Moving OS from partition on HD to SSD, keeping files.

Don't know if this is better here or on the software forum.
I may be at the point of a OS reload, and would like to transition from and HD with C: and D: partitions, where C: is for OS and programs, and D: data; to using an SSD as C:, and keeping the HD just for data.

I plan on doing a fresh load of the OS and programs, and then deleteing the C: partition on the HD, and expanding the other partition to take up the whole drive.
First off, is there any thing wrong with this so far?

Then, my issue is that the OS points to D: for all it's data needs, so the USER folder and various files are on the D drive. When I do the fresh install, the links won't be intact, and I'm wondering what is the best and easiest way to redo this, and will I run into any issues with ownership, permissions, etc., or will that be moot since I will be reinstalling the same OS etc.?

Thinking maybe renaming the user folder, setting up the SSD, then copying the folders under the old user accounts to the ones the new OS will set up.

By the way, this is W7 64bit.

Thanks for any help with this. I will be ordering the SSD in a month or so, and need to get my ducks in a row before everything is here.

Kevin

 

No problem with the setup you explained.

As for the links, that's easily resolved by using a little known function. In Windows Explorer, you right-click on the folder on your C drive,say My Documents, Click Properties, and then change the location of the folder to D:. Then repeat the process for my music, my videos, etc...

I hope I got this right, I'm doing it from memory.

P.S. You will also want to change the location of your Libraries using the same method.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Regarding the relocation of the libraries etc., I usually use the method
(found it here or at Windows 7 site)that has W7 automatically default to using the D: drive for those things.
That way I don't have to do the change location thing for each of these on each of the user accounts.

My main concern is that when the SSD is loaded, if I change nothing, D: will have the old USERS folder with associated accounts and libraries etc., and also the new set that gets loaded when I install the OS on the SSD.
I assume Windows will change the name of the new one so as not to duplicate the folder(maybe USER(2) or something).

Anyway, from what you are saying, if I name the old one something like USERSOLD, and then do the install, I will have the two user folders on D:, and can then move (Should I use copy/paste or what?)the tree under each user account to the new directories.

i.e. in:
USERSOLD-Fred-Documents

Create new user Fred, and move "Documents" from the old to the new?

Last time I did a move to a new computer, I ended up with a lot of issues with files not being associated to the new system as far as ownership and permission stuff.
Granted, that wasn't reloading the same W7 disc to a new drive it was from one system to another.

Kevin

 

I guess my main question/concern is whether the fresh install of W7 will see the libraries and files from the old install as it's own, or as belonging to a different W7?
Also, if instead of changing the "location" windows uses for these to the old location, I just let it create it's own new libraries and move the files from the old libraries to the new ones, is it better to "move" them, or cut and paste?

Just want to figure which way is the cleanest way to do this and end up with the files seeing the fresh install as it's own and not have ownership issues.

Thanks,

Kevin