[SOLVED] Bought an SSD, but I don't have a port for both SSD and HDD. How can I install windows 10 on the SSD?

AceArcade

Commendable
Nov 23, 2019
17
0
1,510
Hey. I bought an SSD but it seems my PC only has one SATA Cable in it. I can't buy an extra cable right now, and I need to use Windows 10 on my SSD, but it's installed in my HDD. What can I do? Do I need both on and working to clone Windows 10 to the SSD?
Thanks
 
Solution
If you have 700GB actually consumed on the current drive, you need to reduce that to below 400GB to clone into a 500GB drive.
You can't pick and choose what goes.

Once you get to that 400GB number...

-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
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)
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
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is...

AceArcade

Commendable
Nov 23, 2019
17
0
1,510
DESKTOP MACHINE Name: raffi

Processor (CPU): Intel® Core™ i7-3770 CPU @ 3.40GHz 3.40 Ghz

RAM Memory installed: 16.0 GB

System Type: Windows 10 64 bits

Power Supply: Smart 750W 80 plus Bronze

Motherboard: asustek p8h61-m lx3 r2.0

Graphics Card: Geforce GTX 760

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
SSD: Samsung 860 EVO 500GB

Cooler: Intel Cooler
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
If you have 700GB actually consumed on the current drive, you need to reduce that to below 400GB to clone into a 500GB drive.
You can't pick and choose what goes.

Once you get to that 400GB number...

-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
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)
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
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.
-----------------------------
 
Solution

AceArcade

Commendable
Nov 23, 2019
17
0
1,510
Thanks. Do I need a specific SATA cable for my HDD or SATA SSD? The Samsung SSD didn't come with a cable, I only have one of the smaller cables that was already inside my computer (I have more of the larger one; I'm not sure which is the power). I called a vendor and he said he only worked with standard, does that mean there are different types and one I should specifically look for?
 

AceArcade

Commendable
Nov 23, 2019
17
0
1,510
Well, ****. Here I am with my new cable, everything connected and well, I get a black screen on my monitor. Why? I did disconnect my external hard drive, so what's missing? Did I screw up my gpu?