[SOLVED] Cloning advice needed

[M_Sklumpett336]

I ordered an M.2 SSD (1TB).

Current windows installation is on a 2TB HDD, but only takes up ~540GB. Can I clone OS to the SSD, and will it destroy files?

Will Cloning destroy my personal files (pictures, videos, etc.) and can I clone the OS from the 2TB HDD to the 1TB SSD since the original disk is bigger, even though the whole windows installation is smaller than the SSD?

If cloning would work, and doesn't destroy/delete personal files, what is a good software to use for this?

 

[RARRAF]

I thought someone would answer your question
go here download the software it works great and should make an identical clone of your machine that you can put on the ssd with the software it explains what it is going to do before https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

 

[RealBeast]

Yup, Macrium Reflect is the choice of many here. Backup anything really important because you never know what can happen, especially if you don't use it regularly.

 

[USAFRet]

What specific SSD do you have?

Generally....

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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)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
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

If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing

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.
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