[SOLVED] Laptop HDD to SSD Clone

[richiestang_78]

I have an old Dell laptop I want to give some new life and speed. Since SSDs are now so cheap I figure that would be the best way. The current HDD is small, I believe its a 320GB so I plan on getting a 500GB SSD. I dont however have a recovering disk/drive for the machine since when I bought it Dell started to put recovering partitions on their drives instead. How would I go about making a clone of the drive? What software would I need?

 

[USAFRet]

What OS is it currently?

 

[USAFRet]

Secondly:
Can the laptop take 2x SATA drives at the same time? Probably not.
Do you have an external drive with 500GB or more free space?

 

[richiestang_78]

It came with Windows 8 which I upgraded to 10 when that was free. Id rather not have to either buy a new copy of windows or go with an unactivated version.

I have a external HDD/SSDto USB dock which I assume would work for any copying that has be done.

 

[USAFRet]

You do NOT need to purchase a new license, or go unactivated. We can move that whole thing to a new SSD.

A SATA III SSD will be a direct drop in replacement.
Prices now are particularly good. 1TB Samsung for $88.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/samsung-860-qvo-1tb-holiday-2019-deal

Assuming you have sufficient free space on an external drive in that dock, no problem.
You'll also need a USB flash drive of 8GB.
(Does your laptop have 2x USB ports?)

Assuming you have another drive with sufficient free space to hold the entirety of your current HDD:

1. Download and install Macrium Reflect
2. Run that, and create a Rescue CD or USB (you'll use this later). "Other Tasks"
3. In the Macrium client, create an Image to your external USB HDD. Select all partitions. This results in a file of xxxx.mrimage
4. When done, power OFF.
5. Swap the 2 drives. HDD out, SSD in.
6. Boot up from the Rescue USB you created earlier.
7. Recover, and tell it where the Image is that you created in step 3, and which drive to apply it to...the new SSD
8. Go, and wait until it finishes.
9. That's all...this should work.

 

[richiestang_78]

I don't have an external drive to do the transfer, I just have the HDD dock which I was hoping to just plug into the laptop with the new SSD in it. Unless you are saying to use the new SSD as the external drive, sorry bit confused.

 

[USAFRet]

I don't have an external drive to do the transfer, I just have the HDD dock which I was hoping to just plug into the laptop with the new SSD in it. Unless you are saying to use the new SSD as the external drive, sorry bit confused.

Ah...different story.

In the above instructions...
Plug the new drive into the dock.
Change "create an Image" to "Clone".

I think it will do a clone to something connected like that.
The Samsung Data Migration won't, but I think Macrium Reflect will.

 

[richiestang_78]

Oh ok thanks.

Also as far as the drive you linked, the Samsung QVO use QLC memory correct? I can get a MX500 which uses TLC instead for only 10 bucks more, think its worth it to invest int eh better and faster Crucial?

 

[USAFRet]

Oh ok thanks.

Also as far as the drive you linked, the Samsung QVO use QLC memory correct? I can get a MX500 which uses TLC instead for only 10 bucks more, think its worth it to invest int eh better and faster Crucial?

Yes.
That one I linked was only a price suggestion/placeholder.

I'd get the MX500 over that particular Samsung.