[SOLVED] Cloning from SSD to an M.2

Solution
Current is Crucial MX500 SSD and the M.2 is a Adata XPG SX6000 Pro, both 500GB. Current free space on SSD is 416gb of 465gb.
Going from SATA to NVMe is sometimes problematic.

You can try it, thusly.
(the line where it says swap cables around...obviously you can't. Just be sure the MX500 is physically disconnected before you boot up the first time.)
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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...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Current is Crucial MX500 SSD and the M.2 is a Adata XPG SX6000 Pro, both 500GB. Current free space on SSD is 416gb of 465gb.
Going from SATA to NVMe is sometimes problematic.

You can try it, thusly.
(the line where it says swap cables around...obviously you can't. Just be sure the MX500 is physically disconnected before you boot up the first time.)
-----------------------------
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.
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If it FAILS, I'd be inclined to just do a clean install on this new drive.
You seem to have not a lot of stuff in there. That WILL work.
 
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Solution

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
thank you, i'll give it a try and let you know how i get on. and yes, nothing much on the ssd as it's a new pc build.
If its a brand new build and install...blow off the clone, and just do a fresh install on the SSD.
Guaranteed to work.

 
If its a brand new build and install...blow off the clone, and just do a fresh install on the SSD.
Guaranteed to work.

So, probably easier to just unplug the ssd, insert the m.2, then install windows 10 on to it from a usb. change the m.2 to ''boot first'' in the bios, check to see if it is all running ok, then reconnect the ssd and format it to wipe it and just use it as storage?..............................if that makes sense?
 

demyansk

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Dec 24, 2007
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Hi, I am going to do the same thing with my new system. I will have a 1tb ssd with the operating system on it. If I have the M.2 drive plugged into the motherboard, should I clone the operating system and a few programs to the M.2 or like you said, just install Windows 10 on it? I have only done a cloning operation once on this computer. The new one plus I don't even have the m.2 drive yet, just curious about having them both plugged into the system at the same time and I would probably have to mess around with the boot system. I would probably like to make the M.2 the boot drive and the original ssd as a storage drive.

By the way, a big difference in playing games from one drive to another? SSD vs M.2?

Thanks, good thread
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Hi, I am going to do the same thing with my new system. I will have a 1tb ssd with the operating system on it. If I have the M.2 drive plugged into the motherboard, should I clone the operating system and a few programs to the M.2 or like you said, just install Windows 10 on it? I have only done a cloning operation once on this computer. The new one plus I don't even have the m.2 drive yet, just curious about having them both plugged into the system at the same time and I would probably have to mess around with the boot system. I would probably like to make the M.2 the boot drive and the original ssd as a storage drive.

By the way, a big difference in playing games from one drive to another? SSD vs M.2?

Thanks, good thread
You can't clone "the operating system and a few programs"
You can't pick and choose which applications to clone. All or nothing.

For a new system, do NOT clone the OS from the old system. That is the same as trying to move the physical drive and hoping to boot from it. Usually fails.
Clean install, on the drive while it lives in this new PC.
 

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