I read that formatting a SSD is bad because of the whole finite writing thing. I have no clue. I didn't get an exceptional SSD in the first place, so I want it to last me a few more years.

 

[Agent Smith]

Formatting a SSD isn't going to do anything write intensive. It's just resetting the index so to speak. If this is a rather new SSD they don't have those finite write cycle crap that newer SSDs have. The newer ones have a higher tolerance.

 

[demonikal]

I'm seriously thinking about going back and doing it all over again cuz I want everything cleaned up.

Just haven't done it yet cuz I was in the middle of installing Win 8.1 on the second partition and now it's all done.

And then I remembered that I only have the Win 7 upgrade, not the full edition.

So if I deactivate it, the only way [I know] I could do a clean install is to install a full edition of XP that I'm not using, then upgrade to Win 7.

And yet, I don't even know if XP can upgrade to Win 7. Will find that out soon enough.

 

[voyagerfan99]

Because I read that formatting a SSD is bad because of the whole finite writing thing. I have no clue. I didn't get an exceptional SSD in the first place, so I want it to last me a few more years.

The SSD Will outlive us all. Yes it's finite, but it's a rediculously high number you'll probably never reach.

Just follow this awesome guide to install Windows on your SSD.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/seans-windows-7-install-optimization-guide-for-ssds-hdds

 

[beers]

Because I read that formatting a SSD is bad because of the whole finite writing thing.

Formatting a SSD isn't going to do anything write intensive. It's just resetting the index so to speak.

^ That.

You could also just dump the existing partition within the Windows installer and it just sets up a new partition with a 'quick format' when setting up a file table. The 'quick format' is always by default on modern OSes and simply dumps the file table.

More traditional formats zeroed out the entire medium but those have been fairly antiquated at this point.

 

[demonikal]

All is set. The only thing is that even though there are no bugs [as of yet] with my motherboard and Win 8.1 Pro and Win 10 Technical Preview, I cannot install some of the motherboard utilities that came with the mobo CD.

Now I have my SSD partitioned for Win 7, Win 8.1, and Win 10 TP. I have my SSHD partitioned for data for the above three operating systems. Then I have my HDD partitioned for backups. This is actually the first time I've ever had a backup drive going all the way back to Win 98 in 1999

Thanks for all the help. :good: Need to change my signature now