[SOLVED] Buying a new ssd to replace old hdd

Manzonnie

Prominent
Aug 26, 2019
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Hey guys I'm back again and doing another upgrade and need some advice. I am planning on upgrading my old hdd ( Toshiba DT01ACA100) to a WD Black (WD BLACK SN750 250GB NVMe). Have read alot of articles about cloning OS and files and having trouble doing so. My old hdd has no partitions and is all one open drive. Would it be better to try and clone the drive or back up the files and use them as a recovery to the new ssd. I am not really knowledgeable about storage so you may have to dumb it down for me.

System: (Everything is new in my system except the hdd)

Case: Cybertron Patriot Case
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G Processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
Cooling: DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX 400
Motherboard:ASRock B450M PRO4 AM4
Ram:Team T-Force Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (plan on adding 8gb more this week 4x4)
PSU:CORSAIR VS Series, VS650, 650 Watt, 80+ White Certified
Graphics:XFX AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition 8GB
Storage: Toshiba HDD 7200
OS:Windows 10 64 Home
 
Solution
Cloning can be a good option.
It is usually reliable.

If it comes with its own cloning tool, use that.
General steps here

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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)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
...

Manzonnie

Prominent
Aug 26, 2019
73
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545
So Ishould clone the drive and not do it as a recovery? I have read a few articles and some have said the cloning of the operating system seems to give trouble if you clone it it doesn't recognize it but I've also read if you do it as a recovery Drive it'll just read it as I recovered operating system and not a clone I am not good and this kind of thing now I know the WD does have a tool with it for cloning the drives just trying to get as much information as I can before I actually buy it and make sure I'm getting the right thing I know from what I've read the WD black seems to be a very good SSD
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Cloning can be a good option.
It is usually reliable.

If it comes with its own cloning tool, use that.
General steps here

-----------------------------
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 (Ignore this cable swap due to M.2 not SATA, but DO disconnect the old drive before you boot up.)
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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Solution

Manzonnie

Prominent
Aug 26, 2019
73
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I just went to the link you provided and looks like the only one that i can use without data loss is GPTgen and I got confused after the 2 line. Partition Assistant looks much easier but it isn't free so any walk-thru steps would be greatly appreciated.
 
GPT is not a requirement for nvme drives. It is necessary only, if you want to boot into UEFI mode from that drive.

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?
It might even be impossible to clone from 1TB HDD to 250GB SSD, if used space in HDD is more than 230GB.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
The above listed cloning steps should work.
If it fails, however, don't flail away trying to force it to work.

Cloning is great, when it works. Sometimes you just gotta accept that it fails.
At which time you just do a clean install on the new SSD.



And a screencap of your Disk Management window is preferred, not that of Macrium.

(Edited in light of new information)
 
I don't see any problems in that screenshot.
Just perform regular cloning. Use guidelines in Usafret post (post #5).

BTW there are 3 partitions on the drive. Your statement, that there are no partitions caused slight confusion before.

Edit: Oh - new motherboard too? Then reinstall.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Everything in my PC is new now but the case and the HDD. Look at my specs above. I shelled out the cash might as well get the speed that comes with upgrades.
Brand new install on the brand new SSD in the brand new system.
 

Manzonnie

Prominent
Aug 26, 2019
73
1
545
I honestly didn't think there was a partition on the drive it was my mistake. Like I said when it comes to storage I know nothing and won't even act like I do. I just know I want a good fast storage device. Guys I do appreciate all the help i'll mark this as solved and hope I don't have a post in a few dys going omg I broke my PC...Help!!!! lol

Again thx..