What happens to data and programs after migration to new SSD.

Hi Guys,

Sorry but I need to ask a really dumb question or two. Recently I've added a 250GB M.2 SATA SSD (Disk 1) to accompany the original 1TB HDD (Disk 0)

. I then migrated everything over to the new SSD and I boot to Windows 10 from that (system is flying btw and I'm very pleased with the speed boost). My dumb question is...what exactly has happened to all the data - and more specifically Windows 10 and programs like MSOffice etc - that were on the HDD? Are they still intact and able to be run?

I was also thinking that maybe I could still boot to the old HDD - although as you can see from the screen shot below, the Primary partition no longer contains the boot file. So does this mean it's not possible to boot to the HDD anymore? I was thinking about dual boot but unsure if this is possible after the migration.

Also, can you tell me are the other two partitions on the HDD (Disk 0) - Healthy EFI System Partition and Healthy OEM Partition - still intact? if so does that mean the HDD can be used as a recovery drive if the SSD breaks?

If it's not possible and all the programs and OS are no longer available then I might as well format the drive and use it as storage. However, it would be great if I could install new programs on the HDD and run them from there thus saving space on the SSD.

Cheers

Rob

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/1i/2gyjq47h8xkk.jpg

Accepted answers

JackE

Check the BIOS Main tab. Enable the F12 boot option. Save and exit the BIOS. Then start tapping the F12 key. What are you presented with? Jack E/NJ

All comments

JackE

Looks like everything on the old HDD is still there. Whatever migration tool you used (Samsung?) should've left everything intact on the old drive and just assigned the Windows system C drive to the SSD instead of the old HDD which is now D . Use File Explorer to see that the D drive has a Windows folder as well as ProgramFiles folder with MSOffice buried in there somewhere just like the C drive. Jack E/NJ

Rob99

Hi JackE

I used Samsung's Migration Tool as you suggested the other day. Windows folder and Programs folders are indeed still there with all the program files still intact. Does this mean I can still boot to that HDD even though the partition doesn't show a Boot, Page File and Crash Dump. Ideally I'd like to keep the HDD's partitions intact especially the recovery partitions in case something happens to the SSD.

I mentioned Dual Booting but what I actually meant was a way to select which drive to boot from before Windows loads up (without having to go into BIOS and change the boot order) - is there a such a feature in Windows 10.

I've managed to answer my own question regarding installing programs to the old HDD because I've just tried it. I know it defeats the object of having a fast SSD but I'm worried about filling it up and I'd like to install some things to the HDD especially large programs that I don't use on a regular basis.

Cheers for your help again JackE

JackE

Press the WINkey+Rkey. Enter 'msconfig'. Click the Boot tab. What do you see? Jack E/NJ

Rob99

This is what's currently showing in the Boot tab

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/kx/t77nztm5eflz.jpg

JackE

Check the BIOS Main tab. Enable the F12 boot option. Save and exit the BIOS. Then start tapping the F12 key. What are you presented with? Jack E/NJ

Rob99

Yep that's what I needed. Enabled F12 Boot Menu in BIOS and now I can choose which drive to boot from. Just booted to HDD - jeez so much slower than SSD - and everything is still intact. I'm not going to format the HDD and leave everything as it is. At least I know if something goes wrong with the SSD I've got a fully working HDD as backup. Cheers once again for all your help.

JackE

Yes, absolutely don't change anything on the HDD. It has so much room that you probably won't use it up anytime soon. And even if you do, you can always pull it out, put it on a shelf for safe keeping. Then replace it with an even bigger and faster supercheap HDD.

Jack E/NJ

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