After install on secondary HDD can I move Windows back to primary HDD?


  1. Ti00
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
       New #1

    After install on secondary HDD can I move Windows back to primary HDD?


    For a rather complicated reason I have Windows (Home Premium 64bit) installed on the secondary HDD in my desktop, but I still have all the files from a previous installation of the same version of Windows installed on my primary HDD (My computer was stalling at the BIOS splash screen, and after a power off I reinstalled windows on the secondary HDD because the previous install wasn't working. After getting Windows installed on the secondary HDD I looked at the primary HDD and it looked fine. I did a disk check that turned up nothing too). So basically I'm wondering if there is either an easy way I can move all of the stuff I had installed on the previous copy of windows to the new copy, or if there is a way to move Windows back to the old copy? Ive tried booting from the primary HDD and it just boots from the secondary HDD instead.

    Desktop Specs:
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    CPU: AMD FX-8120
    Motherboard: ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0
    Memory: 16GB G. Skill Ares DDR3 1333
    Graphics Card: AMD FirePro V3900
    Hard Drives: Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM <----Secondary
    WD 2TB (unknown part #)<--------Primary
    PSU: RAIDMAX RX-500AF(500 Watt)Cooling: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO
      My Computer
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  3. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       New #2

    There are ways to do this. But in order to give you best advice, it would help to see a picture of your Disk Management. But make sure the status field in the upper tier of Disk Management is fully opened - like in my picture.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails After install on secondary HDD can I move Windows back to primary HDD?-2013-01-05_2317.png  
      My Computer
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  4. AddRAM
    Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       New #3

    If the new install is working fine on the secondary hard drive, why not just make it the primary and move your files over to it from the non functioning old windows install.

    As WHS has asked, post a shot of disk management from the new, working windows 7 install.
      My Computer
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  6. Ti00
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    I've just decided to reinstall a stripped down version of what I had before. Thanks for the help though!


    -Ti00
      My Computer
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  7. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #5

    If you still had 2 HD's plugged in during reinstall you've probably derailed your boot files onto the other HD so that it won't boot if one becomes unplugged. Post back the requested screenshot now so we can take a look.
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