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 it 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.....