Is migrating from an HDD to an SSD simple?

[chuckle490]

I've been wanting to upgrade my rig by adding an SSD to run windows and certain games. I currently have a WD Blue 1TB hdd, and I'm thinking of getting either the Samsung 840 EVO or the the Crucial MX100 both in either 256GB or 512GB. My question is using the migration software included with either one easy? I've heard that a fresh install of windows is best but I've heard that it is a long process to create a fresh install. i guess my what i want to know is if it is ok to use the migration software included with either ssd or is a fresh OS install necessary?

 

[Onus]

If the drive space in use is less than the formatted capacity of the SSD (238GB for a 256GB drive), then cloning the HDD onto the SSD is a relatively painless process. Use the included migration tools, or a program like Acronis True Image (which you may then want to use to regularly back up your system; so it's not a waste if you buy it first to do the clone). I have done this several times, without issues.

 

[Brillis Wuce]

Migrating an image from an HDD to an SSD isn't recommended because you won't get full performance of your SSD, but if you really want to, migrating is fairly simple.

To clear it up, all you have to do for a fresh install is download an ISO and create a bootable USB drive (32GB or greater) using Rufus . Besides waiting for the ISO to download, it actually takes equal or less time than migrating your OS. My last Win8 install on my MX100 took less than 10 minutes.

 

[USAFRet]

1. How much used space is on your current drive?

2.

to run windows and certain games.

This brings issues into the 'clone' process. You can't select 'some' games.

3. What OS. How old is that existing install?

Personally, I always recommend a clean install on a new SSD.

 

[chuckle490]

1. Around 500 GB on my current drive, I would clean it up before cloning obviously.

2. Like I said I would uninstall the games I wouldn't want on my ssd.

3 Windows 8.1, and it was installed in July I believe.


Is there a guide for creating a fresh install you guys could link me to? Thanks for all the help!

 

[gesteiger]

I just purchased and installed a SamSung EVO 840 mSATA, 1TB and tried to use the data Migration SW from Samsung and kept getting error on source disk, some 12 digit or so error I didn't write down. I searched the net for the error and found some good advice. "Use different Software" I did just that and used the Free version of EaseUs Backup which has Clone function included. I wanted to use Acronis but refused to pay the 63 bucks. I want to say I was extremely pleased with the performance of EaseUs on first attempt it worked and about 500GB of data was cloned in about an hour or less. I've run a benchmark on the SSD and it's putting out numbers it's reported to preform. The msata ss evo 840 has a great write up and I'm pleased with my decision to spend the 439.00 for it.

Backing up your games then doing a restore to a different location may work after you do a clean install of win as people are suggesting. I got a new PC and decided to just download 12 games again from Steam instead. I did 1-2 every night till I got them all and put them on the drive I wanted.

 

[hwc1954]

I just successfully migrated from HDD to a SanDisk SSD as the new primary drive. I used Acronic for cloning, but I could have used the EZGIGIV software that can be downloaded from SanDisk.

The challenge comes if you want to have your operating system and apps on the SSD, but store documents, music, video, etc. on the HDD. Windows does NOT like messing around with the locations of My Documents, My Music, My Videos, and My Documents folders. Likewise Outlook and iTunes get sad faces if they can't find their files (like if they are on D: drive instead of C.

What I did was use Windows LOCATION command in the properties tab for each of these key folders to move them to a different HDD. As long as Windows is moving them, it's fine. Once I had all the big data files off the HDD, I cloned it to the SDD. This made the SSD my boot drive with Windows and all my apps. That part worked fine and was easy. Once cloned, I just had to go into BIOS and assign the right boot disk.

I gave it a day to make sure that was all working and reformatted the old HDD (now D: drive). Then, I repeated the process of moving all the document, music, and video files to their permanent home on that drive. The only thing that fought me a little bit was Outlook and that's only because I wanted to get the mail folders off the SSD drive and on the data drive (probably not worth the aggravation, actually).

 

[gesteiger]

I just successfully migrated from HDD to a SanDisk SSD as the new primary drive. I used Acronic for cloning, but I could have used the EZGIGIV software that can be downloaded from SanDisk.

