Question Migrate OS to SSD without cloning.

[NikeFan1234]

I recently got a SSD and want to put my os on it. But the only solutions I have found are cloning everything from my hdd to ssd. However, my ssd is only 500gb and everything on my hdd is over 1.2tb. How do i migrate windows to my ssd without cloning?

 

[Lafong]

If everything on the HDD is in a single partition, you've got a problem.

You can't fit 1.2 TB into a half TB and you can't readily transfer "just the OS".

Cloning is typically "all or nothing" on the entire drive.

Imaging is a similar process that works on a partition by partition basis, but that won't help you if everything is on C.

There might be some extreme tactic that would at least allow you to try to transfer the OS only, but I can't recall hearing about any success doing it.

You could get a larger drive?

Or you could do a clean install to the SSD and keep all your data on the larger HDD.

Or maybe move some personal data off the HDD to an external so that C is a lot smaller...I have no idea what you have on the HDD.

Maybe you can't whittle down the 1.2 TB at all?

 

[COLGeek]

For this, a full clean install of your OS on the SSD followed by a re-installation of your apps is the proper method. You can still use the original HDD as a data drive afterward.

You can't really just move the OS. All the registry and applications settings would be "lost" and not know where to point.

 

[SkyNetRising]

How do i migrate windows to my ssd without cloning?

This:

Or maybe move some personal data off the HDD to an external so that C is a lot smaller...

And then do cloning.

 

[Eximo]

If there is enough free space you can create a new partition on the old drive, move some files to it, expand the partition, and repeat until you have moved everything non-vital over. Then clone only the OS partition.

It is time consuming, so better if you can just move the files to a temporary location or uninstall/delete things that can be easily put back later.

 

[USAFRet]

I recently got a SSD and want to put my os on it. But the only solutions I have found are cloning everything from my hdd to ssd. However, my ssd is only 500gb and everything on my hdd is over 1.2tb. How do i migrate windows to my ssd without cloning?

You need to get the actual consumed space to below 400GB for any hope of doing this.
You can't move "only Windows".

And 'cloning' IS the thing you want to do.


Or, just a new OS install on the SSD.
OS, applications, drivers.....

 

[NikeFan1234]

let me know if either of these options is possible/viable:
1. is there any way to remove windows from the hdd drive?
2.just install windows on the ssd and use the hdd as is without attempting to remove windows

 

[USAFRet]

let me know if either of these options is possible/viable:
1. is there any way to remove windows from the hdd drive?
2.just install windows on the ssd and use the hdd as is without attempting to remove windows

1. No. Well, yes, but the applications on it will then be null and void.

2. You can install Windows on the new drive. But again, the applications on the HDD will be null and void.

When an application is installed, it makes dozens, sometimes hundreds of entries in the Registry and elsewhere.



What, specifically, consumes all the 1.2TB space on the HDD?

 

[NikeFan1234]

work files, pictures, games make up that 1.2tb. So, I can't move it anywhere else unless I buy a temporary storage device move the files there and then the clone os onto the ssd. But i dont want to spend that money and that time.

@Eximo had an interesting idea about moving all the files onto a separate partition on the hdd. Once all the files are on the separate partition(except the os), clone the original partition with the os onto the ssd. is that a viable solution?

Because clearing space off the hdd without an external hdd simply isnt viable for me.

 

[USAFRet]

work files, pictures, games make up that 1.2tb. So, I can't move it anywhere else unless I buy a temporary storage device move the files there and then the clone os onto the ssd. But i dont want to spend that money and that time.

@Eximo had an interesting idea about moving all the files onto a separate partition on the hdd. Once all the files are on the separate partition(except the os), clone the original partition with the os onto the ssd. is that a viable solution?

Because clearing space off the hdd without an external hdd simply isnt viable for me.

1. This speaks to a deeper issue...you have no backup.

2. "Once all the files are on the separate partition(except the os)" Again, you can't split out 'only the OS'.
Your personal files, yes. Games, maybe. Everything else goes with the OS.

Lack of some other drive is making this very difficult. Can you do it with a different partition? Yes, maybe.
But any operation like this really really really needs a full backup.
Just in case things go weird.
And if you have that, most of these problems go away.

 

[NikeFan1234]

If I was to install windows on my ssd and then delete windows off the hard drive, like this https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...CAF83610DD71A2F218A1CAF83610DD71A2F&FORM=VIRE, would that work.

and then just reinstall all the programs afterwards.

 

[geofelt]

Can you return the 500gb ssd in favor of a larger one?
How much is your time worth?
You can clone a c drive to a ssd if the original used space will fit.

For $100 or so, you can buy a 1tb ssd of some sort.
2tb is about $170.

Do you have external backup?
Getting all of your data on a ssd would allow you to reuse the 1.2tb HDD as a backup device.

