I'm trying to get my Windows operating system to run from my SSD, but currently, the E drive is just a partition of that SSD. I tried using the 'OS migration' feature in Disk Genius, but it only copied my data from the C drive onto the E drive without actually changing which drive Windows runs from. Can someone guide me on how to properly make the E drive my C drive? Sorry if some of this is unclear, but I hope you can help!
4 Answers
Do you have two drives in your setup? If so, get a Windows installer USB and connect just the SSD. Format that disk and install Windows on it. Once it's all set up, you can plug in your old drive, enter BIOS, and make sure your SSD is set as the boot drive.
The easiest way to do this is to wipe your SSD clean and perform a fresh install of Windows. When you do this, make sure to use the whole drive without creating extra partitions beyond what Windows needs. It'll save you a lot of hassle later on!
Got it! That sounds straightforward. Thanks for explaining!
Have you removed the original drive yet? If not, your system will most likely boot from the original drive, making the clone on E still appear as E. You'll want to make sure the original drive isn't connected to boot from the cloned version.
Another option is to clone your C drive to E. The cloning software can handle the drive UUIDs and ensure everything transfers correctly, but it will erase what's currently on E. If E is larger than C, just expand the partition afterwards. Alternatively, you could swap them around, but be ready for some troubleshooting if you go this route. I recommend using Clonezilla for creating image files; it works well over the network if you store them on a NAS.
Totally agree! Starting fresh helps avoid complications with drive references. Just set the SSD as your system drive during installation, and you'll be good to go.