akamerica

Apologies as this is a computer related question not photography, understanding that we all have to have functional computers in support of our digital cameras.

In a few weeks Microsoft will stop sending all but daily security updates for our Windows 7 powered computers. I have purchased Windows 10 Ultimate, MS Office 2019, and several Samsung 1T SSDs to install on my custom built desktop machine.

In the many years past I always did a "clean" installation of the latest Windows operating system on a blank formatted internal hard drive to have the best chance to be trouble free, then laboring to do a new installation of the programs/apps (several dozen).

This year, slightly different. My plan is to remove the C drive containing Win 7-64 from the computer (unplug the drive), disconnect all external hard/SSD drives, printers, card readers, etc., leaving only the mouse, monitor and the desktop. Install the brand new internal 1T SSD, load Windows 10 and MS Office 2019 and all updates. This would of course be my C Drive and boot drive.

The old C drive is then reinstalled (aka connected) to the computer allowing the internal transfer of data files, music, etc to the new C drive. Additionally as a number of my programs/apps were downloaded - no program disk - and all apps require license information to establish ownership, that license key is usually found in the program still installed on the old C drive. Who knows how much of the hundreds of program settings, preferences, can be accessed for integration with the new app installation saving countless hours.

My question kind UHH-ers:
How to prevent the old C drive trying to act as the boot drive when the computer is restarted? Yes, the new boot drive is designated in Computer Management however I would like to "kill" the Win 7-64 so it won't try to load anything or get confused.

On the other hand, If I try to start a program on the old C drive to obtain license/preferences/setup info, where will it look for an operating system to run? So, should I leave Win 7 functional?

What say you?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Change the boot drive priority.

http://www.boot-disk.com/boot_priority.htm

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I cannot speak for all manufacturers, but Samsung provides outstanding drive cloning software with their solid state drives. You simply install the software on your current boot drive, connect the new drive to your system, and run the software. It finds the new drive, formats it properly, and moves everything over. You then remove the old drive, install the new one in its place, and you are ready to go. At this point, I generally run a compaction program (also provided) and life is good. I've done this five or six times and never had it fail or lost any installed software.

Once all this is done, you could load Windows 10 as an update. Everything should be intact and ready to go. If anything does go wrong for any reason, you still have your untouched original drive as a backup.

The only shortcoming against what you want to do is that this is not a "clean" installation of Windows 10.

Note that I have also read that it may still be able to do a free update to Windows 10 if you pursue a specific path built around "accessible" functionality. I have never tried this, and don't know if it is real or still available. But it might be worth checking out.

In any case, when you are all done, you should be able to install your old drive and have a dual boot machine. There will likely be some old programs that won't run under Windows 10, but you will want to run everything possible under the new system.

Good luck with your project.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Once you install Win 10 on the new drive (assuming it’s the only drive), it will be designated as C: and the boot drive. If you then install the old Win 7 drive, it will be assigned a new drive letter (likely D: depending on how 6ou partition the new SSD and whether you have a DVD drive). It will not try to boot from the old Win 7 windows installation unless it can’t find the new C: drive. And, as you plan, you can then use the old drive for data and move it around, etc. BUT, your aps will likely not work. When you install aps, there are changes made to the registry, and since the OS is now referencing the new registry on the new drive, they won’t be there. Also the path will be wrong as well. Two choices: (1) clone the old drive and update the OS to Win 10 as suggested above, or (2) copy your download folder over to C: and re load the aps - the installation files that you did not load from DVD should all be there.

akamerica

Totally correct.

Might a concept to do a Win 10 update on the original Win 7 C drive, remove it, then do a second install of Win 10 on the new SSD for a clean install reloading all the apps. That will leave the old C drive perhaps operable when designated as the boot drive in the BIOS. Drive letter changed or both come out C? Could they both be in the same computer and for what gain?

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I have one older laptop that has Windows 7. My current laptop has Windows 10 now. Previously Windows 7. On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 7 with updates, security, etc. I was aware of that, some weeks ago. A friend did tell me that you can still get Windows 10 for free. Even though the freebie expired in 2016. He just said he read about it somewhere. I hesitated getting that older laptop upgraded, because I wanted to see if I would like Windows 10 in the long-run. I'm going to buy a new laptop with more storage next Spring. I'm planning to give the old laptop to a teenage relative anyway..For those who may want to upgrade your Windows 7 to Windows 10. Check to see if you can still get it free, before January 14, 2020. You have 2 weeks.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

I have a Dell 8900. I cloned the hard drive on my old computer to a new SSD. I then swapped out the drives; New SSD with all my programs & data & Win 10 Pro, for the Dell HDD, which I keep in my closet untouched.
The only problem I had was re-registering Windows 10, so I called Microsoft and they talked me through registering it legally. Basically, I just had to reinstall (not a clean install) Win 10 Pro over the existing Win 10.
Keep your software registration codes handy. You might have to insert the codes in some of your software.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Leaving aside the questions of: What do you mean Windows 10 "Ultimate" (no such thing); and the need for a huge system (C:) drive (a 256 GB is plenty for the OS and a lot of program installs).....

Migrating programs from one system to another is more trouble than it's worth. Even the utilities that purport to make it "easy and simple" to migrate apps are not reliable for that task. There's a lot of a program's pieces that are all over the Windows system, making it difficult or impossible to migrate a program.

And, you are not doing a "fresh" installation of things by taking them from a previous system. You could also bring over problems.

If you did not keep a record of license numbers to be able to install your programs another day, that's unfortunate. They are not necessarily "extractable" from the old system drive.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I guessing he meant Windows 10 Pro. I never heard of Ultimate either?

akamerica

Yep. My W7-64 is ultimate. No more ultimate.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

You might want to look up a free version of Macrium Reflect to transfer the C: Drive to a new hard drive. My Son and I have both used it several times without any problems, and the directions are easy to follow.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=macrium+reflect+free+download&pc=MOZI&form=MOZSPG

aellman Loc: Boston MA

My understanding is that Microsoft will not be sending any security updates or anything else. ALL support for Win 7 will end on January 14.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

It's not just your understanding. That's what Microsoft is SAYING!

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

I read an article not to long ago that Microsoft will still be supporting Windows 7 Enterprise. But they want the rest of us to move on to Windows 10!?!?!

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Enterprises can pay for extended 7 support. That's an accommodation for those for whom the changeover is a really massive undertaking. It won't last forever.