[SOLVED] Best/easiest way to move data from 2 hard drives onto new m2 drive?

[t1redmonkey]

I currently have a 512gb m2 nvme drive, and a 500gb sata SSD. I have moved all of the data I want to keep onto the m2 nvme drive, so the sata SSD just has windows and a few other things left on it.

I've just bought a new 2TB nvme, and I want to get rid of both the drives I currently have. What would be the best way to move the data from them onto the new m2?

Potential issue might be that both the m2's (old and existing) are both PCIE, but my mobo only has 1 m2 PCIE slot, and 1 m2 SATA slot so not sure I can plug both in at the same time.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Please list model names of your drives.
What model motherboard are you using?
Please show screenshot from Disk Management.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

 

[t1redmonkey]

https://imgur.com/a/pFX6kMP

View: https://imgur.com/a/pFX6kMP

 

[alceryes]

Please list model names of your drives.
What model motherboard are you using?
Please show screenshot from Disk Management.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

In addition to this. Are you trying to keep the OS or is there just some data on your Windows drive that you want to consolidate?

 

[t1redmonkey]

In addition to this. Are you trying to keep the OS or is there just some data on your Windows drive that you want to consolidate?

I'd be ok doing a fresh Windows install. It's just photos, some documents, and a few games on the current nvme that I want to retain (although this is still about 265gb of data so I don't want to redownload all of this if possible).

 

[SkyNetRising]

https://imgur.com/a/pFX6kMP

View: https://imgur.com/a/pFX6kMP

What is model name of the new drive?
Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

 

[alceryes]

Do you have enough room on your 500GB SATA to just move them into that? Then you could install the new NVMe and have all your data on that SATA drive? If not, can you do some cleaning and make it fit?
You could also look into a NVMe PCIe card. That way you could continue to use your old NVMe. Other than that, and maybe some large external USB or thumb drives that you borrow from a friend, you'll need to purchase an extra external drive to get the extra data onto.

 

[t1redmonkey]

What is model name of the new drive?
Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

It's not installed at present, I'm waiting for it to be delivered. It's Crucial P3 2TB PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (CT2000P3SSD8).

https://imgur.com/sV85VKe

View: https://imgur.com/sV85VKe

 

[SkyNetRising]

It's not installed at present, I'm waiting for it to be delivered. It's Crucial P3 2TB PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (CT2000P3SSD8).

Do you want to keep using your old nvme drive on this computer together with new nvme drive?
Your motherboard supports single nvme drive only.
Without additional PCIE NVME adapter (or USB M.2 adapter) you can't use two nvme drives simultaneously.

 

[t1redmonkey]

Do you have enough room on your 500GB SATA to just move them into that? Then you could install the new NVMe and have all your data on that SATA drive? If not, can you do some cleaning and make it fit?
You could also look into a NVMe PCIe card. That way you could continue to use your old NVMe. Other than that, and maybe some large external USB or thumb drives that you borrow from a friend, you'll need to purchase an extra external drive to get the extra data onto.

Looks like I might just have enough space to do the first option. I have 268gb on the SATA and about 265gb of data on the current M2. So I guess I need to transfer everything onto the SATA, install the new M2, then move everything on to the new m2 and afterwards I can remove the old SATA?

If I wanted to do a clean windows install after doing the above, how would it know which data I want to keep and which to get rid of?

 

[t1redmonkey]

Do you want to keep using your old nvme drive on this computer together with new nvme drive?
Your motherboard supports single nvme drive only.
Without additional PCIE NVME adapter (or USB M.2 adapter) you can't use two nvme drives simultaneously.

Nope, I want to sell my existing drives on ebay and just use this new 2TB one instead.

 

[SkyNetRising]

If your intent is to remove old drives completely, then:

1. Move all your data to sata drive.
2. Disconnect empty old NVME drive.
3. Install new NVME drive.
4. Clone SATA SSD to NVME drive. You can use Macrium Reflect free for this.
5. Remove old SATA SSD.
6. Delete two recovery partitions at the end of the drive and extend C: partition to full size of the drive.

 

[alceryes]

Looks like I might just have enough space to do the first option. I have 268gb on the SATA and about 265gb of data on the current M2. So I guess I need to transfer everything onto the SATA, install the new M2, then move everything on to the new m2 and afterwards I can remove the old SATA?

If I wanted to do a clean windows install after doing the above, how would it know which data I want to keep and which to get rid of?

1. Get all data you want to keep on the 500GB SATA.
2. Do the clean Windows install on the NVMe without any other drives attached. Then plug in your 500GB SATA and you can pick and choose what data on the full 500GB SSD you want to move to the NVMe.

 

[t1redmonkey]

Thanks @alceryes and @SkyNetRising , I have a plan for what to do now when the new M2 gets here