**Optimizing Your Drive Setup with a Separate SSD and Hard Drive**
In recent years, many people have opted to use a separate Solid State Drive (SSD) and hard drive in their rigs. This setup allows individuals to keep their operating system and frequently used programs on the fast SSD, while storing data such as videos, photos, music, and massive game libraries on the slower mechanical hard drive. By doing so, users can protect their operating system installation and reduce storage costs.
Cooler Master's master case maker 5 features a free-form modular system that allows users to customize, adjust, and upgrade their build to suit their needs. This flexibility makes it easy to create a unique and functional system that meets individual requirements. By taking advantage of this modular design, users can optimize their drive setup for optimal performance and efficiency.
**Initial Windows Installation**
When performing an initial Windows installation on a new computer with blank drives, each drive should appear as its own individual entry in the "Where do you want to install Windows?" list format. The drives can be sorted by clicking "New" and using the default settings for each drive. The SSD should be selected as the Windows installation location by highlighting it and clicking "Next".
**Identifying the SSD**
If users are unsure which drive is the SSD, they should easily be able to identify it by its capacity. If a computer already has an installed hard drive and the new drive does not show up automatically in File Explorer, users can right-click on the Start button and select "Disk Management". From there, they will see their new drive as unallocated space. Right-clicking on this drive and selecting "New Simple Volume" allows users to create a new partition on the drive and assign it a Drive letter and label.
**Configuring Windows**
To configure Windows to send data automatically to the hard drive, users need to set up the default save directories for various programs. The options on the left side of File Explorer are labeled as "Documents", "Downloads", "Music", "Pictures", and "Videos". Users can create new folders for each of these directories on their new drive. Right-clicking on the appropriate shortcut in File Explorer, they can then enter the directory they created on their new drive where they want to save files.
**Managing Games with Steam**
Many games use Steam as a platform, and users often store their save files in subfolders within their documents directory. This means that users do not need to take any additional steps outside of creating a folder on their data drive for the game-related directories. However, some games may use random save locations, so it is recommended to install Steam and games on the data drive to keep everything organized.
In addition, users can create specific folders on their SSD or hard drive during installation and select them as the destination for future games they download from Steam. This allows users to choose where they want to store their game files, including those on their faster SSD for quicker load times.
**Toro's Giveaway**
Toro is giving away two Gram Spectrum mechanical RGB keyboards through a Forum giveaway. The keyboard features a low-profile agile mechanical switch, fully programmable keys with 16.8 million colors per key customizable lighting, and a detachable braided cable. The keyboard also has double injection low-profile key caps. Users can enter the link below to participate in the giveaway.
**Additional Tips and Resources**
The article concludes by encouraging users to subscribe to the channel for more how-to content, including basic guides and system builds. Users can also become members of the Forum, where they can interact with other enthusiasts and even contribute their own knowledge and expertise. The description of each video includes links to related videos, such as "How-to Basic", which may be useful to users who have built a computer before but still need guidance on specific aspects of the build process.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome to another episode of how to here on line Tech tips today I'll be showing you how to optimize your drive setup if you're rocking a separate SSD and hard drive using one of each kind of Drive in your rig has become a very popular option for people that want to keep their operating system and their frequently used programs such as their favorite games on their quick SSD and data such as videos photos music and their massive steam libraries on these slower mechanical hard drive to keep it all safe if something happens to your operating system installation and to keep the cost of storage down cooler Master's master case maker 5 features their free form modular system allowing you to customize adjust and upgrade make it yours at the link below if you're doing an initial Windows installation on a new computer blank drives should each show up as their own individual entries in the where do you want to install Windows list format your drives by clicking new and using the default settings for each drive then select your SSD as the Windows installation location by clicking it so that it is highlighted then clicking next if you're not sure which is which you should easily be able to identify your SSD by its capacity if you've already got your computer up and running and you're installing a fresh hard drive it may not show up automatically in file explor if this is the case do not worry just right click on the start button and select Disk Management from there you'll be able to see your new drive as unallocated space simply rightclick and choose new simple volume use the default settings pick whatever Drive letter and label you would like so you can identify it easily then click finish and your new Drive should be ready to go in a few seconds now we're going to configure Windows to send data automatically to your hard drive so that your SSD won't fill up with stuff that you don't want on it when you open a file Explorer window those options on the left side for documents downloads music pictures and videos M to specific locations on your computer so what you'll want to do is create new folders for your data on your new drive then rightclick on the appropriate shortcut in File Explorer for the folder that you just created for one of those previously mentioned directories then just enter the directory you created on your new Drive where you want your files to go this will change the default save directory in various programs to the the new folders on your data drive but what about games if you're using steam as many people are these days many games will store their save files in a subfolder in your documents directory in which case you won't have to do anything else outside of the previously mentioned steps but some use random save locations if you just want to ensure everything gets saved to your data drive to keep everything game related separated from your operating system it's not a bad idea to just install Steam itself and your games to your data Drive even though most games these days use cloud