How to change an OS drive to a non OS drive?

Question

After weeks of trying this and that, managed to install SSD as the default boot up on my Inspiron 3650. The solution is to add a file in the bios for the SSD and then select that as the default boot up. On hindsight, wish that the bios is smart enough to detect another OS drive and automatically make that available for selection in the boot up option list. Not a smart bios. Ha. Want to use that OS HD as data HD now. Tried deleting and formating that HD. Cannot. Due to win files. Tried renaming windows to windows.old folder and using disk cleanup to remove that folder. Done. But there are other win files which cannot be removed in programs, users etc folders. Tried minitools to clear the partitions, format. No success due to the win files. Like to know how to convert my OS drive to a non OS drive. Many thanks.

DELL-Cares · Answer

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Plumberdl · Answer

Thanks.

The cloning and using SSD as the default boot up is successful. I can startup using the OS in SSD.

What I am after is how can I change my original HD with the OS to a non OS drive. I have tried deleting, formating, clearing the partition etc with no success. It says cannot proceed due to some win files, drive is in use by some aps.

I did not expect this problem in formating an OS drive. Think MS has put in some safeguarding to avoid people formating the OS drive by mistake.

Plumberdl · Answer

Thanks.

I have unplugged the HD and booted up on the SSD. It was OK.

Some OS files are in the secondary drive, PC sees them and treats them as if they are the OS file?

You mean put that HD in a SATA USB enclosure and plug it in and see?

Plumberdl · Answer

Thanks.

There is a time limit on Minitool free trial version. I was using it earlier and later not accessible anymore.

On my OS to non OS HD task, good news is I managed to solve that. Was going to use Gparted (linux) to format it, learnt that it was pagefile.sys still active, preventing me from deleting and formating it. Deactivated pagefile on the HD (still active on SSD), deleted and reformated the HD.

Now that HD is my OS backup and data drive. Finally!

RoHe · Answer

If you're absolutely sure it's boots properly from the new SSD, boot from that drive and then initialize the old HDD using Disk Management which is built into Windows.

Keep in mind that everything on the HDD will be lost forever, so make sure your personal files are backed up on external media first.

EDIT: Always include exact PC model in posts.

EDIT: Reboot and tap F12 when you see the Dell splash screen. When the menu opens, look for option to boot from the SSD and confirm that it really does boot.

EDIT: And your original problem was probably caused because you still had the old HDD connected after you installed the new SSD and loaded Windows in it. So the Boot Manager only wanted to boot from the HDD. If you'd booted to the SSD via the F12 menu, you could have initialized the HDD and been done with it.

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