How to set up HDD and SSD together?

[msaadeh489]

I'm sorry if this question has been asked too many times.

I have a desktop computer with an HDD. The drive has 900 GB used. My goal here is to be able to move only my OS and my games to an internal SSD. If this isn't possible what are the steps for me to clone the entire HDD to a Samsung SSD drive?

 

[USAFRet]

I'm sorry if this question has been asked too many times.

I have a desktop computer with an HDD. The drive has 900 GB used. My goal here is to be able to move only my OS and my games to an internal SSD. If this isn't possible what are the steps for me to clone the entire HDD to a Samsung SSD drive?

THere is no function to move 'only the oS' to the new SSD.

Either clone everything (mostly), or do a clean install on the new drive.

The "mostly" depends on exactly what constitutes the space on your current drive.
The Samsung Data Migration tool gives you the function to leave off certain file types during the clone process.
Doc/Music/Video...things like that.
Other than that, everything goes.

What size is the new SSD?
For a 1TB SSD, the actual consumed space you'd be cloning from needs to be below 800GB.
For a 500GB SSD, below 400GB.

So...what exactly is taking up your space?

 

[msaadeh489]

I have not purchased a new drive yet. But now I'm thinking about just getting a 1 or 2 tb drive to avoid issues.

My current drive has a lot of games and work programs, game clips, etc. Mostly just programs but I can cut down on a lot of that data.

So the samsung tool would copy my entire drive and then I would have to set the new SSD as the boot drive in BIOS? Or would I not have to set it?

 

[USAFRet]

I have not purchased a new drive yet. But now I'm thinking about just getting a 1 or 2 tb drive to avoid issues.

My current drive has a lot of games and work programs, game clips, etc. Mostly just programs but I can cut down on a lot of that data.

So the samsung tool would copy my entire drive and then I would have to set the new SSD as the boot drive in BIOS? Or would I not have to set it?

If you can get the actual consumed space to below 800GB, you can clone the entirety over to a new 1TB drive.

Just like this:
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 as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

 

[msaadeh489]

Thanks for that info. So after cloning and disconnecting the HDD, the system will automatically boot from the SSD? I don't want to be worried about my computer not booting or something like that.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for that info. So after cloning and disconnecting the HDD, the system will automatically boot from the SSD? I don't want to be worried about my computer not booting or something like that.

Following the above, it should work.
In the unlikely event it fails, the original drive is untouched, and could be put back into service.

I've personally done this many times, and seen hundreds here do it exactly like that.

 

[msaadeh489]

That was very reassuring, thanks.