Windows 10: How to use secondary hard drive?

Discus and support How to use secondary hard drive? in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade to solve the problem; Hi guys. First post here. I recently (two days ago as of this post) received my new PC. My primary hard drive has about 230GB of storage, whereas my... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade' started by PurpleSaurce, Jun 7, 2017.

  1. How to use secondary hard drive?


    Hi guys. First post here.

    I recently (two days ago as of this post) received my new PC. My primary hard drive has about 230GB of storage, whereas my secondary hard drive has roughly 980GB. I was wondering if someone could please help me and tell me how I can boot my new machine up and it using the secondary hard drive, as it has much, much more space?

    Thank you! *Smile

    :)
     
    PurpleSaurce, Jun 7, 2017
    #1

  2. windows 10 professional not finding one of two internal hard drives

    The hard drives drivers are not the same as the disk/storage controllers listed separately IDE SATA/ATAPI controllers. What are listed under those?

    Is this a laptop where you are using the Optical Drive bay as a secondary hard drive bay? Please explain the secondary bay you describe using for the problem disk. How is it connected exactly to the motherboard?
     
    Greg Carmack - Windows MVP, Jun 7, 2017
    #2
  3. DanCalF12 Win User
    How to default files to save to secondary hard drive in Windows 10?

    Hey! Thanks for the info. My user folder has two folders for documents and pictures so everytime I try to redirect it it doesn't let me because there are two folders. Should I try deleting one or is there another option?
     
    DanCalF12, Jun 7, 2017
    #3
  4. NavyLCDR New Member

    How to use secondary hard drive?

    Click on the start icon. Start typing Optimize. The app at the top of the list should be Defragment and Optimize Drives. Click on that to open it. Do you see Solid State Drive listed anywhere under Media Type?


    How to use secondary hard drive? [​IMG]
     
    NavyLCDR, Jun 7, 2017
    #4
  5. Thanks for the reply.

    I see two drives. C: and "Recovery". I can only optimize C:. I did this, but nothing else happened.
     
    PurpleSaurce, Jun 7, 2017
    #5
  6. NavyLCDR New Member
    That wasn't the question asked. I was trying to ascertain whether or not the 240GB hard drive was an SSD or not. Normally on a computer that comes with a 240GB "hard drive" and a 980 GB hard drive, the 240 GB drive is an SSD.
     
    NavyLCDR, Jun 7, 2017
    #6
  7. Yes. Both C: and Recovery are SSD.
     
    PurpleSaurce, Jun 7, 2017
    #7
  8. NavyLCDR New Member

    How to use secondary hard drive?

    NavyLCDR, Jun 7, 2017
    #8
  9. AddRAM Win User
    You need to post a shot of Disk Management.

    The answer to your problem is simple, just don`t store any data on your Windows drive, store it on the other drive.
     
    AddRAM, Jun 7, 2017
    #9
  10. How to use secondary hard drive? [​IMG]
     
    PurpleSaurce, Jun 7, 2017
    #10
  11. NavyLCDR New Member
    Either the second hard drive is not physically connected to the motherboard, the power cable is not connected to it, the sata port is disabled in UEFI, or it is defective. I would start by opening the computer and making sure there is a data cable connected between the hard drive and the motherboard, and a cable from the power supply connected to it.

    Or, if this is a brand new, store bought computer, take it back and tell them the second hard drive is not showing up in Windows.

    This is a photo of the hard drive end (the hard drive in the photo is upside down), the smaller cable on the left in the photo is data and goes to the motherboard. The larger cable on the right is the power cable and goes to the power supply (it might daisy chain to other drives, such as the SSD).


    How to use secondary hard drive? [​IMG]


    These are what the cable ends look like. The power cable connector make actually be in the middle of a string of power connectors on the same wires:


    How to use secondary hard drive? [​IMG]
     
    NavyLCDR, Jun 7, 2017
    #11
  12. me75006 Win User
    where " my secondary hard drive has roughly 980GB"

    (simplified story)
    I have my boot drive as a SSD. I install most programs on it also.
    I use the larger drive( G: for example) for storing back up data (Macrium Reflect disk images)
    On that larger hard drive, G: I transplant photos, music files, videos, some downloaded files, FROM my C: SSD over to my G:hard drive.
    I use a SATA TO USB drive adapter (with its own power brick) and yet another hard drive, K: , to back up that G: drive

    Some refinements to the above are to create partitions on G: so you have an H: partition. Keep your user data on G:, keep you back up data files on H:
    Back up G: and H:, separate backups, to K: hard drive.

    As mentioned , you have to have that ~980gb drive connected and visible first.
    Booting using a SSD is really fast!
     
    me75006, Apr 4, 2018
    #12
Thema:

How to use secondary hard drive?

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