The challenge comes if you want to have your operating system and apps on the SSD, but store documents, music, video, etc. on the HDD. Windows does NOT like messing around with the locations of My Documents, My Music, My Videos, and My Documents folders. Likewise Outlook and iTunes get sad faces if they can't find their files (like if they are on D: drive instead of C.

What I did was use Windows LOCATION command in the properties tab for each of these key folders to move them to a different HDD. As long as Windows is moving them, it's fine. Once I had all the big data files off the HDD, I cloned it to the SDD. This made the SSD my boot drive with Windows and all my apps. That part worked fine and was easy. Once cloned, I just had to go into BIOS and assign the right boot disk.

I gave it a day to make sure that was all working and reformatted the old HDD (now D: drive). Then, I repeated the process of moving all the document, music, and video files to their permanent home on that drive. The only thing that fought me a little bit was Outlook and that's only because I wanted to get the mail folders off the SSD drive and on the data drive (probably not worth the aggravation, actually).

 

[gesteiger]

Location command? Never heard of it?

 

[gesteiger]

I just finished my install a couple hrs ago and was tweeking the settings. All of a sudden Windows 8.1 gives me a message that "Windows is not activated" I almost dumped a load in my pants. I called MS and read off the 9 blocks of numbers they wanted and got the activation key and all is fine now. Never had that happen EVER! I been around PC's and networks 30 years and never had something make me freak like that.

 

[hwc1954]

Location command? Never heard of it?

Find USERS > USER NAME > MY DOCUMENTS

Right click on the MY Documents folder and select PROPERTIES. On the properties screen is a LOCATION tab. On that tab, you click MOVE and it lets you enter a new folder to move MY DOCUMENTS to. It doesn't create a new folder, you actually point to a folder you've already created ("documents"). When you hit APPLY and confirm the move, it renames the new folder My Documents, moves everything, and fixes all the billions of links.

You have to do this for Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Video folders for each USER.

I did those moves to temporary hard drive one day. Did the cloning and migration of the system and apps to the SSD on day two. And then moved all the data folders back to the newly formated D: drive on the third day. It went without a hitch, once I had a plan of attack.

 

[hwc1954]

I just finished my install a couple hrs ago and was tweeking the settings. All of a sudden Windows 8.1 gives me a message that "Windows is not activated" I almost dumped a load in my pants. I called MS and read off the 9 blocks of numbers they wanted and got the activation key and all is fine now. Never had that happen EVER! I been around PC's and networks 30 years and never had something make me freak like that.

I got the Windows activation notice (win 7) when I migrated. But, I just clicked the links in the dialog box, deactivated the old computer and it automatically activated the new computer (which is, of course, the same computer). Win was just making sure that both installations of Windows (on the SSD and on the old HDD) were not both activated. It was painless. I didn't even have to enter any activation numbers.

 

[gesteiger]

Very cool after all these years I still learn something every day. I love tech for that reason, I never get bored. do these folders have to be in a Library to make this happen? I tried other folders but no location option for them, however I will find this useful. After you move them it a perm location then, till you decide to change it. Will my Word for example start to open from the new location and save to this location as well?

 

[hwc1954]

Very cool after all these years I still learn something every day. I love tech for that reason, I never get bored. do these folders have to be in a Library to make this happen? I tried other folders but no location option for them, however I will find this useful. After you move them it a perm location then, till you decide to change it. Will my Word for example start to open from the new location and save to this location as well?

It's only certain folders and they all seem to be part of USER libraries.The exception is the PUBLIC FOLDERS. As far as I can tell, these cannot be moved and have to remain on the C: drive. They have a LOCATION tab, but no MOVE option.

I had to tell iTunes that I had moved my iTunes library. Otherwise, I haven't seen any confusion from applications and all the Win libraries work as they are supposed to. Using the LOCATION/MOVE command from within each of those folders is a little bit of a pain in the butt, but it appears to be the way to preserve all the links Win 7 wants to see. It was a lot less hassle than reinstalling all my apps and then going through years of updates. When Adobe apps work properly, the last thing I want to do is mess with them!