I've been upgrading my PC gradually for about ten years, and I often factory wipe my SSDs when they start to get cluttered or slow down. I'm planning to install a new M.2 drive soon, and I'm wondering if downloading Windows onto this new drive and making it my boot drive will essentially replace the need for these factory wipes. Just to clarify, if I boot from the new drive, will I still have access to all my data on the old SSD? And importantly, will none of the old drivers, startup executables, or applications from my previous SSD run automatically?
4 Answers
Usually, old programs won’t work right after a Windows reinstall, especially if you change the drive. Make sure to disconnect the old drives when you install Windows, then reconnect them to access your files. Just a tip—consider cleaning out unnecessary data from your old drives, even though it won’t impact SSD performance that much, it can help reduce clutter later.
Yes, if you install Windows on the new M.2 drive, you can simply connect your old SSDs without wiping them first. Just remember to set the boot priority so that your PC starts up using the new drive. Your old data will still be accessible.
You could also just reset Windows on your current setup. However, be prepared to reinstall all your software; your data should remain intact throughout the process.
Correct, a fresh install on a new drive serves the same purpose as a factory wipe. Just make sure to disconnect your old drives during the Windows installation to avoid it placing the boot manager there. After setup, you can reconnect your old drives and access your data.
Thanks! I'm mainly worried about old drivers or applications from the old SSD running automatically when I boot from the new one.