Question Cloning OS to SSD

[Tony Stacey]

I have Found free software to clone, but it doesn't work. My issue is that I boot on the C drive, which has Win 7 installed and it provides an option to boot in win 10 or win 7 (I like having the choice of operating systems, it has been extremely beneficial in the past.) Win 10 is on drive E. The free software won't let me clone the Win 10 OS, because it's on a different drive from the boot disc. Any suggestions?


Here are my specs

Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU
AMD Phenom II X6 1050T 51 °C
Thuban 45nm Technology
RAM
16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 668MHz (11-11-11-28)
Motherboard
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. M5A97 LE R2.0 (Socket 942) 28 °C
Graphics
M198WA (1440x900@60Hz)
Dell E193FP (1280x1024@60Hz)
1023MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 (Gigabyte) 43 °C
Storage
596GB Western Digital WDC WD6400AAKS-22A7B0 (SATA ) 39 °C
298GB MAXTOR STM3320820AS (SATA ) 39 °C
111GB KINGSTON SA400S37120G (SATA-2 (SSD)) 28 °C
931GB BUFFALO HD-PCTU2 USB Device (USB (SATA) ) 39 °C
Optical Drives
ATAPI iHAS122 E
Audio
Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device

 

[USAFRet]

The proper software will allow cloning from any drive, to any drive (mostly). What are you using?

But, your boot partition is on the Win 7 drive? This will complicate things immensely.

What are the size of these drives, what make/model?
How much space is consumed?

 

[Tony Stacey]

System specs are above. I just want the Win 10 OS installed on the SSD in order to get a faster system. I will be retaining the HDD for files etc.

 

[USAFRet]

System specs are above. I just want the Win 10 OS installed on the SSD in order to get a faster system. I will be retaining the HDD for files etc.

And you're trying to clone the Windows 10 (which lives on which drive?), to the Kingston 120GB?

 

[Tony Stacey]

Correct. As per my OP, win 10 is on drive E

 

[USAFRet]

Correct. As per my OP, win 10 is on drive E

Not knowing which physical drive or partition the E is, a screencap of your current Disk Management window would help here.

 

[Tony Stacey]

I think I've hit paydirt. AOMEI Backupper may have worked. I'll be back to confirm yay or nay leter

 

[jsmithepa]

There is cloning a partition and then there is cloning entire physical drive (with all its partitions).

 

[Tony Stacey]

Well is seems it copied the OS partition, but didn't clone it, as the computer will not boot to that disk (F). I tried disconnecting the current win 10 disk (E) and re-booting off the SSD, but got an "NTLDR missing" message.

By the way, thanks for trying to assist, but I fear it's something I may have to purchase.

 

[USAFRet]

Well is seems it copied the OS partition, but didn't clone it, as the computer will not boot to that disk (F). I tried disconnecting the current win 10 disk (E) and re-booting off the SSD, but got an "NTLDR missing" message.

By the way, thanks for trying to assist, but I fear it's something I may have to purchase.

Purchase what?

Given a clear picture of your current drive and OS config, we may be able to suggest a $0 way forward.

 

[Tony Stacey]

Please tell me what you need and I'll provide it. Sorry it's taken me a while to get back, but spent most of the afternoon trying to see if microsoft could assist, but I should have known better lol. Think I know more about what can and can't be achieved then they do and both assistants ended up terminating the calls when they got stuck.

I was talking about purchasing software that I didn't want to spend money on as it's likely to be a single use lol

 

[wpgwpg]

The free version of Macrium Reflect worked for me.

 

[Tony Stacey]

I tried Macrium, but because my boot is on C and win 10 on E, it wouldn't carry through

 

[USAFRet]

I tried Macrium, but because my boot is on C and win 10 on E, it wouldn't carry through

Whatever OS is currently booted up sees itself as the C.
C and E changes, depending on what you are doing at that moment.

A screencap of your Disk Management window, please.

(NOTE: There will be several more questions to be answered before we suggest hitting the GO button)

 

[Tony Stacey]

Hopefully, this will work

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cJjaHRq10soq3rZKrwkREXUW-fRDN8ZB/view?usp=sharing

 

[USAFRet]

OK.
To be clear, you're wanting to clone the contents of Disk 1 (320GB HDD?), to Disk 2 (120GB SSD?).
Correct?

 

[Tony Stacey]

Only the OS, the target is not big enough for the whole disk

 

[USAFRet]

Only the OS, the target is not big enough for the whole disk

1. You cannot clone "only the OS". There is no application or function to do that
2. The actual consumed space on Disk 2 appears to be ~63GB. Which will clone into a 120GB SSD.

Current cloning/migration tools only take into account the actual consumed space, not the whole drive.


But was I correct in the drives and what you were trying to do?
(more questions to come)

 

[Tony Stacey]

yes, that is correct

 

[USAFRet]

yes, that is correct

OK, so now we test.

You have Win 7 on one drive (Disk 0), and Win 10 on another (Disk 1).
How do you currently choose which?

Test...
Power OFF
Disconnect ALL drives except the Win 10 (Disk 1)
Power ON
Does it boot up?

 

[Tony Stacey]

No, already tried that

 

[Tony Stacey]

It would seem the file that lets me choose which operating system to use, is located on drive 0

 

[USAFRet]

It would seem the file that lets me choose which operating system to use, is located on drive 0

Right. Thats what I figured.

You can try a clone from Disk 1 to the SSD, Disk 2.
Of course, this WILL wipe out everything on that 120GB SSD.

If the clone fails, then a clean install of Win 10 on the 120GB SSD is your best way forward.

So, to clone this:
You need the 3 drives connected. Disk 0, 1, and 2. Disconnect Disk 3.
Macrium Reflect WILL let you clone from the Disk 1 to Disk 2.

Install Macrium on your Win 7.
Run it, and select whatever is on Disk 1, and clone it to Disk 2.
When it is finished, power OFF
Disconnect Disk 1.
Reboot, and see if it allows you to go into Win 10.

 

[Tony Stacey]

I believe I tried that, but Macrium fails in the cloning. I am desperately trying to avoid a completely fresh install, as I have the free Win 10 upgrade, which means I don't have a licence key that allows that and I'm trying to avoid having to reinstall all my programes lol.

 

[USAFRet]

I believe I tried that, but Macrium fails in the cloning. I am desperately trying to avoid a completely fresh install, as I have the free Win 10 upgrade, which means I don't have a licence key that allows that and I'm trying to avoid having to reinstall all my programes lol.

1. Done properly, Macrium WILL clone between two secondary drives. I've done it.
2. The free upgrade is of no consequence regarding a reinstall.

Reinstalling in this same hardware (just on a new drive) will activate just fine.