Install SSD with HD data drive under Win 7

Once Win7 is installed and there's no chance it will place it's boot files elsewhere you can reconnect the other HD in a DISK position lower than Disk0 which should be for the SSD unless it cannot otherwise be.

You can then access your data from Win7, even boot the other drive if needed by tapping the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key. When time comes delete Win7 partition to correctly uninstall the OS after marking it Inactive. To move the User data files off first for linking from WIn7 as suggested earlier, shrink space to create a new partition to copy them into. But to get it cleanest of all move the data off external to wipe the old HDD with Diskpart Clean Command then repartition in Disk Mgmt.

1. Here's the disk management screenshot.


2. Yes, I have plenty of external (USB) drive space (including empty drives for cloning/imaging, if helpful)

3. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but where's the missing space usage? The screenshot below is from Foldersize, and it shows that the C drive occupies 201.74GB but the C:\ folder only occupies 73GB (that seems to include the invisible folders at the root of the C drive). Where's the "missing" ~130GB?

whs said:

Well, the first problem you have is that the bootmgr sits on the recovery partition. So that has to be copied to C because you probably don't want that recovery partition on the SSD - make images instead.

Bootmgr - Move to C:\ with EasyBCD

How do you see where the boot manager is from the Drive Management info? Is it because the Recovery partition is marked as "Active"?

Next you have to move your user files somewhere. Easiest is probably to temporarily move them to an external drive.

Then I would get rid of that hiberfile. The command is powercfg -h off. And whilst you are at it, reduce the pagefile to 2GBs.

Again, sorry for the ignorance…but how do you see that the hibernate file exists from looking a the Drive Management. IIRC, turning off hibernation means that for the many hours/day that the computer is not in use it will be sleeping instead of hibernating. That's higher energy use, no? The machine has 8GB of RAM…to much to devote to allowing hibernation?

Now the data on your C should fit on the SSD.

I'm still confused about the space…the recovery partition is under 14GB, the hibernation file is 8GB, and after the change, the page file is 2GB. That from 201GB won't fit on a 128GB SSD. When Foldersize reports the C:\ folder at ~73GB and the C drive at 201GB, what accounts for the difference? (or better stated, perhaps: What's the difference the C:\ folder and the C drive?)

You can now make an image of it which you then dump on the SSD. OR you can use the Paragon migration tool which does the job in 3 clicks (sets you $20 back) - link is in this tutorial.

SSD - Install and Transfer the Operating System

I'm planning on doing a clean install in order not to have the SSD inherit all the crap that's accumulated (from the beginning with the Dell-installed bloatware) in the last 2 years.

Now you have to change the BIOS boot sequence and can test everything. When you are done with all that, we'll discuss what you do with your user data from the backup.

Thanks much for your continued help.

I would not disable the Hibernate file since it is a very convenient feature that allows you to walk away from your PC without concern whether going back in 15 minutes or 15 days or weeks. It also resumes much faster than a Startup, which can be reserved when Updates requires it.

So I would buy an SSD large enough for programs, OS, Hibernate and System-Managed Paging file which is the same size as your RAM. Then link your User folders to HD using User Folders - Change Default Location, or if you plan to use Win7 backup imaging to avoid having the HD data partition deemed a System partition link the copied User folders to Library - Include a Folder

whs said:

1. As Gary says = active means the bootmgr is sitting there.

System flag means the boot files are stored on the partition and it is booting Win7.

whs said:

2. Hibernation is not really needed - use sleep, that's just as good. It takes 8GB on your SSD. Who needs it. I disable it since years.

I don't mean to sound contrarian Wolfgang but Hibernate is so perfected in Win7 and adds such value to the desktop experience that I defend it when its slighted.

Sleep is not a substitute for Hibernate since it keeps power to RAM. If you go away from the PC for long it will use RAM unnecessarily when it could have written RAM to the HDD and powered off to save both power and the RAM life. Sleep is best viewed as an intermediate step timed in case you might want to come back and quickly wake it up using mouse or Enter. But if you're going to be gone more than an hour or so, it's best to have it Hibernate to write what you left out to the HD and power down, then enjoy a near instant resume on an SSD, only 10-20 seconds on a HDD.

I set my installs at 30 minutes Sleep, 60 minutes Hibernate, with Hybrid Sleep turned on so a power cut will still save RAM contents to HD. Only users with specialized needs tend not to like this, although it must be sold to many stuck in XP ways.

This is the default for Windows 8 because it is a better way to use your PC than shutting down every time, with a near instant resume. A full Shut Down or Restart becomes only needed when required for Updates or Program installs, or clearing any bogs.