Re-Installing Windows 7

Heldelance · Jan 22, 2013, 11:39 PM

Hi everyone,

I've got a big of a question about re-installing Windows. Currently, the hard drive it's on is rather old (4-5 years I think) and it's rather low capacity (250 gb).

I would like to set up Windows to a different drive, maybe even net myself an SSD and put it there.

The question I have is, do I have to reinstall everything after changing the drives Windows is on?

I'm assuming that I will need to reinstall the drivers and stuff for the PC based on the fact that the drive they'll be on will no longer exist. I'm just not sure about programs like games and such which are on a different drive.

Many thanks for the input.
---

Jstn7477 · Jan 22, 2013, 11:54 PM

Yes, everything will have to be re-installed. Just about every program you install makes entries in the Registry which of course will be gone when you install a clean copy of Windows elsewhere.

Heldelance · Jan 22, 2013, 11:59 PM

I thought so. Was hoping there was an alternative, but I highly doubted it. I suppose it's for the best, clean out all the old stuff.

timta2 · Jan 23, 2013, 12:06 AM

As long as you are not changing any other hardware (other than the hard drive) you should be able to just clone the installation to another drive without any problems.

A fresh installation might be a better option if you want everything fresh though.

ThE_MaD_ShOt · Jan 23, 2013, 12:18 AM

Cloning is an option for sure if the os is in good shape. I cloned the drive in one of my rigs when I went from a 320 gb drive to a 1tb drive.

andrewsmc · Jan 23, 2013, 12:28 AM

Link to "Cloning" info plz?

Heldelance · Jan 23, 2013, 12:38 AM

I'm guessing he means imaging the drive. I think I'll just go for the fresh install that way there aren't too many problems. Better start to list the stuff I need to D/L (can't find the MB CDs...)

Jetster · Jan 23, 2013, 12:45 AM

Cloning to an SSD is not a good idea. When you install 7 to an SSD it make changes to the system to optimize the system for an SSD

Jan 22, 2013, 11:39 PM	#1
Heldelance Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 106 (0.05/day) Thanks: 18 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts System Specs	Re-Installing Windows 7 Hi everyone, I've got a big of a question about re-installing Windows. Currently, the hard drive it's on is rather old (4-5 years I think) and it's rather low capacity (250 gb). I would like to set up Windows to a different drive, maybe even net myself an SSD and put it there. The question I have is, do I have to reinstall everything after changing the drives Windows is on? I'm assuming that I will need to reinstall the drivers and stuff for the PC based on the fact that the drive they'll be on will no longer exist. I'm just not sure about programs like games and such which are on a different drive. Many thanks for the input. ---

Processor:	AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
Motherboard:	Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 Rev2
Cooling:	OCZ Vendetta w/Scythe Ultra Kaze 2000RPM Fan
Memory:	8 gb Corsair Vengeance 1600mhz 9-9-9-27
Video Card:	Gigabyte GeForce GTX 570 1280MB Overclocked V2
Hard Disk:	3x Seagate Barracuda 1TB
Optical Drive:	LG DVD burner
CRT/LCD Model:	22" Samsung LCD
Case:	Coolermaster HAF 932
Sound Card:	Integrated
PSU:	Corsair HX-620 620W
Software:	Windows 7

Jan 22, 2013, 11:54 PM	#2
Jstn7477 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sarasota, Florida, USA Posts: 3,143 (2.31/day) Thanks: 389 Thanked 1,193 Times in 805 Posts System Specs	Yes, everything will have to be re-installed. Just about every program you install makes entries in the Registry which of course will be gone when you install a clean copy of Windows elsewhere. __________________ Intel Crunchers (27 threads): 2x 3770K 4.3G (14t), 2600K 4G (7t), X3210 (3t), P-M 735A, P4 HT 3G AMD Crunchers (11 cores):1100T 3.6G (3t), 1045T 3.4G (2t), X3 8550 2.5G, X2 4200+, T64 ML-37 AMD Folders (6272 GCN cores): 2x 7950 1125/1475, 7970 1150/1650, 7770 1100/1200 NV Folders (2336 GF10x + 1344 GK104 cores):GTX 470 & 465 720/1715, 4x 460 768MB 825/2000, GTS 450, 660Ti 1228/6000 HEATWARE

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Processor:	AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
Motherboard:	Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 Rev2
Cooling:	OCZ Vendetta w/Scythe Ultra Kaze 2000RPM Fan
Memory:	8 gb Corsair Vengeance 1600mhz 9-9-9-27
Video Card:	Gigabyte GeForce GTX 570 1280MB Overclocked V2
Hard Disk:	3x Seagate Barracuda 1TB
Optical Drive:	LG DVD burner
CRT/LCD Model:	22" Samsung LCD
Case:	Coolermaster HAF 932
Sound Card:	Integrated
PSU:	Corsair HX-620 620W
Software:	Windows 7

Jan 22, 2013, 11:59 PM	#3
Heldelance Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 106 (0.05/day) Thanks: 18 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts System Specs	I thought so. Was hoping there was an alternative, but I highly doubted it. I suppose it's for the best, clean out all the old stuff.

Jan 23, 2013, 12:06 AM	#4
timta2 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Posts: 786 (0.40/day) Thanks: 94 Thanked 106 Times in 97 Posts System Specs	As long as you are not changing any other hardware (other than the hard drive) you should be able to just clone the installation to another drive without any problems. A fresh installation might be a better option if you want everything fresh though.

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Jan 23, 2013, 12:18 AM	#5
ThE_MaD_ShOt Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hi! I'm from the Internet Posts: 3,754 (6.92/day) Thanks: 2,547 Thanked 2,451 Times in 1,475 Posts System Specs	Cloning is an option for sure if the os is in good shape. I cloned the drive in one of my rigs when I went from a 320 gb drive to a 1tb drive. __________________ Crunchers : Phenom II x6 1090t / 2x Phenom II x6 1055t / Phenom II x4 970BE / “I always succed in my mission tho. Beer just delays it!” -ChaoticAtmosphere “TPU is very mild, and I love to tell people I love them when they are being retarded, it makes me feel special in my special places. What was the point of this thread again? Oh well, I love all of you.” -Steevo

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Jan 23, 2013, 12:28 AM	#6
andrewsmc Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pikeville NC Posts: 822 (0.48/day) Thanks: 191 Thanked 68 Times in 59 Posts System Specs	Link to "Cloning" info plz? __________________ Heat = http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=68277 Ebay = http://myworld.ebay.com/andrewsmclor

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Jan 23, 2013, 12:38 AM	#7
Heldelance Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 106 (0.05/day) Thanks: 18 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts System Specs	I'm guessing he means imaging the drive. I think I'll just go for the fresh install that way there aren't too many problems. Better start to list the stuff I need to D/L (can't find the MB CDs...)

Jan 23, 2013, 12:45 AM	#8
Jetster Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,880 (2.35/day) Thanks: 941 Thanked 866 Times in 633 Posts System Specs	Cloning to an SSD is not a good idea. When you install 7 to an SSD it make changes to the system to optimize the system for an SSD

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