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To start fresh with your HDD, you’ll need to reorganize how data moves between the drive and the SSD. This might involve transferring files from the HDD to the SSD, possibly using external storage if space is limited. Remember only what you need to back up: save games that aren’t on Steam or don’t use Steam Cloud. These are typically found in specific folders—check online to confirm they’re saved correctly. If you can’t locate them, it’s likely stored via Steam Cloud. Organize your backup by keeping files in the same folder on the SSD as they were originally, or copy them there instead of relying on the HDD. Be aware that some games encrypt their saved files with a unique key, so those won’t be recoverable. If you’re unsure about locations, it’s best to move everything to the SSD unless the game supports saving elsewhere. After backing up, you can wipe the HDD clean by opening Disk Management, deleting all partitions (not the SSD), and formatting the drive. Then arrange your files into folders like “Games,” “Videos,” “Images,” etc., and reinstall your applications on the SSD, including Steam. In Steam, adjust settings to add your saved games or folders. Once installed, launch the game—Steam will verify files, check for updates, and install missing system components without re-downloading the whole package. Keep in mind, once formatted, data loss is permanent.
It's a bit uncertain here because it might not be ideal for someone less familiar with the system, but I understand that creating an empty partition and beginning fresh is beneficial if you aim for a well-organized setup. I'm concerned about placing three-quarters of your games on the SSD, Chrome, and a few apps, leaving the rest on the HDD. It seems similar to before, just scaled up. Either way, clearing the recovery partition and consolidating into one large drive won't cause data loss. Tools like Minitool Partition Wizard can help remove partitions or extend existing ones. Sometimes people delete files quickly and then need to start over. Right now, you could move Steam from the old Program Files folder into a new directory like D:\steam\ and format it—this process may take time depending on your internet speed and the number of games installed.
I prefer keeping only the steam information and leaving the rest intact. Yes, you could back up the desired data and then remove the Steam folder if needed.
Can you give that info about how big is your SSD and how big is your HDD? And how (percentage) is your HDD full? This will be very helpful.
You have ample storage with 50GB on your SSD, 88.8GB on one HDD, and 1.07TB on a second HDD. Your Steam games are spread across both drives, but you prefer keeping everything on just one.
It depends on whether you're asking about the total capacity or the available space. Your 1TB drive can hold up to 1024GB, but if it shows 88GB as free, that means only 88% of its capacity is available. So the 50GB or 88.8GB you see could be either a small portion of the total or the actual free space.
Your 1TB HDD holds 88GB, your 2TB HDD has 1TB, and your SSD offers 50GB. You want to keep it empty on the SSD.