Question Is it ok to disconnect and connect again hard drives like this?

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Jayden Taylor

Dec 16, 2023
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I got an a Alienware 18 and want to increase its speed by an SSD I just added. Once I'm done cloning Windows to the new SSD, to make it as the main boot drive, Is it ok to then just shut down the laptop, then just remove the old drive, then turn on the laptop so it uses the NEW SSD as the boot drive, to then finally shut down the computer again, reconnect the old drive and then turn it on and format it to use it as storage? Is such simple process ok? Will it cause damage disconnecting and connecting the drive like that?
Thanks!
 
Jayden Taylor said:
I got an a Alienware 18 and want to increase its speed by an SSD I just added. Once I'm done cloning Windows to the new SSD, to make it as the main boot drive, Is it ok to then just shut down the laptop, then just remove the old drive, then turn on the laptop so it uses the NEW SSD as the boot drive, to then finally shut down the computer again, reconnect the old drive and then turn it on and format it to use it as storage? Is such simple process ok? Will it cause damage disconnecting and connecting the drive like that?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
That is pretty much the way you are supposed to do a clone operation.

When the clone is done, the very first thing you NEED to do is power down, physically disconnect the old drive, and let the system boot from only the new drive.

-----------------------------
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
Both drives must be the same partitioning scheme, either MBR or GPT
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung target SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, you may need to 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

Verify the system boots with ONLY the current "C drive" connected.
If not, we have to fix that first.

Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

[Ignore this section if using the SDM. It does this automatically]
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 specify the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing
[/end ignore]

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD. This is not optional.
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD

(swapping cables is irrelevant with NVMe drives, but DO disconnect the old drive for this next part)
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.
-----------------------------
 
USAFRet said:
That is pretty much the way you are supposed to do a clone operation.

When the clone is done, the very first thing you NEED to do is power down, physically disconnect the old drive, and let the system boot from only the new drive.

-----------------------------
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
Both drives must be the same partitioning scheme, either MBR or GPT
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung target SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, you may need to 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

Verify the system boots with ONLY the current "C drive" connected.
If not, we have to fix that first.

Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

[Ignore this section if using the SDM. It does this automatically]
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 specify the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing
[/end ignore]

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD. This is not optional.
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD

(swapping cables is irrelevant with NVMe drives, but DO disconnect the old drive for this next part)
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.
-----------------------------
Click to expand...
Great, amazing answer. So the new SSD is a Crucial MX500. That is not an NVMe drive correct?
 
So , I don't have to do any special settings, like in the BIOS? Before and after physically connecting and disconnecting the drives? The complete process is as simple as it is then?
 
Jayden Taylor said:
So , I don't have to do any special settings, like in the BIOS? Before and after physically connecting and disconnecting the drives? The complete process is as simple as it is then?
Click to expand...
As the NEW drive will be the only one connected when you boot up, just verify that drive (Windows Boot Manager) is first in the boot order.
If there is anything else, remove it.
 
USAFRet said:
As the NEW drive will be the only one connected when you boot up, just verify that drive (Windows Boot Manager) is first in the boot order.
If there is anything else, remove it.
Click to expand...
USAFRet said:
As the NEW drive will be the only one connected when you boot up, just verify that drive (Windows Boot Manager) is first in the boot order.
If there is anything else, remove it.
Click to expand...
Great I just started the clone process. By doing all this, Windows has to be faster correct?
 
USAFRet said:
Yes.

Overall response will be faster...the system will feel much snappier.
Click to expand...
Perfect, is working so much faster. Just finished. So now I will add the old slow drive. Is very slow though. Is it ok if my laptop runs with the fast SSD and with the slow HDD? Will it cause problems? I will just store games in the HDD
 
Jayden Taylor said:
Perfect, is working so much faster. Just finished. So now I will add the old slow drive. Is very slow though. Is it ok if my laptop runs with the fast SSD and with the slow HDD? Will it cause problems? I will just store games in the HDD
Click to expand...
No problem having both installed.
That is a very common config.

But you DO want to delete ALL partitions on the old drive, and reformat it completely.
 
Jayden Taylor said:
To delete everything in the old drive, all I have to do is format it correct?
Click to expand...
No.
Format in File Explorer just formats the old C partition.
You don't see the original boot partition, and possible recovery partition.


Commandline function diskpart, and the clean command will do it.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/format-hard-drive-command-prompt,37632.html
https://www.seagate.com/support/kb/...-a-drive-through-the-command-prompt-005929en/
https://searchwindowsserver.techtar...t-to-create-extend-or-delete-a-disk-partition
 
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