[SOLVED] Fitting an old SSD to new Tower

[Lizat]

My old all in one (2010) has finally broken. I had fitted an SSD quite a while ago - a 3.5 SATA in a tray - and this was the boot drive.
I have now a new Acer Aspire, not as high spec'd as I would like but it will do for now. I have already upgraded memory and I now want to add the old ssd to it.
The ultimate aim would be that this SSD becomes the boot drive.
But before I do that I need access to the data so that i can use it immediately, then later use as a boot drive.
The machine has a 1Tb HDD (boot drive) with Windows 11.

1. If I fit the SSD to copy the data does it matter that it was a boot drive?
2. After copying the data what is the recommended way to may it the bootdrive? Can I clone from the ITb drive to it easily?

Thank you

 

[Lafong]

The SSD having previously been a boot drive shouldn't matter. When connected, the current boot drive should still be C and the SSD will have some other drive letter.

What capacity is the SSD that you want to make into the boot drive?

What is the occupied space on the current boot HDD?

 

[Lizat]

Thank you for the quick response!
The SSD is 512Gb
The HDD has 977 Gb free

 

[Lafong]

Shouldn't be a problem. Your HDD has less than 30 GB occupied.

I'd use Macrium Reflect imaging because I'm highly familiar with it.

But you could use Macrium Reflect cloning.

Either will do what you want.

Link below from Macrium site explaining how to use cloning when the source disk is larger than the target disk, as it would be in your situation.

https://forum.macrium.com/21582/Cloning-to-a-smaller-SSD

 

[Lizat]

Thank you I will take a look.

I suppose I Clone the boot disk to the SSD then change the bios to use the SSD?

 

[Krotow]

Your SSD size is 1/3 of HDD size. Cloning will be not a problem then. Although because it is Windows 11, I would seriously consider SSD as system drive.

By the way unsavvy Macrium peddlers should think about other free alternatives like Lazesoft Disk Image & Clone. Why? Because for some drive configurations Macrium cloning simply fail. Fell on this two times in this winter.

 

[Lafong]

Thank you I will take a look.

I suppose I Clone the boot disk to the SSD then change the bios to use the SSD?

I don't clone, but my guess would be that you clone and then disconnect the HDD before any reboot? Not sure. You may have to use the boot menu?

Someone else undoubtedly knows.

If cloning fails, try imaging.

If both fail, know what your next plan is.

 

[Krotow]

If cloning fail, at first try different cloning software. Macrium Reflect for setup with mixed partition set often fail with Error 9 without a chance to get over it. Even if all partitions, drive and cables are fine.

 

[USAFRet]

Also, if there is only 30GB consumed on the current drive, that means there is not a whole lot of stuff in there.
Pretty much a bare install.

I'd consider just doing a clean install on the new drive rather than a clone operation.


As far as what clone tool to use....I use Macrium.
But just like anything else, if it does not work, then you consider trying something else.
But there is nothing inherently wrong with MR.

 

[Krotow]

As far as what clone tool to use....I use Macrium.
But just like anything else, if it does not work, then you consider trying something else.
But there is nothing inherently wrong with MR.

For single Windows drive setups MR works fine. However for multi drive setups and setups with non-Windows file systems mileage may vary. Particularly in setups with 2 NVMe and 1 SATA drive free MR versions failed with Error 9. Same for dual-boot drives with bot Linux and Windows partitions on them.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you for the quick response!
The SSD is 512Gb
The HDD has 977 Gb free

How much space is consumed on the current C drive, the HDD?

Not free space.