How to install windows 10 on multiple harddrives?

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  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 10
       #1

    How to install windows 10 on multiple harddrives?


    I am wondering what the best way is to install windows 10 on multiple harddrives, so that the OS is my SSD, the programs are on a HDD, and the user files are on another HDD. If anyone has done this already could you explain how. Also if anyone has tried the windows 7 way to do this and it has worked successfully could you say that the windows 7 method works.
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  2. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #2

    I am sure that this would work just fine. In fact Western Digital has come out with a Hybrid HD that has I believe a 120GB SSD and a 1TB Hard Drive.

    WD BlackČ Dual Drive 2.5" 120 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD Kit WD1001X06XDTL

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  3. Posts : 3
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Gary said:
    I am sure that this would work just fine. In fact Western Digital has come out with a Hybrid HD that has I believe a 120GB SSD and a 1TB Hard Drive.
    I don't know the best way to go about doing the custom install though.
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  4. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #4

    Well you would place your OS on the SSD and any real important Programs that would fit and then Install your regular Programs on The Hard Drive which would have a different Drive letter such as :

    C:\ Windows 10
    D:\ Programs Files

    The Drive that I refered to is mainly for Laptop use but the same configuration would work with a separate SSD and a Hard Drive.

    Seagate has them for Desktops:

    http://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/solid-state-hybrid/desktop-solid-state-hybrid-drive/

    <a href="http://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/solid-state-hybrid/desktop-solid-state-hybrid-drive/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">

    <a href="http://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/solid-state-hybrid/desktop-solid-state-hybrid-drive/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
    Last edited by Gary; 12 May 2015 at 17:24.
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  5. Posts : 1,249
    Windows 8.1, Win10Pro
       #5

    Well you would place your OS on the SSD and any real important Programs that would fit and then Install your regular Programs on The Hard Drive which would have a different Drive letter such as :

    C:\ Windows 10
    D:\ Programs Files
    However, you're forgetting that the Registry (which is really a collection of files known as "hives") is STILL on C:\ -- not on D:\. So in fact, your programs are only partially installed on D:.
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  6. Posts : 3
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Mark Phelps said:
    However, you're forgetting that the Registry (which is really a collection of files known as "hives") is STILL on C:\ -- not on D:\. So in fact, your programs are only partially installed on D:.
    Yes this is what I am trying to find out how to correctly configure on Windows 10.
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  7. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    Since first beta versions of Vista, I have always used the Sysprep method to relocate the complete Users folder to another drive. Instructions for Windows 10 here: Users Folder - Move Location in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
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  8. Posts : 419
    Win 7 Pro/32, Win 10 Pro/64/32
       #8

    I've been building computers and setting up hard drives since 1983, when I built my first PC.
    I had already been working on PC's for my employer for some time so I was familiar with the process.

    In all that time, I've never seen the sense of splitting up your OS from your data, on different drives.
    It may be small, but there is a certain amount of time-lag when you're going back and forth from one drive to another, so performance is negatively impacted.
    And, as already mentioned, the registry always remains on drive C: , so if that drive crashes the registry is lost and so is the link to all your programs and data.

    I just keep all my OS, Programs and data on my C: drive, because Windows is designed to run that way.
    For a software recovery (something messes up Windows) I keep a backup of C: on a second or third partition on my main drive.
    But for Hard Drive CRASH recovery, I keep a backup of my main drive on a second hard drive. (cloned copy)

    Backups should be made often....I do mine at least once a week, and sometimes even more often than that.
    "The only bad backup is the one you decided NOT to make."

    Over the years, I've had drive failures just like many others have had, but with good backups, I've never lost any valuable data.
    As a Computer Tech, the worse thing I ever have to do is tell a customer that their hard drive has crashed and all their doc's and pictures are GONE forever. A simple backup to a second HD would have prevented all that grief.*

    * Large capacity, external hard drives are so cheap anymore, that every computer user should have one. Likewise large capacity Flash Drives have come down dramatically in price and make great data backup storage.
    My own backup scheme, incorporates both a 128GB USB3.0 Flash Drive and a 1TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive.

    OH! And the Backup/Restore program must not be on your C: drive, but on either a CD or Bootable Flash Drive. I use both.

    Cheers Mates and Happy Computing,

    TechnoMage
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  9. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #9

    TechnoMage said:
    I've been building computers and setting up hard drives since 1983, when I built my first PC.
    I had already been working on PC's for my employer for some time so I was familiar with the process.
    If this was meant to be a pissing contest challenge, I'll take it :). Seems I beat you with a few years, starting my computer studies in the late 70's, getting my first Altair kit 1975 (might be this detail is wrong, I am not sure if it was -75 or -76).

    TechnoMage said:
    In all that time, I've never seen the sense of splitting up your OS from your data, on different drives.
    It may be small, but there is a certain amount of time-lag when you're going back and forth from one drive to another, so performance is negatively impacted.
    I am sorry if you are still using such ancient hardware that the seek time can be noticed. With modern hardware that is of course a totally invalid statement. Quite an opposite, in fact; as the hardware can handle multiple drives at the same time separating the data can even increase the speed although it is an insignificant factor.

    TechnoMage said:
    And, as already mentioned, the registry always remains on drive C: , so if that drive crashes the registry is lost and so is the link to all your programs and data.
    Even if the system / OS drive is lost due failure, keeping the user data on a separate drive will mean it is safe and can still be accessed. Separating user data from the OS only has benefits, pros but no cons.

    Kari
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 419
    Win 7 Pro/32, Win 10 Pro/64/32
       #10

    No pi33ing intended. Whatever you were doing in '75 has little or nothing to do with what we're discussing here.

    If you want to scatter your Stuff across multiple drives, more power to you, but in my own experience that's not the way for most users to run their computer.

    Good Luck!
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