[SOLVED] How do I transfer Windows OS from one m.2 NVMe to another

[GoyimCrusader]

Hey everyone, I just got a new samsung 980 PRO and want to use that as my boot os. Currently I have a 970 EVO as my boot OS but I want to transfer that to my 980 PRO while keeping my 970 as storage. I have seen people talk about ssd to m.2 or smaller m.2 to a larger one, but I haven't seen anyone ask about moving a boot OS to a newer version of the M.2. Thanks for the help!

 

[USAFRet]

No difference.
Assuming your motherboard has relevant M.2 ports, and assuming the drives and consumed data works...

For 2 Samsung drives, use the Samsung Data Migration tool.


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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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[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Samsung provides disk transfer\cloning software for free. the Samsung product support tools page offers free downloads where it should be available.

 

[USAFRet]

Overall, you will see very very little difference in this switch.

 

[GoyimCrusader]

thanks for the help!