Reinstalling Windows 7 OEM onto a new SSD? What to backup?

So I've been using my new laptop recently and discovered its hybrid hard drive contains an SSD. And boots up windows in seconds. This has caused me to want to buy an SSD for my desktop (my real gaming machine). The trouble lies within reinstalling windows and backing up.

My desktop currently has two hard drives. Both 1tb each, one is full. And the other is barely used up. If I were to buy an SSD for my desktop. Would it be possible to reinstall windows (OEM) onto my new SSD? How would I do this? Also I've never backed up before (terrible I know and I want to start now!). However my family does own a 1tb external HDD. How much of my 1.2tb of data could I backup, and how would I do it? I've got loads of games and whatnot installed I don't want to lose.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

AddRAM said:

You can backup all your data, pics etc. and your game and program installers, but you will have to reintsall all your games and programs.

But you will be installing to a new ssd so you won`t be affecting your data on the hard drives. ( yet )

Put as much data as you can on the hard drive that DOESN'T have windows installed on it, just copy and paste it or drag and drop it.

Do you have a windows 7 activation key somewhere on your desktop pc ?

If you can, post a pic of disk management.

start>right click computer>manage>wait a few seconds>disk management

Yeah I get back to my desktop tomorrow. I'll post the disk management pic then. What will that show? And yes I believe I do have the activation key. However I do not have the disk. Is this an issue?

Also when I backup the hdd that is full. What do I need to backup? My "users" folder? I'm not cloning the drives here, just wanna know what's the usual folders people select when doing a backup.

AddRAM said:

Not an issue, you will download the iso and burn it to a blank dvd ( get 1 ) more on that later.

You want to backup everything you want to keep. Your documents, your pictures, movies, videos etc.

Don`t worry too much about that right now.

When you get the SSD and install it you are going to disconnect your hard drives.

When you`re done you will have Windows installed on the SSD and you`ll have 2 1TB drives to store your data on, pretty sweet.

Post back when you get the SSD and you`re ready to install it and we will be glad to help.

Excellent. Your very helpful! I get the feeling when I explain myself online for technical help i always sound like an idiot lol. On a separate but not unrelated note, are SSD's worth it? The hybrid hard drive in my laptop has 750gb's of space. But literally leaves all my previous hdd's in the dust in terms of speed for boot times and general windows usage. I'm debating whether to go for the seemingly expensive SSD for minimal space (how much gbs do I need for a windows install?) or just buy another hybrid hdd. The one in my laptop is the "Seagate Momentus XT" if your interested.

Everything you need is here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

Since you have a free 1tb HD you can move your User folders there and after install from Win7 link them from the HD to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

That's plenty of room to also store a Win7 backup image of C so you can easily reimage the SSD or its replacement if it ever becomes irreparable. Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Unplug all other HD's during install to SSD. Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Then afterwards plug back in the other HD's, set SSD first to boot, if you want to boot the old Win7 HD trigger it to boot using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key.

When you're ready to get rid of the old Win7 move it's User folders off to wipe it with Diskpart Clean Command then partition it in Disk mgmt to use as a data drive. The best way to organize your data is always to sort it into the User folders which you can link from the HD using the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums. This avoids issues and makes it easy to see in the Library view if anything is landing in your C folder to easily drag it to the HD folder.

gregrocker said:

Unplug all other HD's during install to SSD. Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Then afterwards plug back in the other HD's, set SSD first to boot, if you want to boot the old Win7 HD trigger it to boot using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key.

When you're ready to get rid of the old Win7 move it's User folders off to wipe it with Diskpart Clean Command then partition it in Disk mgmt to use as a data drive. The best way to organize your data is always to sort it into the User folders which you can link from the HD using the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums. This avoids issues and makes it easy to see in the Library view if anything is landing in your C folder to easily drag it to the HD folder.

The final paragraph is still confusing me. I've read the link and im not usure how it ties in. I was thinking of moving my user folder and program files folder(copy and paste) to my 2nd hard drive. or just leave the program files folder. then from that hdd i could just copy and paste anything i need to bring across to my ssd.