saves anyways you could also install individual games to more specific locations by going to steam clicking on downloads then steam Library folders from there you can create a folder on whatever Drive you'd like and then you can choose to install any future games you would download to that location of course if you want to keep certain games on your SSD for fast load times you can still do this by simply selecting a folder on your SSD during installation and vice versa follow these steps and you'll be able to enjoy a more robust system for managing your files and programs to keep things both safe and efficient by leveraging both of your drives Toro is giving away two gram Spectrum mechanical RGB keyboards and they will be given away through the Forum it features a low profile agile mechanical switch all the keys are fully programmable and it features n key and six key rollover options there's 16.8 million colors per key customizable lighting that's like everyone with rgbs these days is like 16.8 million colors anyways there's also a detachable braided cable which is nice and double injection lowprofile key caps it's a 104 key keyboard enter through the link below for a chance to win let me know what you guys thought of this episode of how to in the comments down below or hit me up on Twitter at lukor LFR while you're here like it if you liked it dislike it if you're like I know this stuff already this is stupid and you're clogging the lineus tech tips video feed with stuff that I already know that's fair click the Subscribe button if you want buy one of our t-shirts they in the video description down below use our Amazon affiliate code or jump on the Forum and become a member members on the Forum are great and they can even become contributors which is like nice cuz it helps us but you don't have to that's cool whatever click up here if you want to see our last video it's a how-to basic so if you've built like a computer before you probably don't need to watch it but it's like how to install a graphics card videowelcome to another episode of how to here on line Tech tips today I'll be showing you how to optimize your drive setup if you're rocking a separate SSD and hard drive using one of each kind of Drive in your rig has become a very popular option for people that want to keep their operating system and their frequently used programs such as their favorite games on their quick SSD and data such as videos photos music and their massive steam libraries on these slower mechanical hard drive to keep it all safe if something happens to your operating system installation and to keep the cost of storage down cooler Master's master case maker 5 features their free form modular system allowing you to customize adjust and upgrade make it yours at the link below if you're doing an initial Windows installation on a new computer blank drives should each show up as their own individual entries in the where do you want to install Windows list format your drives by clicking new and using the default settings for each drive then select your SSD as the Windows installation location by clicking it so that it is highlighted then clicking next if you're not sure which is which you should easily be able to identify your SSD by its capacity if you've already got your computer up and running and you're installing a fresh hard drive it may not show up automatically in file explor if this is the case do not worry just right click on the start button and select Disk Management from there you'll be able to see your new drive as unallocated space simply rightclick and choose new simple volume use the default settings pick whatever Drive letter and label you would like so you can identify it easily then click finish and your new Drive should be ready to go in a few seconds now we're going to configure Windows to send data automatically to your hard drive so that your SSD won't fill up with stuff that you don't want on it when you open a file Explorer window those options on the left side for documents downloads music pictures and videos M to specific locations on your computer so what you'll want to do is create new folders for your data on your new drive then rightclick on the appropriate shortcut in File Explorer for the folder that you just created for one of those previously mentioned directories then just enter the directory you created on your new Drive where you want your files to go this will change the default save directory in various programs to the the new folders on your data drive but what about games if you're using steam as many people are these days many games will store their save files in a subfolder in your documents directory in which case you won't have to do anything else outside of the previously mentioned steps but some use random save locations if you just want to ensure everything gets saved to your data drive to keep everything game related separated from your operating system it's not a bad idea to just install Steam itself and your games to your data Drive even though most games these days use cloud saves anyways you could also install individual games to more specific locations by going to steam clicking on downloads then steam Library folders from there you can create a folder on whatever Drive you'd like and then you can choose to install any future games you would download to that location of course if you want to keep certain games on your SSD for fast load times you can still do this by simply selecting a folder on your SSD during installation and vice versa follow these steps and you'll be able to enjoy a more robust system for managing your files and programs to keep things both safe and efficient by leveraging both of your drives Toro is giving away two gram Spectrum mechanical RGB keyboards and they will be given away through the Forum it features a low profile agile mechanical switch all the keys are fully programmable and it features n key and six key rollover options there's 16.8 million colors per key customizable lighting that's like everyone with rgbs these days is like 16.8 million colors anyways there's also a detachable braided cable which is nice and double injection lowprofile key caps it's a 104 key keyboard enter through the link below for a chance to win let me know what you guys thought of this episode of how to in the comments down below or hit me up on Twitter at lukor LFR while you're here like it if you liked it dislike it if you're like I know this stuff already this is stupid and you're clogging the lineus tech tips video feed with stuff that I already know that's fair click the Subscribe button if you want buy one of our t-shirts they in the video description down below use our Amazon affiliate code or jump on the Forum and become a member members on the Forum are great and they can even become contributors which is like nice cuz it helps us but you don't have to that's cool whatever click up here if you want to see our last video it's a how-to basic so if you've built like a computer before you probably don't need to watch it but it's like how to install a graphics card video\n"
