After Successfully Installing an SSD Drive What Should I Do?

[EzraV]

Upon recommendation on this forum, I installed a Samsung 980 SSD nvme drive and used the Samsung Data Migration tool to clone my original C drive to the new SSD. I've installed Samsung magician and the new drive is working well. How do I tell the computer to use the new drive by default? I read somewhere you can set the SSD drive as the boot drive, but it does not appear in my msconfig window on the boot tab, so I cannot select it. I'm using Windows 10.

Should I set downloads to automatically go to the new drive? Also, should I erase the old drive? It seems a lot of redundant files will be there.

This is my first time doing this, so advice is appreciated.

[Prométhée]

If you have made a perfect and usable copy
you shouldn't have much to do
Just try disconnecting the hdd, to check if it will boot on the ssd

[EzraV]

How would I disconnect it? Disable it from the Device Manager? I'm scared to disable it because although I set my SSD as the boot drive from the Setup Utility at startup, Windows Explorer still shows the Windows sign on the C Drive, which I think means Windows is running from that drive.

[Prométhée · Accepted solution]

you just have to remove the SATA cable from the HDD
Reboot, and enter the bios, check the boot options

Configuring the boot order in the system BIOS

[EzraV]

Can you tell me which one of the cables in the picture is the SATA? I unplugged the one I circled in red, but the computer wouldn't start, so it must be something related to power.

[Prométhée]

ok

you should have told me that you don't know what a SATA cable is, indeed, here i think it is the power supply of the motherboard
so I was just talking about the sata data cable, normally it's easy, just follow what is connected to the HDD
But I can't see well in your picture, i juste see the white i think below the SSD, but I can't see where it goes
here is the motherboard

You should have a sata cable on one of the ports indicated here 2 blue and a white
one must be connected to the HDD the other to the DVD player

see this

Upgrading & Servicing Guide

[EzraV]

I'm actually not sure where the HDD is in my computer. There's a metal box in the bottom at the rear (the main power cord connects to it) that I thought might be the HDD, but it also might just be the power supply. Otherwise, it must be on the black guard that I always have to unscrew (it houses the CD-ROM drive). That white attachment below the SSD connects to that also. 

[Prométhée]

have you not seen with the given manual?
I tried to find a video, but not found for this model
You should have the HDD in a metal cage

and there I have a doubt, because according to your image if I look at this model, you may have already removed it!?
It doesn't seem to be the same motherboard, but in terms of the case, it must be quite close

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-pavilion-gaming-desktop-pc-690-0000i/19769765/model/29770881...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud3_V0fnjGQ

and you

I hadn't paid attention at first, since you were asking where he was...
So it looks like the video, you didn't pay attention, nothing to see?

[edit]

this time this model to the same motherboard

so you have already removed the HDD cage, right?

HP Pavilion Model 690-0024

HP Pavilion 690-0024 Gaming Desktop PC Product Specifications

I hope that's not a bad joke

[EzraV]

I found it. Thank you. Interestingly, I unplugged it, and the computer renamed my SSD Drive "Windows (C:)"; I know it's the correct drive though because the HDD is unplugged, and when I click on properties it shows the Samsung SSD to be the hardware. It shows this in BIOS when I tap F10 upon reboot as well.

If I wanted to use the old HDD as extra storage, could I reformat it now?

Also, thanks again for your help! 🙂

[Prométhée]

Ok I edited my answer several times before seeing yours.
So yes, wait a little before, in case you have a problem in order to be able to restart with the HDD if necessary..
you can format the HDD completely..
as it is 1 tb , you can recreate one or two partitions afterwards, it's up to you