[SOLVED] Laptop Non-OS HDD Upgrade to SSD

[merc.]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to upgrade the non-OS internal HDD (literally everything else on it except OS) of my laptop to a SSD, and have been doing a lot of reading about how to do it. However, most of the content I find online are for replacing OS drives, and so -- disk cloning, which I understand I don't need to do in this case. I would appreciate it if you can read through the steps I'm about to do based on mixed info. I've gathered from everywhere online, so to see if I've got the understanding of how it's supposed to work out:

1. Make sure SSD is SATA, 2.5" with relatively the same dimensions as the HDD

2. Take out old HDD

3.Put in new SSD

4. Change BIOS settings to AHCI

5. Plug in old HDD through a SATA enclosure

6. Copy/Paste all data into new SSD

7. Change drive letter of new SSD to the same drive letter of the old HDD

Would it be as simple as this? Also are there any limitations as to how much SSD storage a laptop can have?

Any insight is appreciated. Thank you everyone.

 

[RoccatKanga]

Yes, but you could also first copy the data and then swap the drives.

 

[USAFRet]

Exchange # 3 with #5 & 6.

Connect the new SSD externally, copy the data from the internal HDD.
Then swap the physical dries and drive letters.

 

[USAFRet]

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
Want to verify the System Reserved partition does or does not live on the secondary drive.

 

[merc.]

Thanks everyone for the heads up.

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
Want to verify the System Reserved partition does or does not live on the secondary drive.

Here ya go:

 

[USAFRet]

OK
Given that config, a simple copy/paste will work.

Also, when copying, do NOT grab ALL of the folders at once, trying to do the entire drive in one chunk.
Do them in parts.

If it fails partway through the paste process, you can simply redo that small section, instead of the whole thing.

And as always...copy/paste. Not Move.

 

[merc.]

Yes, will keep all of your pointers in mind, as well as everyone's above. Thank you again everyone!