[SOLVED] Is fully switching everything from an hdd to an ssd worth it?

Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30
Is cloning everything from an hdd to an ssd worth it? I am doing it rn. I can keep both the hdd and ssd but whatever is on the ssd would run faster and everything else would still be slow. I don't want to lose ANY data.
 
Solution
Once you have that desktop drive properly connected, cloning steps:

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...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Assuming it all fits on the SSD, yes.
You can move stuff back to the HDD later, after you wipe all of it...stuff that doesn't really care about the speed of the SSD.

And as far as "don't want to lose ANY data"...that's what a good backup routine is for.
 
Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30


I've been watching videos about cloning and what not but i am just getting confused by the process. Basically what i'd like to do is have programs on the SSD and pictures and what not on the HDD. How do i do this? What software do i use?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


How much space is consumed on your HDD?
What size is the SSD?
 


you can use a program like macrium reflect to make and image or a clone of your HDD to transfer to your SSD. if the data on your HDD is too big for your SSD then it may not be possible

however, depending on how old your computer or windows install is it might be best to do a clean install of windows again to and install all your programs

 
Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30
The SSD is a 500gb and the there is 132gb of files and everything on the HDD. Also when i plug in the HDD it doesn't show. It makes the sound when you plug in like a flash drive but i cannot seem to find it.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Is this a laptop?
 
Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30


Desktop, i am using a USB to SSD cable.
 


does the SSD drive SATA or M.2. if it is M.2 then it would disable the first and maybe 2nd SATA pots

 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


That "cable" won't work for a 3.5" desktop drive.

Either connect it internally, or buy and use a USB-SATA dock.
A 3.5" drive requires 12v as well as 5v power. USB can only supply the 5v.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Once you have that desktop drive properly connected, cloning steps:

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


(I'm going out for a few hours, so don't be concerned if I don't reply right away)
 
Solution
Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30


The HDD is plugged in internally to the PSU. I have the SSD plugged into to a USB port on the outside of the case with a USB to SATA cable. This isn't permanent.
 


seriously? motherboards come with more than one SATA port.

 
Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30
I just want to clarify that i have never ever done this before. I appreciate the steps and i understand them for the most part. All i want is either everything on the SSD or just like non program stuff on the HDD like pictures and documents. But how do i do this? More in depth please. Dumb it down as far as possible lol.
 
Dec 13, 2018
47
0
30
Ok so here what is what i am struggling with right now. I read that i have to initialize the ssd in disk manager so i did. But it is still not popping up when i open libraries. After this i would just like to clone the HDD to the SSD and remove the HDD and worry about organizing everything else later.
 

maddoghealy

Reputable
Oct 14, 2015
6
0
4,510
Connect it all to internal and follow steps above. For future refrence a hdd dock with clone feature is best. Also you can not clon a bigger drive to smaller drive at all. It dosent matter if your toatal space is smaller or not.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


No, that is actually incorrect.
The current cloning tools don't care about the actual drive size, just the actual consumed space.