Help Switching Boot Drive from SSD to HDD

[Espadon]

I built my computer the other day, and I had not planned to have an ssd at all, but somehow ended up getting a 64 gigabyte Samsung SSD. It is very fast, which is good for the boot, and i just told myself i would put all programs on the HDD. I did that, Windows installation took up like 25 gigs, and since then I've been watching the disk space slowly drop. without even putting anything on it. So i need to switch the boot drive to the HDD, i dont know how to do this. Can i just copy and paste the entire ssd onto the HDD? or do i need to install windows on the HDD. how exactly can i accomplish this. I actually prefer this solution because this way i can have all my more used (large) programs on the ssd operate very quickly and just have to have a longer boot time. If you are going to try and change my opinion, then do not post please, because i am doing this.

 

[whs]

You are doing it backwards. The system must stay on the SSD and the user data and the programs have to go on the HDD (if they are big - probably games). Putting the OS on the HDD defeats the purpose of the SSD.

And no, you cannot just cpy/paste the system over. It is a bit more complicated.

So what I suggest. Uninstall all the big programs and reinstall them directing them to a folder on the HDD during installation time (the installers usually give you that option). But leave all the system files on the SSD.

For the user folders, you can change the default location to the HDD: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html

You probably also want to delete the hiberfile. The command is powercfg -h off

 

[gregrocker]

I would move the User folders first.

Only if you absolutely need the space would I move off any programs as they will lose speed on the spinner. Same with the paging file, not so much the hiberfile.

 

[whs]

Some of your disk space probably also disappeared in restore points (shadows). Run this command to limit it to 5% (3GB) of the SSD:

vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=5%

 

[Espadon]

@WHS

what else am i able to move from the SSD to the HDD? I haven't tried moving the User data yet. But im going to considering that the space went from 31.4 to 30.9 in an hour and a half, without doing anything but playing a game. i doubt a save game is that large.... I cant help but feel something is wrong, why else would space just be slowly draining away?

 

[whs]

If you move the user folder (documents, pictures, videos, music) and the large games, plus delete the hiberfile, your system should stay below 30GBs. Also resize the shadowstorage with the command above.

If you end up with more than 30GBs, then you have a lot of OEM junk which you can just uninstall.

No need to move anything else. Non of my SSDs has a system of more than 25GBs - and I have a lot of (normal) programs, no games.

Run WinDirStat. That will tell you what is on the system - but not the shadowstorage. For that you have to run this command: vssadmin list shadowstorage

 

[Espadon]

If you move the user folder (documents, pictures, videos, music) and the large games, plus delete the hiberfile, your system should stay below 30GBs. Also resize the shadowstorage with the command above.

If you end up with more than 30GBs, then you have a lot of OEM junk which you can just uninstall.

No need to move anything else. Non of my SSDs has a system of more than 25GBs - and I have a lot of (normal) programs, no games.

Run WinDirStat. That will tell you what is on the system - but not the shadowstorage. For that you have to run this command: vssadmin list shadowstorage

I tried moving the user files to the hdd by inputting: >robocopy "C:\Users" "E:\Users" /E /COPYALL /XJ

however it told me i do not have the manage auditing user right....

uuuuuhhhh

 

[gregrocker]

Follow the steps given to do this in the blue tutorial link:

For the user folders, you can change the default location to the HDD: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html

You can also move everything at once by moving your named User Account: User Profile - Change Default Location
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2974-user-accounts.html

 

[whs]

Don't use robocopy. Do as Greg says - i did give you that link earlier too. That's what you get if you don't read.

 

[Espadon]

alright, thanks much, and i did read, i just saw the second option which seemed... sloppy to me. i didnt realize there was a link to another option. now. is there anything else i can move to the hdd, like in program files? im assuming the folder program files (x86) is not movable, but what about normal program files?

This is what is in my C drive
(they're all folders)

Intel
Perflogs
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
RaidTool
Users (not a problem anymore)
Windows

 

[whs]

All this stuff stays. The 'normal program files' is the x64 programs.

 

[Espadon]

so i cannot move things in the x86 to my hdd?
what about normal program files.
I have 31.3 gigs on the ssd

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Did you turn off hibernation?

Did you investigate the amount of space used by System Restore?

Did you investigate the size of your page file?

 

[whs]

Program files you can direct to a folder on the HDD during the program installation. There is usually an option in the installtion process. But you cannot move program files as a 20/20 hindsight. If they are now on the SSD, they have to stay.

If you want them on the HDD, uninstall the program(s) from the SSD and reinstall those programs. There you can select your folder on the HDD (make a folder and do not install to the root of the HDD).

 

[whs]

Did you turn off hibernation?

Did you investigate the amount of space used by System Restore?

Did you investigate the size of your page file?

Ignatz is right. These are all good questions and we made those suggestions earlier.

 

[gregrocker]

I would not be in a hurry to move any more than User folders off the SSD until it fills up. Then you can uninstall and reinstall some Progams to the other HD. You cannot move them otherwise.

 

[Espadon]

ok please someone tell me what to do, because i turn my pc off and it had 31.4 gigs when i did this, next time i turn it on. 30.2. Windows did not do an installation/update at shutdown either.

there were suggestions mentioned above, however i am unsure how to do these things

 

[whs]

OK. As a first measure go to Start > All Programs > Accessories. There you find 'Command Prompt'. Right click on that and 'Run as administrator'. Into the little black window paste this command and hit Enter.

vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=5%

Now check the SSD space and report back.

 

[Espadon]

OK. As a first measure go to Start > All Programs > Accessories. There you find 'Command Prompt'. Right click on that and 'Run as administrator'. Into the little black window paste this command and hit Enter.

vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /MaxSize=5%

Now check the SSD space and report back.

that gave me 1.3 gigs back so now im at 32.2 up from 30.9

EDIT: so... i walked away from the pc for 20 minutes... and i dropped to 31.7. please. what is happening and how can i stop at? it doesn't make sense, i am home alone so no one touched it, and since posting the last thing i did was post that reply above. I am frustrated now. At this rate i will have depleted the ssd in about a month, without using it for anything

 

[gregrocker]

These small fluctuations are not worth bothering with.

Once you've moved your User folders off, monitor the disk size periodically then when it gets too low turn off Hibernation and consider moving the Paging file off. Until then I wouldn't even trim back the Restore points since they are critical for rescue.