Advice and direction on installing OS on new SSD with multiple HHD's

whs · 19 Feb 2012

I remember those days of the slide rule when I was at university in 1957 to 61. But there were good sides to it too. We can put numbers together in our head. The kids need at least a tablet for that.

I was trying to make it a bit easier for you by suggesting the Paragon Tool. Else you have to make the SSD alignment, partition allocation and Windows settings all manually. And there is ample room to make mistakes.

But if your goal is to learn, then mistakes help in that process. Just take one small step after another. We'll be glad to help you.

Back to the subject:

Once you have the default locations of your user folders back on C, check whether the amount of data does not exceed the capacity of your future SSD. If that were the case, you have to move the data to D first - the way I described above.

ignatzatsonic · 19 Feb 2012

gregrocker said:

I wonder how the other geeks here feel about moving User folders now that it's been a common recommended practice for several years. I have stopped doing so because of permissioning issue I got on my all-important Downloads folder while trying to run .exe's - a problem I couldn't fix except by moving Downloads back to C.

We also regularly hear from those unhappy because the data drive is forcibly included in Win7 backup imaging. We all know well the weaknesses of W7 backup imaging and many have abandoned it, but it still works well for others and may be a issue when they can't achieve a lean OS/Programs image sans data because they moved their User folders.

So I'm torn.

I'm sure I am a knuckle-dragging Luddite who just can't accept the 21st century, but I don't use user folders or libraries.

I have all system files on C and no System Reserved.

I save all data directly to a folder structure on D.

I image C only without issues.

I have never had a permission issue.

whs · 19 Feb 2012

I'm sure I am a knuckle-dragging Luddite who just can't accept the 21st century, but I don't use user folders or libraries.

I have all system files on C and no System Reserved.

I save all data directly to a folder structure on D.

I image C only without issues.

I have never had a permission issue

LOL, I bet your C is not on a 60GB SSD. That's when the libraries come in handy too.

I got rid of all the 100MB partitions too. I had some permission issues when I was sharing a data partition between Vista and Windows 7.

ignatzatsonic · 19 Feb 2012

whs said:

LOL, I bet your C is not on a 60GB SSD. That's when the libraries come in handy too.

Actually, C is on an 80 GB SSD, with 27 occupied. I could certainly live with a 60 GB SSD.

gregrocker · 19 Feb 2012

Curious about that folder structure you put on D. I think I would miss dragging files to the explorer bar to drop in Downloads, Docs, Pictures, etc. Sometimes it's as easy as dealing cards.

To me there is nothing backwards about what you describe. I find it curious and interesting how others do things within Win7 and wonder how it could be as easy as using the Explorer bar shortcuts.

I realize now I could have left my Downloads on D and included it in libraries but at that time I was library-phobic. I think a lot of users are still there. That's why it's great to air these issues if the OP isn't getting confused.

ignatzatsonic · 20 Feb 2012

gregrocker said:

Curious about that folder structure you put on D.

Greg:

I have 9 top level folders on D. In alpha order:

all other
computer
downloads
mp3
music
pictures
stocks
temp
video

Of course, each of those (except temp and downloads) has many subfolders.

Temp is normally empty and downloads is just a landing spot for stuff that is routed elsewhere shortly, typically within hours.

I have 59,000 data files and thousands of data folders. I'm highly categorized/organized, so few folders have more than 50 files and I don't have to do much scrolling.