I've just switched from AMD to Intel and set up a new motherboard and CPU. I know a fresh Windows installation is recommended, but I'm currently using one SSD for both important data and Windows, and the other SSD is primarily for games. Is it possible for me to install Windows fresh on the games drive while keeping all my data safe on the original main drive?
4 Answers
You can install Windows over the existing setup without losing your data. Your old files will be moved to a new folder, c:windows.old. From there, you can choose what to keep and delete what you don't need.
You don't necessarily need to reformat the drive! When you install Windows, it will create a Windows.old folder that holds your previous installation files. You can go through it and save specific files you'd like to keep.
Yes, you can definitely do that! Just keep in mind that using your games drive as the main operating system drive might mean it's slower, depending on your setup. Usually, it’s best to have your OS on the fastest SSD, so just consider that while making your decision.
Another option is to temporarily move your important data to the other drive. You could then install Windows fresh on the games drive and move your data back later. If you're interested in cloud backups, signing up for a service like OneDrive for a month could also work. You’d back everything up, reinstall the OS, and then retrieve your files from the cloud.
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