I want to clone all but one partition (including Windows 8.1) from my HDD to my SSD, what is the best way to do this?

[steviewonder87]

So I have a partition on my current HDD which has some stuff I do not want cloned to my SSD (it would not fit anyway), I specifically made this partition so I could have this data separate to the main Windows partition which I want to clone to my SSD.

I know there are ways to clone only the OS, but I don't want only the OS - I want my programs and some other stuff cloned also (it's all on the same partition).

I also know there are ways to clone the entire HDD but obviously I don't want that either.

I have seen ways to clone individual partitions, but if I just clone the C drive I'm assuming Windows will not run as it will be missing the other smaller partitions that are necessary for Windows to run. So how can I clone everything from my HDD excluding one particular partition? I want to use my SSD as my main boot drive, exactly as my HDD is used now (with all programs and such intact), and have the partition that I do not want cloned to remain only on the HDD.

Thanks

 

[The Paladin]

if a partition on your drive is no longer wanted, you could just go to computer management, then drives and delete that single partition you no longer want , then just clone the drive to your SSD with the clone software provided by your SSD corp.

 

[USAFRet]

So I have a partition on my current HDD which has some stuff I do not want cloned to my SSD (it would not fit anyway), I specifically made this partition so I could have this data separate to the main Windows partition which I want to clone to my SSD.

I know there are ways to clone only the OS, but I don't want only the OS - I want my programs and some other stuff cloned also (it's all on the same partition).

I also know there are ways to clone the entire HDD but obviously I don't want that either.

I have seen ways to clone individual partitions, but if I just clone the C drive I'm assuming Windows will not run as it will be missing the other smaller partitions that are necessary for Windows to run. So how can I clone everything from my HDD excluding one particular partition? I want to use my SSD as my main boot drive, exactly as my HDD is used now (with all programs and such intact), and have the partition that I do not want cloned to remain only the HDD.

Thanks

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window, so that we are all on the same page.

 

[USAFRet]

And Macrium Reflect will absolutely allow you to exclude a particular partition, if desired.

 

[steviewonder87]

if a partition on your drive is no longer wanted, you could just go to computer management, then drives and delete that single partition you no longer want , then just clone the drive to your SSD with the clone software provided by your SSD corp.

No, it is very much wanted. I made this partition specifically so I could keep the data on it separate to the main boot drive as I do not want its contents cloned (I will still be using the HDD as a storage drive once I get my SSD up and running as my main boot drive.)

 

[steviewonder87]

So I have a partition on my current HDD which has some stuff I do not want cloned to my SSD (it would not fit anyway), I specifically made this partition so I could have this data separate to the main Windows partition which I want to clone to my SSD.

I know there are ways to clone only the OS, but I don't want only the OS - I want my programs and some other stuff cloned also (it's all on the same partition).

I also know there are ways to clone the entire HDD but obviously I don't want that either.

I have seen ways to clone individual partitions, but if I just clone the C drive I'm assuming Windows will not run as it will be missing the other smaller partitions that are necessary for Windows to run. So how can I clone everything from my HDD excluding one particular partition? I want to use my SSD as my main boot drive, exactly as my HDD is used now (with all programs and such intact), and have the partition that I do not want cloned to remain only the HDD.

Thanks

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window, so that we are all on the same page.

I want to clone everything on the HDD to the SSD, excluding the E drive - which I want to remain solely on the HDD for later use.

 

[USAFRet]

I want to clone everything on the HDD to the SSD, excluding the E drive - which I want to remain solely on the HDD for later use.

How large is the new SSD? (OK...a 250GB SSD)
How much actual used space is in the C partition?

 

[steviewonder87]

I want to clone everything on the HDD to the SSD, excluding the E drive - which I want to remain solely on the HDD for later use.

How much actual used space is in the C partition?

Under 200GB. So it will fit fine.

I want to clone the C drive, plus all the little partitions made by Windows (like the recovery stuff), but I do not want to clone the 200GB of data that is in the E drive.

Of course the best and easiest way to do this would be to copy the data on the E drive to another HDD, then clone the entire drive onto the SSD, and copy that data back onto the original HDD after the cloning process, but I do not have a spare drive available, so I separated the data I do not want cloned into this E drive partition instead.

 

[steviewonder87]

And Macrium Reflect will absolutely allow you to exclude a particular partition, if desired.

I am downloading this now. So this will allow me to clone the entire HDD to my SSD sans the E partition, correct?

 

[USAFRet]

And Macrium Reflect will absolutely allow you to exclude a particular partition, if desired.

I am downloading this now. So this will allow me to clone the entire HDD to my SSD sans the E partition, correct?

Basically, like this:
-----------------------------
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 Exclude the E partition for your specific requirement
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new 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 original boot partitions, 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
-----------------------------

 

[steviewonder87]

And Macrium Reflect will absolutely allow you to exclude a particular partition, if desired.

I am downloading this now. So this will allow me to clone the entire HDD to my SSD sans the E partition, correct?

Basically, like this:
-----------------------------
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 Exclude the E partition for your specific requirement
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new 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 original boot partitions, 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
-----------------------------

OK, that sounds perfect then. I will give it a shot and report back. Thanks

Btw I attempted it with Samsung Data Migration and while it does allow you to exclude individual files, it also states that it deletes anything excluded from the cloning process on the source drive, which is obviously not what I want (surely if one wanted that they would just delete said files before cloning anyway?).