Windows 10: Clean SSD install (Users folders remain on HDD) - help

My desktop has an old SSD (Win10 boot and applications) and HDD for Users files / data.

I am replacing the old SSD with a new one and will do a clean install of Windows10 Home 64bit and all applications.
I will keep my existing Users files data on the HDD.

2 questions:

1. Is it best to disconnect the HDD while doing the SSD clean install and then reconnecting the HDD once Win10 installation is complete?
2. Regarding Users folder on the HDD - what is the best way to instruct Windows that the Users folders will be on the HDD?

1. during installation / setup (eg. using audit mode, registry editor etc), or
2. after the Windows 10 SSD installation is completed and selecting move the location of the users folders within Windows that have been set up to the HDD?

Thanks

:)

 

Relocation of User Profile Folders from SSD to HDD

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



Most of the manufacturers install Windows Operating system on the SSD rather than HDD. As it provides boost in performance and get fast boot for the Operating system.

Hence, the preferable drive for Windows OS to save its files would be SSD. That is reason personal files and User profile folders are saved in SSD. The user profile folder gets created where the Windows OS is installed.



You can try to change the saved location for the applications at the time of installation. However, for the relocation of User profile folders from SSD to HDD is not possible. This might cause few error which may crash Windows.



You can install/save all the third party applications on HDD by changing its saved location at the time of installation. In that way, only Operating files and system files will be present in SSD and the rest you can move to HDD.



Hope it helps.



Rohit Raina

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

Clean Install of Windows 10 on SSD

Hello Aphex,

Doing a clean install of Windows 10 is pretty straight forward. If you like, the tutorial below can provide you step by step details on how to do a clean install to help.

Clean Install Windows 10

You will definitely notice a performance improvement with Windows installed and running on a SSD vs a HDD.

 

Windows 10 fresh install with OS on SSD and C:\Users on HDD using DISKPART?

I would like to perform a clean installation of Windows 10 on my machine which has a 240GB SSD and 1TB HDD. I understand two of the more popular options to move Users content to the HDD - either within the OS using the Libraries, or using junction points
- but I would like to take it a step further and mount the HDD as C:\Users either before installation or post-installation.

Is this a supported configuration by Microsoft? If so are there any specific instructions in doing so?

If not, I understand it's still possible by opening a command prompt during installation and using DISKPART to configure the two drives, but if it's not supported I'd like to know what troubles I may be running into as a result. For example, Windows boot
will look for the Users folder before it's mounted by the OS.

Basically I want just one drive - C: - to show up in the OS and have the fact that a 1TB HDD is backing the Users folder be transparent.