I've got 100 games and want to reinstall Windows

[MSXCF]

Will I have to download everything again? Almost all games are on the D drive.

I have Windows 8.1 Home (on the C drive), and I have 100 Steam games, almost all games are installed on the D drive.

This PC came with Win 8 Home OEM, but I want to install Windows 7 as I have an unused DVD with Win7 Ultimate.

I recently tested Win10, before I downgraded to 8.1 again. I'm not sure but I believe all my games still work (they were installed before I tested Win10).
But I can probably not downgrade to Win7 without formatting, and if I format the system disk then I will of course have to reinstall all the games.

I have a fast Internet connection, but it still takes a lot of time to install that many games, with all their extras (DLC etc), especially if I have to download everything again.

But will I have to download all the games again? What is the best way to proceed?

Thanks :)

[MSXCF]

The Giving One původně napsal:

Just to clarify here, that is not what I meant and if there was confusion on my part, I apologize. If you do not disconnect the SATA cable during an installation of Windows, in some cases the OS may be installed or a Recovery partition installed to that drive, and in that case you almost surely would lose all the data on the drive.

When I install ad OS on my systems, I make sure only one drive is hooked up to the board, the drive where I want my Windows installed.

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification. I would think that if a recovery partion is automatically created, it lets you decide where to put it. But I'll not take that risk. I have installed elder Windows many times, but I don't know the options Win7 gives to you. I'll unplug that cable.

For a while I had the impression that unplugging an internal drive containing data would not work, I'm not sure if I mis-read or if it was a typo, it could have been either or both.

But it's been cleared up, and I believe we are done here. Thanks everybody.

[The Giving One]

MSXCF původně napsal:

For a while I had the impression that unplugging an internal drive containing data would not work, I'm not sure if I mis-read or if it was a typo, it could have been either or both.

Well, it "MAY" work but I did not want to tell you for sure it would work and something go wrong, therefore making me look like a troll and feeding you false information.

Some drives must be assigned in Windows when you first hook them up (after fresh OS install for example) but yes, I have hooked up drives I have sitting around and the data was there just as a storage drive would keep it normally.

Then there are the jumper pins that you can use to distinguish a drive as a "slave" or a "master" but all that junk pretty much is obsolete since IDE went out a while back. That is why it is best to be safe than sorry due to the fact you are not using the jumper pins on the drive, and disconnect all drives except the one where the OS will be installed.

Do what you will, my friend. But if Windows will not recognize the drive until it is assigned in Windows when you first hook it back up, don't say I did not warn you, please. Thanks.

[NoMaD]

Overloader původně napsal:

You can format the C:/ drive only and install Win7 on it.(Maybe unplug the D:/ drive before, so only c:/ gets formated and nothing is deleted by accident)
When all Drivers,Programms and Steam are installed you go to Steam:

1. Click on Steam(left upper Corner)
2. Open Settings
3. Go to Downloads
4. Click on Librarys
5. Click on "Add Library"
6. Select the old folder on your unformatted D:/ drive
7. Close the Settings and go to your Game overview
8. Smile while you see all your games from your D:/ being recognized and still playable(maybe they need to reinstall when started for the first time on the new system)

I hope i could help. I tried to translate everything into english as good as possible. ;)
MfG Overloader

Thanks bro. It really helped. I took these steps:

1. Click on Steam(left upper Corner)
2. Open Settings
3. Go to Downloads
4. Click on Librarys
5. Click on "Add Library"
6. Select the old folder on your unformatted drives

Worked like a charm