Windows 7: Really needing to reinstall games that are on a separate HDD?

I have 3 separate HDD's in my build. One of the HDD's has Windows 7 installed and another I have dedicated to just games. Now I am planning on building a new PC tomorrow and I plan on installing Windows 7 on a SSD but also use the same HDD that I presently use just for games.
My question is, do I have to reinstall my games on the HHD or will Windows 7 recognize the games and executable files like it should?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Depends - if the games added anything to the registry or filesystem other than their folders (and any decent Windows game would), then the answer is yes. Just having the files is half the battle - you also need the registry configuration, and any configurations and/or files stored outside the game install directory. Services like Steam that can store game data in "the cloud" and off your machine make this easier (simply reinstall steam, repair / reinstall the game, and you're good to go), but otherwise, you need to get the whole package for an install before you can move it (and moving isn't recommended either, as you'll still be missing installer/repair data, which can potentially cause screw-ups later if you attempt to patch/upgrade the game, etc).

Why don't you just back up the games? Then after your fresh install just restore the games. Although you might have to reinstall the games your saves and settings can be restored.

Thanks for the responses guys. I guess I'm looking forward to installing all those games again :-(
Thanks again.

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Usually I would backup %appdata%\Local since most game system files are found there. If you're adventurous enough, you don't need to copy the whole folder but instead copy the game's folder one by one. Also, most game registry settings are also found at HKLM\Software. It's very easy to spot a game publisher and then export that registry key.

Remember that it's always better to reinstall something, since you want that program to appear in Programs and Features for removal later on. Also, you'll never know when you're gonna use a program (say nVidia 3D Vision) that would require it to be detected, and the only way that would happen is if the proper registries are installed (they're scattered all over).

If you backup the folders I mention in the first paragraph and put them back to their new location, you can rest assured that you have your old settings and saved games when you play

I'm not sure what you mean by "like it should". If the game needs registry entries for any number of reasons, then the game won't run. Some games do not install or add anything outside of their game directory, and should work fine. You won't know which, if any, until you try them after a fresh install.

I do it with CoH all the time I just transfer the game folder to a usb and install the ncsoft installer and then transfer the files back from CoH to there where their supposed to go and everything's good. If you have saved games for instance you'll want to take that data and put it where it's accessible to restore to when you build you new system. Every game is different though as far as where it puts that data.

I decided to just reinstall all my games. I don't want to chance running into any registry issues.
Thanks for all the input guys. Much appreciated.

Emitted from my Droid X via TapaTalk