Question Can I upgrade/clone my ROG Ally storage without a M.2 enclosure using an external HDD ?

[Ajl7431]

So recently I purchased a ROG Ally, and I’ve been considering upgrading the storage, but I’d rather not buy an ssd enclosure, since I’m trying to save as much money as possible, and I’m just gonna sell my old ssd anyways. So would I be able to plug in my external drive, and clone my ssd onto it, and then plug in my new ssd and clone from the hdd to the ssd?

 

[USAFRet]

So recently I purchased a ROG Ally, and I’ve been considering upgrading the storage, but I’d rather not buy an ssd enclosure, since I’m trying to save as much money as possible, and I’m just gonna sell my old ssd anyways. So would I be able to plug in my external drive, and clone my ssd onto it, and then plug in my new ssd and clone from the hdd to the ssd?

Unsure of what you're actually wanting to do, and with what.

So just give us a desired before and after, of ALL the parts.

 

[Ajl7431]

Unsure of what you're actually wanting to do, and with what.

So just give us a desired before and after, of ALL the parts.

So the ROG Ally has one m.2 slot and a 512gb SSD, and in order to replace the ssd with a larger one, most guides say to either do a clean windows install, or plug in the new SSD using a m.2 to usb adapter, and to clone everything from the old SSD to the new one using 3rd party software. But instead of me cloning all my stuff to the new SSD using the adapter, and then installing the new SSD into my device, would I instead be able to use a cloning software to clone my old SSD onto a usb external HDD, and then put the blank new SSD into my device, and then clone my stuff from the usb external HDD onto my new blank SSD?

 

[USAFRet]

So the ROG Ally has one m.2 slot and a 512gb SSD, and in order to replace the ssd with a larger one, most guides say to either do a clean windows install, or plug in the new SSD using a m.2 to usb adapter, and to clone everything from the old SSD to the new one using 3rd party software. But instead of me cloning all my stuff to the new SSD using the adapter, and then installing the new SSD into my device, would I instead be able to use a cloning software to clone my old SSD onto a usb external HDD, and then put the blank new SSD into my device, and then clone my stuff from the usb external HDD onto my new blank SSD?

OK...do it with an Image, instead.
Not a "clone"
-----------------------------
1x m.2 slot with an Image

Assuming you have another drive (any type of drive) with sufficient free space to hold the entirety of your current m.2 drive:

1. Download and install Macrium Reflect
2. Run that, and create a Rescue CD or USB (you'll use this later). "Other Tasks". Create this on a small USB flash drive or DVD.
3. In the Macrium client, create an Image to some other drive. External USB HDD, maybe. Select all partitions. This results in a file of xxxx.mrimage
4. When done, power OFF.
5. Swap the 2 drives
6. Boot up from the Rescue USB you created earlier.
7. Restore (on the toolbar), and tell it where the Image is that you created in step 3, and which drive to apply it to...the new m.2
8. Go, and wait until it finishes.
9. That's all...this should work.