Format needed for new SSD and HDD in Windows 7 fresh installation?

fredly

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I am putting together my own computer and am putting in a 1TB HDD and 120GB SSD. Seems as I cannot get a definitive understanding of whether or not I need to format and partition each of these drives. I want to install Windows 7 on the SSD and use the HDD for other programs and data. So do I format and not format each of these drives?

Thanks,
Fred B
 

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windows 7 64 bit
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windows 7 64 bit

My Computer My Computer

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Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap A...Desk1 i5 3750K / Laptop i7 GTX 860M / Desk2 i...Desk1 8GB (1866) / Desk2 16GB (1333) / Laptop...Desk 1& 2NVidia GTX 650 & Laptops on board Intel
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Own build (new) Desk1 / Asus ROG Win 7 / Desk2 1st build
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Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
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Desk1 i5 3750K / Laptop i7 GTX 860M / Desk2 i5 2500
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Desk1 Asus P877-V / Desk2 Gigabyte H67 UD3H / Laptop ?
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Desk 1 Benq HD 2450 / Desk2 Philips 24" / Laptop 17.5"
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1920x1080 D1 & D2 & Laptop 1
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Desk1 Samsung 120GB 830 SSD
Asus ROG 256GB 850 Pro SSD
Desk2 Samsung 840 256 SSD
Toshiba 120GB EVO
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Desk 1 Cooler HAF XM ? Toshiba laptop / Desk2 Coolermaster
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One other Desktop (tester) and spare Toshba laptop both with SSD's
Running Kaspersky 2016 ISS on all machines config'd identically
Logitec audio stereo systems on each machine (x3)
Canon MG5250MFC
Router/modem TP-Link running WPA2SK
Welcome fredly, yes besides the tutorials linked to by ICit2lol, the HDD should be formatted to NTFS.
 

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Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No buil...16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GBASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost)
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built Desktop By DataTech
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
CPU
Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No built in GPU
Motherboard
ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
Memory
16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GB
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ASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost)
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Onboard Realtek 5-1
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Samsung P2570HD
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD for OS, 500GB Seagate Constellation (Enterprise drive) for Data
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Corsair HX650W
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Inwin Dragon Rider
Cooling
Hyper 212 EVO w/two Noctua fans, push-pull, @1300 RPM
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E-Z Eyes, bright yellow keys with large characters
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steelseries SENSEI Laser Pro Gaming
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48-51Mbs Mbs down, 11 Mbs up Xfinity Cable
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Norton Internet Security 2013
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IE 10, Opera, Pale Moon if needed
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4 case fans, LG BluRay-RE, ASUS DVD-RW, Mr. Fusion power supply, 1.21 gigawatts.
Welcome fredly, yes besides the tutorials linked to by ICit2lol, the HDD should be formatted to NTFS.
Ooops yep missed that Gary:o
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap A...Desk1 i5 3750K / Laptop i7 GTX 860M / Desk2 i...Desk1 8GB (1866) / Desk2 16GB (1333) / Laptop...Desk 1& 2NVidia GTX 650 & Laptops on board Intel
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Own build (new) Desk1 / Asus ROG Win 7 / Desk2 1st build
OS
Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
CPU
Desk1 i5 3750K / Laptop i7 GTX 860M / Desk2 i5 2500
Motherboard
Desk1 Asus P877-V / Desk2 Gigabyte H67 UD3H / Laptop ?
Memory
Desk1 8GB (1866) / Desk2 16GB (1333) / Laptop 8Gb DDR3
Graphics Card(s)
Desk 1& 2NVidia GTX 650 & Laptops on board Intel
Sound Card
Desk 1 & 2 -XONAR DG Realtek High Def audio Laptop
Monitor(s) Displays
Desk 1 Benq HD 2450 / Desk2 Philips 24" / Laptop 17.5"
Screen Resolution
1920x1080 D1 & D2 & Laptop 1
Hard Drives
Desk1 Samsung 120GB 830 SSD
Asus ROG 256GB 850 Pro SSD
Desk2 Samsung 840 256 SSD
Toshiba 120GB EVO
PSU
Desk 1 Corsair HX 1050/ Laptop ? / Desk 2 Corsair HX 650
Case
Desk 1 Cooler HAF XM ? Toshiba laptop / Desk2 Coolermaster
Cooling
Fans on all Desk1 -2 Desk2 - all Coolermasters 5 Laptop ?
Keyboard
Desk 1 MS Sidewinder X6 Desk 2 MS Sidewinder X 4
Mouse
Desk 1&2 - Gigabyte MS 900 gamer - laptop - Logitec wireless
Internet Speed
ADSL2+
Other Info
One other Desktop (tester) and spare Toshba laptop both with SSD's
Running Kaspersky 2016 ISS on all machines config'd identically
Logitec audio stereo systems on each machine (x3)
Canon MG5250MFC
Router/modem TP-Link running WPA2SK
All drives have to be formatted, BUT------

