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I set up Windows 10 on my SSD after it was already installed on the HDD. Both the HDD and its files show up when I start from the SSD, but everything looks normal there. However, when I boot from the HDD, it behaves like before the installation—my account and data are intact—but the SSD doesn’t recognize it properly and isn’t configured as I intended. I’m sorry for the confusing details; I’ll include photos to clarify my problems. The image with the OW background is from my HDD, showing how I want the PC to look after booting from the SSD. The second photo is of the PC after switching to the SSD (I used the Soviet background until about a week ago).
Consider recreating your current setup by making a new image of the existing system and transferring it to an SSD. Rather than repeatedly installing on each hard drive, this approach saves time and effort. If you prefer updating everything with every hardware change, you'll likely need to invest significant time—days or even weeks—to reinstall and configure again. Your decision is yours. Windows can sometimes restore from the cloud, but it only recreates a limited set of settings, not a full system copy.
During a fresh installation, it starts from scratch and requires you to restore your files manually. Everything doesn’t configure itself automatically. Just install the software and adjust the settings as desired.
It's my approach if your goal is to revert everything and ensure your new SSD has more free space than the old one. If you own a third drive: 1. Install Macrium Reflect Free on your fresh system (the new SSD). 2. Execute Macrium Reflect to generate an image of your current HDD on another storage device (you can skip partitioning if needed). 3. Restart your old HDD, install Macrium Reflect there, and transfer the previously created image to the SSD. 4. Disconnect the HDD, restart from the SSD, and turn it off. 5. Power down the computer or leave it on, then reconnect the HDD. 6. Configure booting from the SSD in your BIOS settings. Key points: 1. Your system partition needs to contain less data than the SSD's size. A single large partition on the old drive won't work. 2. Avoid backing up your active system—this is why I'm emphasizing reinstalling it on the HDD. 3. You must have a third storage device (could even be a USB stick if you're confident about it).
The files remain on your drives but aren’t showing up correctly. You might need to adjust how Steam accesses them or check for any installation issues. For instance, when you launch Steam from the SSD, ensure it’s pointing to the right location, and verify that your library files are properly recognized.
That is completely different question. Your files are still there, because you don't delete them. They're just on second drive now, not your main drive. Do not install Steam again, just run it from D: (or any letter that your old drive is assigned now). Search for internet how to setup Steam with moving library (there are lot of tutorials). And forgot about my tutorial - you're probably user who has one big partition and everything installed in default paths on the same partition like your system. So moving system into new drive with all settings is impossible without lot of work, extra hard drive for backup data etc. Just spend some time to setup everything on your new system. It will be easier and you don't lost anything. And as a bonus - you'll still have your old system installed, just in case. Perfect for making backup of existing one or fix something if you broke your main system on SSD.
It's different from what you think. With many games on your HDD and other stuff, copying everything to an SSD isn't possible unless you have a very large SSD that matches your old drive size. Begin by checking how much space is used on your old drive and compare it with the size of your new SSD. Typically, keep Windows, temporary files, and programs on the first drive, and store games, movies, music, photos, and personal data on the second drive. You don't need to erase anything—you already have two functional operating systems. If you switch everything to the SSD later, you might remove some folders from your HDD (try booting Windows only from the SSD while the HDD is connected first). Avoid cleaning anything now; wait a month or more if you still have plenty of space on your HDD. Files, even unused ones, don't increase its weight.
But I don’t want to start from scratch every time. Right now I can’t run the games on my HDD when I boot from my SSD. I installed Gmod on my SSD and used the OS, but I have two copies in two Steam libraries. Only one works while I’m on the SSD. Can I still access the first library on my SSD without reinstalling everything?
During a fresh installation of Windows 10 after cleaning up your new SSD, everything resets. If you use a Microsoft account, you might notice certain settings and files are preconfigured because they’re saved on Microsoft’s cloud servers (OneDrive). The same applies to your OneDrive folder—any files there will be accessible through the cloud. Now, if you have data stored there, you can find them again in the cloud. Make sure you install any necessary drivers for your system; missing ones may require reinstalling programs or games. You might also need to move personal files depending on your desired configuration. A straightforward copy-paste method works well. Your traditional HDD should reside in the D:\ drive (or another letter next to C:\), allowing you to transfer files there). Before proceeding, consider your final setup: Do you want a system using only the SSD, or keep the HDD for secondary storage with limited space? The size of your SSD matters—32GB might limit options if Windows already claims around 20GB, while a 1TB SSD could allow removing the HDD if space permits. This helps us tailor the next steps for transferring games and personal data.