[SOLVED] Best way to transfer C drive onto new drive? (Latop 2 M2 slots)

[dcrofty]

I have a laptop with two m2 SSDs in it. I got a bigger SSD. What's the best way to transfer my c drive onto this new drive?
I also have a main PC with a spare m2 slot.

 

[USAFRet]

Which specific drives are in this?

 

[dcrofty]

Which specific drives are in this?

C Drive
and an additional storage drive

 

[USAFRet]

C Drive
and an additional storage drive

"specific drives" meant...make/model/size.

 

[dcrofty]

"specific drives" meant...make/model/size.

Oh right
1: Samsung MZVLB512HAJQ-0000 476.94G
2: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB

I'd like to swap the MZV for a 2TB 970 EVO plus
The MZV has my system files

 

[USAFRet]

Oh right
1: Samsung MZVLB512HAJQ-0000 476.94G
2: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB

I'd like to swap the MZV for a 2TB 970 EVO plus
The MZV has my system files

OK, should be no problem.

The laptop has 2x M.2 ports that these drives work in?

 

[dcrofty]

OK, should be no problem.

The laptop has 2x M.2 ports that these drives work in?

Correct

 

[dcrofty]

 

[USAFRet]

OK, so clone from the old drive to the new.

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Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
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Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
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