[SOLVED] Looking to upgrade to SSD, but have no idea whether or not I can go M.2, or how to clone.

[RJGray]

Here's the digital manual for my motherboard. Please tell me if I can run a M.2 SSD from this. I genuinely have no clue how to tell if I can or not.
ECS H81H3-M

I genuinely have no idea what to look for, and all the letters and numbers are confusing to me, so I don't even know what to match to what when looking.

As for cloning, I know that in order to upgrade my old HDD to a new SSD for all core services being run by my computer I need to clone the HDD onto the SSD, but I have no idea how. Do I need a new program to do that? Do I need a specialty device or can I use a USB with sufficient storage? Can I just plug it in and run my computer, then transfer all files to the unallocated new drive? Is it free to do or do I need to pay extra on top of the SSD purchase to do so? I genuinely don't know anything when it comes to cloning drives.

Any help is welcome. Let me know if you need to know my other computer specs too.

 

[rgd1101]

motherboard don't have m.2 slot.
get a 2.5" ssd

 

[USAFRet]

2.5" SATA III SSD. Disregard anything M.2 or NVMe.

To clone to the new drive...
How much space is consumed on your current HDD?
What OS?

Given the proper conditions, free software will work. Specific steps to come later.

 

[RJGray]

Currently just shy of 400 GB is being used by my HDD. OS is Windows 10. What free software, and how is the cloning done?

 

[USAFRet]

Currently just shy of 400 GB is being used by my HDD. OS is Windows 10. What free software, and how is the cloning done?

Given a 500GB or larger 2.5" SATA III SSD (Samsung 860 EVO or Crucial MX500), this...

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Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
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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 all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
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[RJGray]

Thanks! Big help!