You don't have to specifically format the SSD---it will be formatted automatically when you install Windows.

You will have to format the HDD and that can be done several ways. Easiest is to use Windows Disk Management when you make a partition on the HDD.

Leave the HDD unconnected when you install to the SSD. After Windows is running on the SSD and is updated and all is well, then connect the HDD and have your way with it.
 

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Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bitIntel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)none; graphics are integrated on CPU
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PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Ignatz Special; 4 speed manual gearbox; factory air conditioning; one of one
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
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Intel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked
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AsRock Z170M Extreme 4, micro ATX
Memory
8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)
Graphics Card(s)
none; graphics are integrated on CPU
Sound Card
onboard: Realtek ALC1150; external: USB Behringer UF0-202
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell S2340M 23 inch IPS
Screen Resolution
1600 x 900
Hard Drives
System: Crucial MX100 series SSD, 128 GB;
Data: Samsung Spinpoint 103SJ, 1 TB;
Backup: WD Caviar Green WD30EZRX-00D8PB0, 3 TB
PSU
Rosewill SilentNight 500 watt fanless, semi-modular
Case
Antec Solo II
Cooling
Noctua NH-U12S; Noctua F12 intake, Noctua S12A exhaust
Keyboard
Microsoft 200 6JH-00001 USB
Mouse
Dell or Microsoft optical wired; USB
Antivirus
Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Premium
Browser
Pale Moon
Other Info
All fans PWM; speeds at idle: CPU circa 500 rpm; intake circa 600 rpm; exhaust circa 600 rpm; CPU temps 27 idle and 47 C load in a warm room (27 C/81 F) when running Intel Extreme Tuning Utility stress test.
If you let the Windows 7 installer format and partition your SSD you will get a 100 Mb system partition along with a C partition. If you want to avoid the 100 Mb partition, you should format and partition the SSD first and then install Windows 7 to that newly created partition.
 

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Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP 1Intel i5 2500k8 gigabytes Corsair PC3-12800 DDR3EVGA GeForce GTX 460 superclocked
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Customized build from CyberPower
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP 1
CPU
Intel i5 2500k
Motherboard
Asus P8P67 Deluxe
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8 gigabytes Corsair PC3-12800 DDR3
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EVGA GeForce GTX 460 superclocked
Sound Card
Integrated
Monitor(s) Displays
ViewSonic 23" LCD
Screen Resolution
1980 x 1080
Hard Drives
120 Gb Samsung 840 Pro SSD
120 Gb Kingston Hyper X SSD
1 Tb WD Caviar Black HDD
PSU
Coolermaster 1000 watt modular
Case
Coolermaster HAF X full tower
Cooling
Coolermaster Hyper 212 plus
Keyboard
Logitech USB
Mouse
Microsoft 3 button
Internet Speed
download 1.5 Mb/sec upload 300Kb/sec
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