data transfer puzzle

[Troncoso]

Okay, so to my sudden knowledge i remembered I had a spare 320gig harddrive.
My setup right now consists of a single 500gig hd in a 150gig and 350gig partitioned fashion.

I want to install windows on the 320 and unpartition my 500 so it's all for storage.

My problem is, I'm Transferring all my data onto the 320 so I can format the 500 into one partition. But what do I do after that?

I need the os on the 320 which is now full, and when I format the 500 my os will be gone. So how should I work this out? Thank you in advance.

 

[User0one]

I would have removed the 500 gig Drive first, then Installed, or Imaged Windows to the 320 gig Drive. Then Installed the 500 gig drive as the Data Drive.

Transfer the Data from the 500 gig drive I wanted to keep to the 320 Gig Drive.

After that you could use Windows Disk Management to repartition and Format the 500 gig drive.

 

[Troncoso]

Thanks! I'm not gonna do it exactly like that cause the problem is I have data on the 320 i need to keep and I have so much data its hard to move it around. But your post gave me this idea instead:

move the important 320 data to the 500 data partition. load windows on the 320. then can't I just delete the windows partition on the 500 and extend the storage partition?

EDIT: also, what's the best way to transfer the data from one harddrive to the other?? note that Imma be transferring from a sata to an ide. I'm backing up the os drive with macrium reflect. Would simply using the rescue cd to put it on the other drive work?

 

[salvage-this]

Thanks! I'm not gonna do it exactly like that cause the problem is I have data on the 320 i need to keep and I have so much data its hard to move it around. But your post gave me this idea instead:

move the important 320 data to the 500 data partition. load windows on the 320. then can't I just delete the windows partition on the 500 and extend the storage partition?

EDIT: also, what's the best way to transfer the data from one harddrive to the other?? note that Imma be transferring from a sata to an ide. I'm backing up the os drive with macrium reflect. Would simply using the rescue cd to put it on the other drive work?

Before you delete and format your 500gb drive I would boot from the 320 just to make sure that the image transfer worked and you have all of your data.

If you are just transferring random files I would just open up both hard drives and copy and paste. I don't see the need for anything fancy.