Question Backing up c drive

[nhardinger2003]

So i need to upgrade my windows boot device because it has run out of space (120gb ssd moving to 2 tb m.2) Im wondering if its possible to just backup the c drive to a different external drive, change the 120gb ssd out with the m.2, get into the windows install media, and restore the backup of my 120gb ssd, without having any other problems with the applications on my D and E drives?

 

[USAFRet]

So i need to upgrade my windows boot device because it has run out of space (120gb ssd moving to 2 tb m.2) Im wondering if its possible to just backup the c drive to a different external drive, change the 120gb ssd out with the m.2, get into the windows install media, and restore the backup of my 120gb ssd, without having any other problems with the applications on my D and E drives?

Details, please.

Screencap of your DIsk Management window.
What OS?
What motherboard?

Doing this is probably easier than you think, but we need those details.

 

[nhardinger2003]

Details, please.

Screencap of your DIsk Management window.
What OS?
What motherboard?

Doing this is probably easier than you think, but we need those details.

well windows 10 thats why its posted in this page, asrock ab350m pro 4 mb but going to upgrade to a b550 chipset soon, Im not able to grab a screen shot of it right now as im not at the pc but ive got 3 drives on the system, c is a 120gb pny ssd, ive got 1 wd blue 1tb hdd and 1 1tb wd sn770 ssd, drives go in order (C,D,E)

Im hoping to backup to an external hard drive to not mess with anything on D and E drives

 

[USAFRet]

well windows 10 thats why its posted in this page, asrock ab350m pro 4 mb but going to upgrade to a b550 chipset soon, Im not able to grab a screen shot of it right now as im not at the pc but ive got 3 drives on the system, c is a 120gb pny ssd, ive got 1 wd blue 1tb hdd and 1 1tb wd sn770 ssd, drives go in order (C,D,E)

Im hoping to backup to an external hard drive to not mess with anything on D and E drives

To start, your motherboard has only one NVMe capable port.

ASRock > AB350M Pro4

Micro ATX; ASRock Super Alloy; Supports AMD Socket AM4 A-Series APUs (Bristol Ridge) and Ryzen Series CPUs (Summit Ridge & Raven Ridge); Supports DDR4 3200+ (OC) (Ryzen CPU) / 2400 (A-series APU); 1 PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x1; AMD Quad CrossFireX™; Graphics Output: HDMI, DVI-D...

www.asrock.com

So either the SN770, or this new potential C drive.
Not both.

The second M.2 port (M2_2) is SATA only.


Otherwise, this would be an easy clone and swap procedure.

So, how do you wish to proceed?

 

[nhardinger2003]

To start, your motherboard has only one NVMe capable port.

ASRock > AB350M Pro4

Micro ATX; ASRock Super Alloy; Supports AMD Socket AM4 A-Series APUs (Bristol Ridge) and Ryzen Series CPUs (Summit Ridge & Raven Ridge); Supports DDR4 3200+ (OC) (Ryzen CPU) / 2400 (A-series APU); 1 PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x1; AMD Quad CrossFireX™; Graphics Output: HDMI, DVI-D...

www.asrock.com

So either the SN770, or this new potential C drive.
Not both.

The second M.2 port (M2_2) is SATA only.


Otherwise, this would be an easy clone and swap procedure.

So, how do you wish to proceed?

https://www.newegg.com/asrock-b550m-pg-riptide/p/N82E16813162065

This is the board im looking to upgrade to as i dont need to upgrade my entire system quite yet, would this one allow for both m.2 slots to function as m.2 drives? I was completely unaware that the 2nd drive slot on my current board doesnt actually support m.2 drives. On this new board would i be able to plug in my sata 120gb ssd and clone it to the new m.2 drive without having to deal with taking things out of the pc right away? then when they are cloned just pull the sata ssd out and change the boot drive to the m.2? What would i use to clone it?

 

[USAFRet]

https://www.newegg.com/asrock-b550m-pg-riptide/p/N82E16813162065

This is the board im looking to upgrade to as i dont need to upgrade my entire system quite yet, would this one allow for both m.2 slots to function as m.2 drives? I was completely unaware that the 2nd drive slot on my current board doesnt actually support m.2 drives. On this new board would i be able to plug in my sata 120gb ssd and clone it to the new m.2 drive without having to deal with taking things out of the pc right away? then when they are cloned just pull the sata ssd out and change the boot drive to the m.2? What would i use to clone it?

