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XPS 8700, need help with installing a new HDD
Hello all,
I have an existing Dell XPS HDD that has started making a low noise and purchased a new one. What is the way to install both the HDD in a way that the new HDD has the OS and the backup is just used to access data? Is there any other way to combine both of these HDD together to improve performance. The old one is not really bad right now but just has a low hum noise.
Thanks in advance for your assistance. Dan
equinox2020
2 Posts
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June 4th, 2019 16:00
Thank you Ron. I will look up the threads.
Windows version is Windows 8
Just one more question. If i do end up connecting two drives together and only have OS on one of them, can I still store data in the OS one and keep the second as an additional backup.
RoHe
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43.5K Posts
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June 4th, 2019 16:00
Version of Windows?
You can image the old hard drive with something like the free version of Macrium Reflect and then transfer that image onto the new hard drive. Lots of threads about doing this on the XPS 8700 and other systems so search these forums for them...
If the old drive is making noises, do you really want to trust it to hold your data? You might consider installing an SSD to use as the boot drive and using the new HDD as your data drive.
RoHe
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June 4th, 2019 18:00
Why not use this as an opportunity to update to Win 10, which should be free to download from MS. But it would be better to do a clean install of Win 10, rather than updating to Win 10 "on top" of an image of your Win 8 drive. That means you'd have to reinstall all your apps, and have backup copies of all your personal files if you directly install Win 10 on the new drive.
You can do it either way, as long as there's room on the boot HDD. You store apps and personal files on the boot drive and use the other HDD as backup, or you can use the new boot drive only for apps and store personal files on the other HDD, but you have to trust that old HDD and/or back it up on an external HDD frequently. And there are ways to tell Win 10 to store its default folders (docs, pictures, video, etc) on the second hard drive and not on the boot drive.
Lots of options to consider...