It depends on how you are going to use the added 500 GB solid-state drive (SSD) in your PC. If you choose to use your added 500 GB SSD as a storage device then you don't have to reinstall Windows operating system (OS) but if you wish to use your new 500 GB SSD as your primary operating system (OS) drive, then it is recommended to reinstall Windows operating system (OS) onto the solid-state drive (SSD) and the third option is that you can clone your old HDD to your new SSD if you want to have your same working features. All the three options are explained below:
1. If you choose to use the solid-state drive (SSD) as a storage device, you switch-off the computer, Connect your new SSD in the same way as an HDD, Turn on your PC and then format your added SSD. After this, your SSD will function just as a storage device as intended. Always keep in mind that an SSD does have a limited life and is way smaller in storage space than an HDD.
2. If you choose to use the SSD as your primary operating system (OS) drive, it is often recommended not to copy the old OS from the HDD but to reinstall Windows operating system (OS) onto the SSD and use your hard disk drive (HDD) as a storage drive while your SSD as a primary boot drive as it is far better than a storage drive.
Procedures to follow to install OS:
a) Shut down your PC, remove the old HDD and install the SSD.
b) Insert the bootable media(CD/DVD/Flashdrive) for Installation.
c) In BIOS, select AHCI to SATA Mode, and if it is not there, change it.
d) Make the installation media(CD/DVD/Flashdrive) the top boot order and save these in your BIOS.
e) Now, reboot your system and this will automatically start the installation.
f) During the installation process, your system will restart a no. of time and may require to go into your BIOS and change the boot order to boots from your Hard Drive but skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 10 on this PC.
g) Once Window OS has finished installing and the desktop appears, turn-of your PC.
h) Install the old HDD in your second HDD bay and restart your PC.
i) Once it restarts, check if you see both drives in Windows File Explorer. If you do not see, restart your PC a couple of times so that Windows recognises both the drives.
j) Now you can install other required drivers.
k) Once your PC restarts and is running, copy all your data from the old HDD into a temporary folder in the SSD, Format your old HDD and then copy the files back onto the old HDD. Once the data is copied to HDD, delete the temporary folder from the SSD and now your system is ready for use.
3. Clone operating systems takes some good skill as well as the right tools to actually get it right. Before you opt to do cloning, you need to backup your system, clean up the many additional files that is no longer required, as SSD needs free space to work and perform properly.
Procedures to follow for clonning:
a) Make or prepare your SSD as the destination disk i.e. your SSD should have greater than or equal disk space as your HHD.
b) Back up important data on the SSD to an external hard drive in advance as cloning will erase and remove all the existing data and partitions on the SSD.
c) Use professional partition/disk cloning tool and start cloning. Some of the cloning tools are: Clonezilla, Cocosenor Backup Tuner, EaseUS, Acronis True Image, O&O Disk Image, Iperius Backup, etc.
“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." — Morrie Schwartz