Can I clone a larger HDD to a smaller SSD by unallocate spaces?

[jerrysqq]

Right now I have a 1 TB HDD in my laptop. But it only has a little over 100 GB of Data. I want to upgrade it to a 500 GB SSD. I know there's not much options when it comes to clone a larger HDD to smaller SSD, and most disk clone utilities simply won’t do it. But since there’s quite a lot empty of space on my HDD, can I shrink my partition and make the 500 GB unallocated, then clone the disk? I would like to use the TodoBackup.

 

[popatim]

The cloning software that comes with the SSD (it may be something you need to download) should be able to do exactly that without shrinking partitions, but it looks like todobackup is also capable but I've never used it so I dont know if it will automatically shrink the existing partition to fit.

 

[hang-the-9]

It's possible, but often requires using some command line parameters or options selected and possibly there is free software that won't be able to do this. I used to do this in late 90s early 2000s when using drive images for rolling out computers, so if it was possible 15+ years ago, it's possible now. You can create an image of only the used space on the drive.

 

[trhodes]

Another post recommended using "Paragon Migrate OS to SSD". It cost me $20 and did not work. It threw bad fs errors which Win8 partition check doesn't see. The Paragon software copy failed.

SanDisk SSD Dashboard recommends Apricorn EZ Gig IV i resized my C: partition so it and the other used partitions on my disk drive would fit on the SSD, then downloaded and ran Apricorn. It is really simple stupid. Answered a couple prompts and it copied all the partitions to my SSD. Put the SSD in my laptop, it booted and never looked back.

Apricorn did resize some partitions to maximize available space on the SSD. If this isn't desirable u an use Windows disk management to resize the partitions.

 

[ArtPog]

There shouldn't be any problem with what you want to do. Virtually every, if not all, disk-cloning programs will clone the 100 GB of HDD contents to a smaller disk without any trouble.

In many, if not most cases, the program will utilize the entire disk-space of the destination disk (in your case the entire SSD's 500 GB) so you would have a single 500 GB partition on the new drive. In other cases the program will create a partition on the destination disk only to the extent of cloned data (your 100 GB). The remaining disk-space will be unallocated. Should the program perform the latter it would be a simple process for you to use Disk Management to extend the created partition to encompass the entire disk-space of the destination drive.

In other cases the disk-cloning program will afford the user options to manipulate the size of the destination partitions as long as the one containing the cloned data is sufficiently large enough to contain the volume of data.

 

[george4896]

Many softwares won't allow this and i am also in search for this for my brand new Samsung 850 Pro. I tried disk cloning but it moved only data and when i plugged in new SSD the system won't boot.

Any solution is welcome as 1TB SSD price is way too high! I will also try from my end to find any solution.

Update : found a solution at last. Cloning HDD To Smaller SSD moved according to that guide and HP laptop now boots from SSD.

 

[USAFRet]

Macrium Reflect and Casper specifically do this.
Only considers the actual used space. You don't have to mess around with partitions or anything.

Yes, I've used them exactly like that.

For actual cloning steps, this:
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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)
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
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 as necessary.
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
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