Can I install an OS on an internal HD being used for files externally

[juiceimus]

Hello! Sorry if this is in the wrong discussion area.. I wasn't sure where it fit in.

I recently bought a WD Green 1TB Hard Drive for moving some music, photo & video files off my laptop.

I was wondering if when I build my own PC will I be able to install an operating system onto the hard drive along side the files and be able to access them?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Of course... why do you expect problems?
Most people have their user documents on the same physical drive. Even in same partition.

 

[Sir George]

Hello! Sorry if this is in the wrong discussion area.. I wasn't sure where it fit in.

I recently bought a WD Green 1TB Hard Drive for moving some music, photo & video files off my laptop.

I was wondering if when I build my own PC will I be able to install an operating system onto the hard drive along side the files and be able to access them?

You will need to create a separate partition for the OS if you intend to keep the existing data on the same drive.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Hello! Sorry if this is in the wrong discussion area.. I wasn't sure where it fit in.

I recently bought a WD Green 1TB Hard Drive for moving some music, photo & video files off my laptop.

I was wondering if when I build my own PC will I be able to install an operating system onto the hard drive along side the files and be able to access them?

You will need to create a separate partition for the OS if you intend to keep the existing data on the same drive.

A good thing to do indeed. But really necessary?

 

[Sir George]

Hello! Sorry if this is in the wrong discussion area.. I wasn't sure where it fit in.

I recently bought a WD Green 1TB Hard Drive for moving some music, photo & video files off my laptop.

I was wondering if when I build my own PC will I be able to install an operating system onto the hard drive along side the files and be able to access them?

You will need to create a separate partition for the OS if you intend to keep the existing data on the same drive.

A good thing to do indeed. But really necessary?

My understanding of the OP's question is to preserve files and folders on the drive and then install the OS. Windows will format the drive or partition during the install so there needs to be a separate partition to save the initial files and folders. Right?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Does windows autoformat the OS partition (don't think so ... but not 100% sure).
It doesn't format the partition with bootmenu... that's for sure.
But files in C:\mydocs for instance are untouched afaik

 

[Kaktussoft]

My fault.

Using the Custom installation option without formatting the hard disk
The Custom option installs a new copy of Windows 7 on the partition you choose. This erases your files, programs, and settings.
Back up any files and settings you want to keep so that you can restore them after the installation is complete. You'll need to reinstall your programs, so make sure you have the installation discs and product keys for the programs you want to use in Windows 7, or setup files for any programs you downloaded from the Internet.

 

[gregrocker]

I would use free Partition Wizard to resize the HD's data partition to the right, create a new OS partition on the left which is the fastest part of the HD. This can only be done by a 3rd party disk utility of which PW is the safest and best.

Partition Wizard to Resize Partition - Video Help.

 

[Alejandro85]

My understanding of the OP's question is to preserve files and folders on the drive and then install the OS. Windows will format the drive or partition during the install so there needs to be a separate partition to save the initial files and folders. Right?

No, unless you explicitly click "format" or just let all to be the default. Don't have an installation handy to take screenshots, but from memory, if you choose "personalize" when asked (instead of just using the defaults), you'll be asked to choose a partition, having the option to create one, format or extend. If you do NOT click format, Windows will just install its files in that partition, leaving everything else intact.

I've done that more than once, and know for a fact that Windows will not compulsively destroy your files, unless you instruct it to do so. Anyway, try that on a VM first to be sure.

 

[juiceimus]

Thank you for all the replies! It seems like creating a separate partition is the only safe way to go.

Will I be able to access the saved files from the separate partition from the OS on the other?

Or would all of this be much simpler to wait until the PC is ready and just transfer my files over when it is up and running?

 

[gregrocker]

One should never expect to install Win7 onto a partition with files and have those files remain intact. The installer will format the partition even if you don't if its correctly booted for the install, and if run from an OS it will wrap up any files on C into a windows.old archive or overwrite them if installed to another partition.

There are several ways to access files on the separate data partition. This is popular now that backup imaging of C is an efficient replacement for reinstalling the OS. If you keep your files on a data partition linked to the OS, then if C ever becomes irreparable you can reimage it from a stored backup image in 20 minutes and your latest files will all be waiting and current in their own backup partition.

To link your files from the newly installed OS there are two ways to do this. You can move the User folders to the data partition as shown in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html, or you can simply right click each User folder already on the Data partition to add it to the related http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/585-library-include-folder.html then set that folder as the default save folder for that library: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/595-library-set-save-folder.html.

I use the former method so that I can also sync to my other devices and backup my User folders at the same time as shown in Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with OneDrive . But if one wants to use WIn7 backup imaging then use the latter method since it will want to include the data partition as part of the image because it contains system User files. An alternative imaging app with more flexibility is http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I.

Feel free to ask back any questions since this is best to fully understand ahead of time.