Forgot to disconnect HDD before Windows 10 Install

Southern Yankee · 15 May 2019

I installed Windows 10 on my SSD and failed to disconnect the dam hard drive before doing so. So..now I have my boot drive on the HDD and OP on the SSD which would be no big deal but I can't delete it to access all 6 terabytes ( trying to convert to from mbr to gpt to get full access to the 6tb). If I do a complete reset, will Windows 10 give me a chance again to disconnect the HDD before installing? To clarify, does a fresh reset mean "reset and automatically install Windows" or will the process stop after the reset (like everything was before I posted)? Dam I am pissed I screwed this up but I am new to all this. Thank you

Caledon Ken · 15 May 2019

Hi Southern Yankee. Welcome to the TenForums @Southern Yankee

Rather than messing around I would just use the Media Creation Tool to create current bootable media on an 8GB USB key. Then clean install on SSD with HDD disconnected. I assume the SSD is brand new, you are booting UEFI. If so in the tutorial it recommends deleting all partitions on SSD.

Clean Install Windows 10

Then you should be able to deal with HDD. Does the HDD have data on it?

Ken

Southern Yankee · 15 May 2019

Thanks for the response. I have the USB boot drive. The only data on the HDD is what Windows put on it (the boot drive). After the fresh install, I suppose I could clear anything off the hard drive fairly easy (I hope) since it won't be tied to anything.

Ztruker · 15 May 2019

Where is @NavyLCDR when you need him. He has posted several times how to fix this but I can't find any of the posts right now.
The process was pretty simple too darn it.

Maybe he'll see this and pop in.

Southern Yankee · 15 May 2019

We will see if he responds. I have the usb boot drive at the ready!

Caledon Ken · 16 May 2019

You likely have a fast machine and with nothing on it just do it.

As to the HDD, since it too is empty. Once the OS is installed on SSD open diskpart. Then ....

diskpart
List disk
select disk 1 (ensure one is your HDD, diskpart is not forgiving, adjust numbering accordingly, your SSD maybe one)
clean
Convert gpt
exit
exit

Open Disk management and partition HDD as required.

Southern Yankee · 16 May 2019

Excellent thank you. So...Ill shut my computer off after the fresh install (now that every bit of Windows 10 is on my SSD), then hook up the HDD and turn it back on. I will select the SSD as the first boot priority. I really hope that my computer won't find the boot drive on the HDD that is still there (written on there during first install). I kinda wish I could clean the HDD before its hooked back up but all should be well. I suppose I could boot from USB beforehand, and try to delete the hard drive before the fresh install, then unhook the HDD and do the install. I attempted this before in diskpart but without booting from USB and it would not allow me to touch that reserved partition because it contained boot files.

Caledon Ken · 16 May 2019

Once you have SSD loaded and it boots just put machine to sleep. Connect HDD, awaken and take action.

Southern Yankee · 16 May 2019

Will do very much appreciated

NavyLCDR · 17 May 2019

Ztruker said:

Where is @NavyLCDR when you need him. He has posted several times how to fix this but I can't find any of the posts right now.
The process was pretty simple too darn it.

Maybe he'll see this and pop in.

The basic steps are to shrink the OS partition by 100 MB or so. Create a new primary partition in the new empty space. Format it as FAT32. Assign it a drive letter. Then run the BCDBOOT command such as:

bcdboot C:\Windows /s t: /f UEFI

That's assuming you assign drive letter T: to the new FAT32 partition and it is booting in UEFI mode.