I am putting together my own computer and am putting in a 1TB HDD and 120GB SSD. Seems as I cannot get a definitive understanding of whether or not I need to format and partition each of these drives. I want to install Windows 7 on the SSD and use the HDD for other programs and data. So do I format and not format each of these drives?
Thanks,
Fred B
Hello fredly and welcome take a look at this tutorial mate.
SSD - Install and Transfer the Operating System
Just in case you miss this Best Free Partition Manager Freeware and free partition magic for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista and Windows XP 32 bit & 64 bit. MiniTool Free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.
Welcome fredly, yes besides the tutorials linked to by ICit2lol, the HDD should be formatted to NTFS.
All drives have to be formatted, BUT------
You don't have to specifically format the SSD---it will be formatted automatically when you install Windows.
You will have to format the HDD and that can be done several ways. Easiest is to use Windows Disk Management when you make a partition on the HDD.
Leave the HDD unconnected when you install to the SSD. After Windows is running on the SSD and is updated and all is well, then connect the HDD and have your way with it.
If you let the Windows 7 installer format and partition your SSD you will get a 100 Mb system partition along with a C partition. If you want to avoid the 100 Mb partition, you should format and partition the SSD first and then install Windows 7 to that newly created partition.
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