[SOLVED] How can I tell apart two identical SSDs in Samsung's Data Migration Software?

[SamsungDataMigrationSucks]

I have two identical Samsung 970 Evo Plus M2 SSDs plugged in, 2TB each. Not identical in terms of data on them, but the hardware is the same. Samsung's Data Migration tool unhelpfully has them labelled as the exact same thing

https://imgur.com/14IRjst

View: https://i.imgur.com/14IRjst.png


How can I tell them apart? One of them has a lot of my data on it. One of them is brand new

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

If the two 2TB SSD's don't have any data on them might want to power down and disconnect the SSD that you don't want data migrated to.

 

[USAFRet]

For the Migration, you really really only want the two relevant drives connected. Source and target.
Physically disconnect all others.

 

[USAFRet]

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

 

[SamsungDataMigrationSucks]

For the Migration, you really really only want the two relevant drives connected. Source and target.
Physically disconnect all others.

Yeah hindsight is 20/20, but unfortunately i've already put the side panel on and ordered a pizza.

why can't samsung label the serial number or something.. it's beyond me

 

[USAFRet]

There's a right way and a wrong way to do this.

Hopefully you have a full backup of that data? Because if you choose wrongly...

 

[SamsungDataMigrationSucks]

There's a right way and a wrong way to do this.

I do have a full backup yes - in the cloud, maybe I just YOLO it. Samsung Data Migration says Drive 3 and Drive 4. I hope drive 3 is the correct one, HWINFO64 has the correct drive as the first one too

Hopefully you have a full backup of that data? Because if you choose wrongly...

 

[SamsungDataMigrationSucks]

I just realised I can copy whatever is on the important one to the new one. Then I can overwrite without any risk. Me so silly! You're not you when you're hungry I guess

 

[USAFRet]

I just realised I can copy whatever is on the important one to the new one. Then I can overwrite without any risk. Me so silly! You're not you when you're hungry I guess

I was wondering if you were going to come up with that plan....
Came to my mind as well.

But still, you really want only the relevant drives connected.

 

[geofelt]

What are you trying to accomplish?
If migrating, why move same to same?

If you run the migration app, the current windows C drive will be the source.
The remaining drive will be the potential target.

 

[USAFRet]

What are you trying to accomplish?
If migrating, why move same to same?

If you run the migration app, the current windows C drive will be the source.
The remaining drive will be the potential target.

He's going from a 500GB 850 EVO to a 2TB 970.
The problem is...which 2TB 970.

 

[SamsungDataMigrationSucks]

What are you trying to accomplish?
If migrating, why move same to same?

If you run the migration app, the current windows C drive will be the source.
The remaining drive will be the potential target.

I think you misunderstood, I have my C drive with windows on it, 500GB. And I have two Samsung 970 Evo Plus M2 SSds., One of them has important data, one is brand new. I'm trying to clone my C drive onto the brand new 970 Evo Plus, but Samsung Data Migration doesn't say which 970 Evo Plus is which

 

[geofelt]

I think you misunderstood, I have my C drive with windows on it, 500GB. And I have two Samsung 970 Evo Plus M2 SSds., One of them has important data, one is brand new. I'm trying to clone my C drive onto the brand new 970 Evo Plus, but Samsung Data Migration doesn't say which 970 Evo Plus is which

Yes, I missed that 500gb > 2tb.
I would be paranoid about selecting the wrong target drive.
You really should have only the desired 2tb target installed to do the copy.
Take the time to do it right.
Disconnect the drive with good data temporarily.
Yes, it is a pain.

Otherwise, be certain you have an external backup of whatever you hold dear.
Prevention of a problem is easier than recovery.

And, on some motherboards and processors, which m.2 slot is used can be important.

 

[USAFRet]

One of them has important data

Physical disconnection.

 

[getochkn]

Once you select the drive, does it not show the drive letter and capacity/free space on the drive before you hit start? I mean in your screen shot it shows the C drive selected for the target because you haven't picked one of the 2 SSD's. Pick one, nothing is going to start until you tell it to. You could also go into device manager and disable the one you don't want written on.

 

[USAFRet]

Once you select the drive, does it not show the drive letter and capacity/free space on the drive before you hit start? I mean in your screen shot it shows the C drive selected for the target because you haven't picked one of the 2 SSD's. Pick one, nothing is going to start until you tell it to. You could also go into device manager and disable the one you don't want written on.

Data Migration does not show what space may already be consumed on the target.
Just what it will be after the migration.

In his pic, he has one of them selected.

 

[getochkn]

Data Migration does not show what space may already be consumed on the target.
Just what it will be after the migration.

In his pic, he has one of them selected.

Ah read it wrong. 50/50 odds, I've gambled with a lot worse. lol.

 

[Way2Sharp4U]

I have two identical Samsung 970 Evo Plus M2 SSDs plugged in, 2TB each. Not identical in terms of data on them, but the hardware is the same. Samsung's Data Migration tool unhelpfully has them labelled as the exact same thing

https://imgur.com/14IRjst

View: https://i.imgur.com/14IRjst.png


How can I tell them apart? One of them has a lot of my data on it. One of them is brand new

I know this is an old post but maybe this will help anyone else looking for a simple answer to this.

With all the drives plugged in (including the new one you are migrating to), you can select each drive and then look at what Drive number that particular selection is. It will change with each selected drive (e.g., Drive 0, Drive 1, Drive 2, Drive 3, Drive 4, etc.)

In windows, Open up Disk Management to view the connected drive (note: for a new blank drive Disk Management will ask you to choose GPT or MBR; just hit cancel). Once open, windows will show all the attached drives; find the one with no partition, which will be your new blank drive. It should be the last on the list.

NOTE: Disk Management Labels drives as Disk (e.g., Disk 0, Disk 1, Disk 2, Disk 3, Disk 4, etc.), so just pay attention to the NUMBER. Drive # and Disk # mean the same thing.

Once you know which one, you can easily select the correct drive in Samsung Data Migration.

See images: Samsung Data Migration and Windows Disk Management

Hope this helps.