Installing windows 7 on ssd

I have an hdd with windows vista on it I pulled from my old computer and I want to know if I need to erase it before I proceed to install windows 7 on the sdd. I'll erase the hdd after everything is in place but I don't want to mess anything up until then. Thanks for any help.

Quote from suntanman : I have an hdd with windows vista on it I pulled from my old computer and I want to know if I need to erase it before I proceed to install windows 7 on the sdd. I'll erase the hdd after everything is in place but I don't want to mess anything up until then. Thanks for any help.

I see no reason why you'd erase it.
If nothing else, you'd want to copy some data over to the new SSD, once the OS is installed.
What are your plans for that drive after all is done?
Will you install it into the PC for storage? A dual boot set up?

Quote from RockySosua : I see no reason why you'd erase it. If nothing else, you'd want to copy some data over to the new SSD, once the OS is installed. What are your plans for that drive after all is done? Will you install it into the PC for storage? A dual boot set up?

My only intent is to use it for additional storage. Thank you for reply. I just want to make sure it's okay to erase the drive after I install them both. I haven't built a desktop before.

Yeah leave the Harddrive alone until you get all data you need. Another thing you can do is make C: the SSD (new drive ) and then point your Libraries over to the original drive D:Users\username Folder (old drive)

That way you can keep your SSD uncluttered and redirect all future user data to the old HDD. Then delete all other folders and leave the original user folders for user data. I'm a fan of keeping User data off the
drive that has windows.... makes it easier to recover in case of a drive crash. Also saves on writes to the SSD. Still very fast!

Much faster to get going this way to as its a simple Library redirect for the new Windows install.

Quote from suntanman : My only intent is to use it for additional storage. Thank you for reply. I just want to make sure it's okay to erase the drive after I install them both. I haven't built a desktop before.

As long as you have copied all your valuable data before erasing it, you're in business.
boltman's post above outlines a good way to set the system up, and if you have any questions about the best way to do that, just let us know.

Not sure if this applies but when installing window 7 to my PCI SSD I would have to disconnect any other HD on the PC. If I didn't the computere would error when boothing (something about missing booth manager) and would only booth from CD. Once install I could reconnect the other harddrive without issues.