Migration from HDD to SDD on Thinkpad X250

[mkopytek]

Hello experts,
I would really appreciate some guidance on a hardware migration adventure I’m about to embark on: I am taking delivery of a new Thinkpad to replace my older laptop. I will replace the HDD on the new Thinkpad with a SSD.

Current Laptop: Thinkpad X61
• Win7 Pro SP1 32bit
• 300GB HDD partitioned as such:
- OEM Recovery Partition, 5GB
- C:/drive (NTFS) – System, Boot, Primary Partition, 3rd party programs, 145GB w/ 10GB free
- D: /drive (NTFS) – data files, 150GB w/ 10GB free

New Laptop: Thinkpad X250
• Windows 7 Professional 64 preinstalled through downgrade rights in Windows 8.1 Pro 64
• 500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm, 2.5"
• I assume there will be no CDs included, and that all s/w will be preloaded on the HDD, together w/ OEM Recovery Partition

New SSD: My intention is to purchase a Samsung 2.5" 850 EVO 1TB to replace the 500GB HDD in the X250. I plan on doing the migration as soon as I take delivery of the new X250.

“Big Picture”, I see the migration steps as:
• Migrate contents of X250 HDD to new SDD
• Replace HDD on X250 w/ SDD
• Copy data files & programs from X61 to new SSD on X250

My concerns:
• Should I consider using Acronis TrueImage, Macrium, or Paragon Migrate instead of the Samsung migration s/w? (Samsung Migration s/w apparently will not copy OEM Recovery Partition from HDD to SDD)
• How do I move all the 3rd party software programs from my X61 to the new X250?
• How do I move all the drivers from the X61 to the X250?
• What else haven’t I thought of?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Mark

 

[ArtPog]

I see no reason why you would not use the Samsung Data Migration program. Based on our experience it's a reliable and easy-to-use program that gets the job done. I don't know where you got the idea that program would not clone the OEM Recovery Partition from the Thinkpad's HDD. Is there some particular problem involving the Thinkpad's OS that prevents the cloning of that partition?

You're going to need to install all (or virtually all) of your programs onto the new SSD. This will probably be the most onerous chore you will have re the migration process.

I can't fathom why you're asking about moving drivers from the old laptop to the new laptop? Why would you want to do this? What possible purpose would it serve?

One more thing...
DO NOT immediately pursue the disk-cloning operation the moment you take delivery of your new laptop. Work with the installed HDD & system to ensure all is well before you embark on the disk-cloning operation involving your new SSD.

Following the successful cloning of your new laptop's HDD to the SSD, work with the SSD for a reasonable period of time to ensure that it functions without any problems. Until you're sure of this, do not make any substantial changes/modifications in the laptop's original 500 GB HDD.

 

[mkopytek]

ArtPog - thanks for taking the time to reply.

Re: "I don't know where you got the idea that program would not clone the OEM Recovery Partition from the Thinkpad's HDD." - in Samsung's Data Migration Manual v2.6, under Limitations, it says " 6. - OEM recovery partitions, generated at the factory by computer manufacturers, cannot be replicated..." This appears to be a known issue previously identified elsewhere in this knowledgebase.

Re: Drivers - Well, printer drivers for one. As a consultant I work in a lot of different organizations - I'm thinking of all the different printer drivers I've got installed. If I can't migrate, then I suppose I'll have to install from scratch as each situation arises.

I like your advice re: do not immediately pursue disk cloning. I think this is the prudent way to go.

Thanks!

 

[ArtPog]

Thanks for that information re Samsung's disclosure that OEM Recovery Partitions cannot be "replicated" (cloned?). That is strange news because I know for a fact that we've used the SDM program to clone the contents of a number of laptops (obviously OEM machines) + at least a couple of OEM desktop PCs and the program cloned the *entire* contents of the source disk - including any OEM recovery-type partitions - to the destination disk. I should mention that all of these PCs were HP models with perhaps one or two exceptions involving some other makes that I can't recall. However, I don't recall working with any Thinkpad re the data migration process.

I suppose there's no harm using the SDM program with your new Thinkpad and see how it goes. I'd be interested to learn the results.

The other disk-cloning programs you mention should work as well. We've worked with the Macrium & Paragon programs and they get the job done. Haven't worked with the Acronis TI program for a number of years but that program should work just as well.

In case you might be interested...
The disk-cloning program we work with nearly exclusively is the Casper program (http://www.fssdev.com). We've been using this program for a fair number of years and have never found a disk-cloning program its equal in reliability, ease-of -use, and especially speed of operation.

We are primarily interested in using the program as a comprehensive backup tool for our systems. We use the program frequently/routinely not less than once a week, usually more often - perhaps two or three times per week, and frequently even daily. The disk-cloning speed of the program when it is used on a frequent basis is its chief advantage.

The program is a commercial one - costing $49.99. There is a 30-day free trial version available (https://www.fssdev.com/products/casper/trial/)

The trial version is slightly crippled in that it does not have partition-resizing capability as found in the commercial version. To illustrate this restriction (using your Thinkpad X250 system as an example)...
Assuming the current 500 GB source HDD contains 210 GB of total data...
The 200 GB will be cloned to your 1 TB, however, the partition created on the latter destination drive will be 210 GB, sufficient to contain the cloned data. The remaining disk-space of the 1 TB HDD will be unallocated.

Obviously this is a rather minor restriction of the program's trial version since it's a simple matter to use Disk Management following the disk-cloning operation and merely extend the partition to encompass the full disk-space capacity of the 1 TB drive. As I've indicated, the commercial version does not contain this restriction so that the default disk-cloning operation would result in the entire disk-space capacity of the destination drive being utilized to contain the cloned contents of the source drive. (With the commercial version the user will also have an option, should he choose, to resize partitions on the destination drive during the disk-cloning operation.)

So you might want to give this program a spin.