[SOLVED] Clone Larger to Smaller drive using Clonezilla

Burner1061

Reputable
May 15, 2020
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I'm trying to clone a 1 TB drive to a 250 GB drive using the device to device option in Clonezilla. Only 45 or so GB are actually being used on the 1 TB drive so I'm confused. Please help, thanks! I tried attaching pictures but that seems impossible here so here's a Google Photos link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8BPNnwuQU3CpA91W6

I've also asked on LinusTechTips but didn't get anything. Please help, thank you.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
CloneZilla will not do that. The target drive or partition needs to be larger than the source.

Other, more modern tools will do this easily. Macrium Reflect, for instance.

Assuming they are both SATA drives, this is easy.

-----------------------------
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.
-----------------------------
 

Burner1061

Reputable
May 15, 2020
60
0
4,540
CloneZilla will not do that. The target drive or partition needs to be larger than the source.

Other, more modern tools will do this easily. Macrium Reflect, for instance.

Assuming they are both SATA drives, this is easy.

-----------------------------
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.
-----------------------------

It's actually not an SSD, they're both hard drives. Steps are the same? Also, thank you for your great reply.
 

Burner1061

Reputable
May 15, 2020
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OK, that is about a confusing mess.

Disk 0 is the current OS drive?

Delete ALL partitions on Disk 1.
Then, with Macrium...deselect the 347.72GB and 465.75GB partitions.
Don't attempt to move those.
I deleted all partitions on disk 1. But the 347.72 and 465.75 groups are unallocated. I can't select or diselect them. What next?