 

[USAFRet]

If I was to install windows on my ssd and then delete windows off the hard drive, like this https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...CAF83610DD71A2F218A1CAF83610DD71A2F&FORM=VIRE, would that work.

and then just reinstall all the programs afterwards.

No, that won't work either.

You can't "uninstall" applications from an OS that no longer exists.


Get the current space consumption to under 400GB, then you can clone directly from HDD to SSD.
Or, trade your 500GB SSD for a larger one. 2TB.

 

[NikeFan1234]

I can delete the windows and programs off the hard drive, because they dont make up a bulk of the space on the hdd. But it still wont put me below 500gb

So, with that being said, how can I migrate all those files(like cad files, pictures, pdf, etc. that are not reliant on windows to function) into a separate partition on the hdd and then delete the original partition with the programs and windows?

 

[USAFRet]

I can delete the windows and programs off the hard drive, because they dont make up a bulk of the space on the hdd. But it still wont put me below 500gb

So, with that being said, how can I migrate all those files(like cad files, pictures, pdf, etc. that are not reliant on windows to function) into a separate partition on the hdd and then delete the original partition with the programs and windows?

1. Stop with "delete the windows". You cannot do that without another OS.
Which you don't have.

2. Managing partitions like you want to do is fraught with potential problems. And should NOT be done without a full backup. Which you do not have.

 

[NikeFan1234]

I am asking a simple question. How can I move files not programs onto a partition and delete the original partition. After installing windows on the ssd.

Let me know potential problems with this plan:

Step 1. Move files like pictures onto a separate partition on the hdd

Step 2. Install windows onto the ssd with usb media creation tool.

Step 3. either using cmd or booting into the OS on the ssd. delete the partition with windows installed on it.

Step 4. Install programs onto SSD after booting into OS installed on SSD.

Step 5. now hdd is simply a storage device and now the ssd is the boot drive.

Step 6. use computer as normal.

 

[USAFRet]

Your Step 1 is, unfortunately, fraught with potential problems.
Manipulating partitions on a drive that contains the single copy of your data can result in "oops....all gone"

I'm not saying this because I don't know how, but rather I DO know, and I've seen the tears that can result.

We see that "oops" here almost every day. And then "How do I get my data back?"
Seriously.

 

[NikeFan1234]

Because you are so proficient with technology. Where do they go wrong?

And how do I do it safely?

 

[USAFRet]

So, why do people delete their stuff when doing what I propose. Where do they go wrong.

And how do I do it safely?

Why?
By not having a known good backup.

Any operation like this NEEDS a good backup. Period.


Exactly how?
Not reading what the message is saying.
A simple misclick.
Power loss in the middle.
Some other hardware issue.
Screwing with the wrong partition.
Multiple other reasons.

And every one of those people said "I'll be really careful!"
And then the 'oops'.

 

[USAFRet]

You're trying to squish 1.2TB data into a 400GB space.

Without a foolproof plan. (and foolproof does not exist)

 

[NikeFan1234]

New plan and let me know any potential error:

1. install windows on ssd

2. boot into windows on ssd and install programs showing them the files are already on the hdd.

3. windows and the installer recognizes the files exist and I do this for all my programs including games.

4. I now boot into windows on the ssd and use the hdd as an extra storage device. And dont touch the windows files on the hdd.

 

[USAFRet]

New plan and let me know any potential error:

1. install windows on ssd

2. boot into windows on ssd and install programs showing them the files are already on the hdd.

3. windows and the installer recognizes the files exist and I do this for all my programs including games.

4. I now boot into windows on the ssd and use the hdd as an extra storage device. And dont touch the windows files on the hdd.

New wrinkle....

Your "files" on the HDD are almost certainly in the default Libraries. Documents/Pictures, etc. Correct?
Now you run into permissions issues. Your new OS user has different permissions than the user on the old OS.


Games.....Things from Steam are generally easy to fix.
The NEW Steam client in the NEW OS...you simply point the new client to where those games are.
Other game platforms may not be as easy.


This is part of why I asked about what specifically was on the HDD.
Not just 'games and files'.

 

[NikeFan1234]

Now I see why I haven't found a solution online. This is tricky to do without cloning and/or without a third storage device.

I can't afford to buy the larger capacity ssd. Is there any other way to do what I am trying to do?

 

[Lafong]

Windows alone when updated takes up somewhere around 30 GB.

Your SSD has usable space of somewhere around 465 GB.

What is the total GB count for your "files"???

Not Windows; not installed programs; not games. Just "files".

What is most important to you...your "files", your games, or your something else, whatever that might be?

 

[NikeFan1234]

The files alone are around 700 gbs. And I have nowhere to store them to do the cloning of the hdd. @Lafong I would love to here if you have any creative ideas to help me out. I would really appreciate it because it seems there is no easy solution.