Move WIn10 OS to a smaller SSD

kenwaldmann

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Mar 28, 2014
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I'd like to move my Win10 OS only from a 512gb HDD to a smaller 240gb SSD (and install a 1tb HDD for storage) Is this possible, and if so, what's the best way? Thanks.
 
Solution


You can't move "only the OS"/

To clone into a 240GB drive, you need to reduce the actual used space to below 200GB.

After you get to that point, procedures here:
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
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...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


You can't move "only the OS"/

To clone into a 240GB drive, you need to reduce the actual used space to below 200GB.

After you get to that point, procedures here:
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
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 as necessary.
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
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Solution

kenwaldmann

Distinguished
Mar 28, 2014
33
0
18,530