Is this feasable and will I run into issues if I do it?

jpk

Joined
Aug 1, 2015
Messages
55
Reaction score
1
I want to install only W10 on a SSD drive and keep all of my other programs and files on separate hard drives. Essentially isolate the OS so if I get a virus I can quickly reinstall W10 without having to rebuild my entire machine. Is this possible? Thanks.
 
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
3,446
Reaction score
616
The SSD would need to be 64GB or larger capacity to allow Windows Version Upgrades and Build updates, 32GB is proving to be not big enough [I have an 11" Notebook with 32GB, changed it to Linux for that reason].

My Desktop came with a 1TB HDD partitioned as 150GB C: drive and 780GB D:\Data drive, works fine for most Custom installations on D: but in the past Microsoft Office liked to put a large part of itself on the same drive/partition that Windows was installed on so I just let it do it up through Office 2013, haven't tried with 2016 or later.
 
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Messages
795
Reaction score
80
I want to install only W10 on a SSD drive and keep all of my other programs and files on separate hard drives. Essentially isolate the OS so if I get a virus I can quickly reinstall W10 without having to rebuild my entire machine. Is this possible? Thanks.
That should be of No Issue and quite possible, I do the same with my Tablet - 32gb SSD and have a extra internal 128GB.
Open setting and find Storage Options. an select where you want...
In Windows 10, you can change the storage drive location for where your new apps, documents, music, photos and videos, movies and TV shows, and offline maps are saved by default. You can use any internal, external, or removable drives as a storage save location. These locations will be reflected in the folders in Quick access

The new storage location you select will automatically be included to the same documents, music, pictures, or videos library as your default save location. This way, when you save items in the library, it will actually be saved to the selected storage location.
sample:
1577475181990.png
 
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
2,848
Reaction score
501
I think there may be a problem with Program files, Program files(86) and Users. I don't know if they can be moved off the drive Windows is installed on.

Want you want do I think is the equivalent of the Linux trick where you move /Home onto a separate drive so that you can change the OS without affecting any of your programs and data.
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
1,641
Reaction score
341
There is only one slight problem. As your applications are updated. There could be changes to OS files/registry and install folder. Backing up only one could cause problems. I didn't foresee this, until I started installing my applications to a second partition. With that said I have yet to run into issues. And even if I did, a simple reinstall of that one application should fix it.
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
677
Reaction score
141
There is only one slight problem. As your applications are updated. There could be changes to OS files/registry and install folder. Backing up only one could cause problems. I didn't foresee this, until I started installing my applications to a second partition. With that said I have yet to run into issues. And even if I did, a simple reinstall of that one application should fix it.
Yea I usually create images before any WU or other major changes just in case something goes wrong I can just roll back the Image/Images that I created. This is where Differentials or for me Incremental backups come in the incremental backups are very fast since only new Information is backed up.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top