Windows 10: Why Do Some Guides Recommend Removing Primary HDD/ SSD Before...

...Installing/ Imaging 2nd OS on 2nd Internal HDD

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Basically the only reason I can discern is so that you do not mistakenly choose to over write the Primary OS onto the current boot HDD/SSD with the Image you just made of but rather are careful enough to write to the 2nd HDD that you want to add so that you can dual boot. This is not the case of dual booting win 10 and Linux but rather win and win. TIA.

:)

 

Controlling BOOT drive after installing SSD with second HDD still onboard

Hey there Jeff

In order for your SSD to be the primary boot drive you would need to navigate to the BIOS and configure your boot priority settings so that the SSD is before the HDD. You should have this in the manual of your computer or motherboard.

It is highly recommended that you have only your primary drive in your computer when installing the OS since there's a high chance that the recovery partition and other system files/folders are put on the other drive.

How do you see the drives in Device Manager and Disk Management? In which SATA ports on the motherboard do you have the SSD and the HDD? Here's how to get to those place:

Device Manager: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=v1fw70

Disk Management: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=t1bcth

Post back with some answers

.

 

Storage

I have a laptop with an SSD and a HDD in one, and it has been primarily using the SSD. However the SSD had a small limited amount of space and now it has been used up. I am trying to update a game, but it won't let me due to insufficient storage. Is
there a way to transfer all of the info from my SSD to my HDD and use the HDD as a primary, and only have the SSD run games? If not, do you recommend any other solutions?

 

You don`t have to remove it, just unplug the power cable. (only when the PC is powered off and drained of power)

If you are careful with your imaging software, there is no reason to unplug your primary drive, installing is a different story. It`s always best to unplug all other drives when installing a OS. This keeps them independent of each other.

You can always create a dual boot screen afterwards.

Here is a fine example of why to unplug all other drives when installing a OS.

Windows won't boot without its install drive (once done)! - Windows 10 Forums

 

Thanks for the quick response.

>You don`t have to remove it, just unplug the power cable. (only when the PC is powered off and drained of power)

When you say "You don`t have to remove it, just unplug the power cable" I guess I am a bit confused. Are you referring to the cable that attaches to the Primary SSD drive the one that already has the working bootable OS on it or are you referencing unplugging the power cable from the back of the laptop BEFORE removing or unplugging the SSD and before I install the 2nd OS on the other internal hard drive which is just a platter and not another SSD.
In addition I should have been more specific. The link that you provided "Windows won't boot without its install drive (once done)! - Windows 10 Forums" seems to mostly talk about a fresh install of windows such as if you were using the media creation tool to create an install USB stick and booting from that stick to install the 2nd OS. That is not exactly what I am doing. I have Acronis True Image and after several emails back and forth what I am doing is IMAGING the current SSD and writing the image file to an external USB drive. Then I am planning on writing back that image to the blank 500GB HDD which is what Acronis said is the way to dual boot. They did say however that I SHOULD not for example CLONE the SSD to the HDD but rather create an image of the SSD. If I were to CLONE the SSD to the HDD then I would run into the unbootable problems that are mentioned in the link that you sent me but if I ONLY Image the SSD and write that to the HDD then at post if I go into boot manager I should be able to choose the HDD to boot from and I would be on my way to dual booting back and forth all that I wanted too. Is the distinction that I made make sense and or is it familiar to you? They also said that doing it this way that I DO NOT have to disconnect the Primary SSD drive before writing the image to the HDD. What do you think : ).

 

As I said, if you just choose the right drive (the 500GB) when reimaging, there`s no need to disconnect anything. You`ll have a source (the image) and a destination (the 500GB drive) just make sure you have the right items before you click next *Smile


We recommend using Macrium Reflect Free around here.

Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

 

>We recommend using Macrium Reflect Free around here.

Ok. Thanks. Is there any prevailing wisdom around here regarding Acronis True Imgae regarding whether or not it gets the job done or is not as good or efficient as MRF or do you believe it mostly has to do with the fact that Macrium makes a fine cost free product? TIA.

 

It`s just a personal choice, if you`re use to using Acronis, then by all means use that *Smile

Make sure you image ALL the partitions when you create your image.

Then you`d have to use something like Partition Wizard to be sure your images are the same.

Windows Disk Management does not show the hidden 16MB partition.

Example

 

>It`s just a personal choice, if you`re use to using Acronis...

Thanks : )

>Windows Disk Management does not show the hidden 16MB partition.

Holy Crap! I barely have a functioning understanding what the small MB EFI or MBR partition does. I did not know that there was ever another small partition as well. As you stated disk management does not show it and Acronis True Image does not show it. If I should choose to use Macrium Reflect Free would I see the "hidden 16MB partition." And when you say use "Partition Wizard to be sure your images are the same." are you referring to the free application MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition 10.2 or another application. And forgive me I am not sure when you are suggesting I "use" partition wizard. Is this before I image the drive or after I have written it to the blank internal HDD. Currently disk management and True Image show my SSD has 3 partitions, the small MB EFI partition, the primary OS which resides on most of the 250GB SSD about 237GB, and a 1 GB recovery partition. I was just going to select all three and make the image that way and write it to the HDD. Is it possible that even though disk management and True Image do not show the small 16MB partition that you are talking about if I select SSD or DRIVE 0 (containing the aforementioned "show-able" 3 partitions that that 16MB partition will just "automatically" be imaged as well? Thanks so much for your time.