Thats a whole different kettle of fish.

A new motherboard indicates a fresh OS install.
Not moving the existing drive, or clone of it, to all a new board.


Your M2_2 port IS M.2, just that its SATA M.2. Not NVMe.
Yes, those drives exist.

 

[nhardinger2003]

Thats a whole different kettle of fish.

A new motherboard indicates a fresh OS install.
Not moving the existing drive, or clone of it, to all a new board.


Your M2_2 port IS M.2, just that its SATA M.2. Not NVMe.
Yes, those drives exist.

Im totally fine with a fresh install of windows, my system theoretically could get onto 11 with the new board, im just worried that since all my program files have in some way or form have a document or 10 on the c drive that if i have to reinstall it none of my programs will be accessible and illl have to redownload everything. My internet is not fast enough to download a few hundred gigs worth of games in a reasonable amount of time.

As for the drive i do remember seeing a sata m.2 when i first built the system, i just completely forgot they existed since its been about 5 years since i built the system.

 

[USAFRet]

Im totally fine with a fresh install of windows, my system theoretically could get onto 11 with the new board, im just worried that since all my program files have in some way or form have a document or 10 on the c drive that if i have to reinstall it none of my programs will be accessible and illl have to redownload everything. My internet is not fast enough to download a few hundred gigs worth of games in a reasonable amount of time.

As for the drive i do remember seeing a sata m.2 when i first built the system, i just completely forgot they existed since its been about 5 years since i built the system.

With a fresh OS install, you'll also be reinstalling all of your applications.
All of them.

This will be just like the day you first turned the current PC on. A blank slate.

Start preparing for this now.

 

[nhardinger2003]

With a fresh OS install, you'll also be reinstalling all of your applications.
All of them.

This will be just like the day you first turned the current PC on. A blank slate.

Start preparing for this now.

well thats not what i was hoping to hear but i guess it is what it is. thanks though

 

[SkyNetRising]

My internet is not fast enough to download a few hundred gigs worth of games in a reasonable amount of time.

Game libraries can be transferred to new system without downloading.
Install game client (steam, battle.net, EA games, Epic games) and configure settings, so it knows, where your games are located.

 

[USAFRet]

My internet is not fast enough to download a few hundred gigs worth of games in a reasonable amount of time.

For that, it should be no problem.
Depending, of course,where those come from. Steam especially....you just have to point the new Steam client at your existing game library.

But all your regular applications...reinstall.

 

[Bob.B]

well windows 10 thats why its posted in this page, asrock ab350m pro 4 mb but going to upgrade to a b550 chipset soon, Im not able to grab a screen shot of it right now as im not at the pc but ive got 3 drives on the system, c is a 120gb pny ssd, ive got 1 wd blue 1tb hdd and 1 1tb wd sn770 ssd, drives go in order (C,D,E)

Im hoping to backup to an external hard drive to not mess with anything on D and E drives

Consider getting a larger 2.5 ssd and clone the 120 to it.

 

[USAFRet]

Consider getting a larger 2.5 ssd and clone the 120 to it.

He's moving to a whole different motherboard.

 

[Bob.B]

He's moving to a whole different motherboard.

The larger 2.5 can be moved to the new mobo when that upgrade happens or wait for the new mobo and go the m.2 route.

 

[USAFRet]

The larger 2.5 can be moved to the new mobo when that upgrade happens or wait for the new mobo and go the m.2 route.

New motherboard indicates a fresh install anyway.
A clone is irrelevant.

 

[Bob.B]

New motherboard indicates a fresh install anyway.
A clone is irrelevant.

The new mobo may be 6 months away and the op may need the space today.

If the new mobo is coming in a week then forget the clone.

 

[USAFRet]

The new mobo may be 6 months away and the op may need the space today.

If the new mobo is coming in a week then forget the clone.

Post #5 above....nothing indicates the new board is "months away"

It appears the new larger drive was in conjunction with the new board, and he was not aware that this will need a new OS install.