[SOLVED] nvme gen 3 clone to nvme gen 4

[sdog]

can I remove the boot nvme gen 3 in slot 1 and replace it with a blank nvme gen 4 then clone to the blank nvme from the nvme clone that is in slot 2?

 

[USAFRet]

can I remove the boot nvme gen 3 in slot 1 and replace it with a blank nvme gen 4 then clone to the blank nvme from the nvme clone that is in slot 2?

More details needed.

What drives, motherboard, OS, etc.
What do you use this system for?

 

[sdog]

Gigabyte b550 pro AC (slot 1 gen 4 compatable)
2 WD black 500gb nvme gen 3 slot 1 and slot 2

New nvme WD black 500gb gen 4

Windows 10
video and photography editing.
Plenty of HHD storage for files. Files not stored on nvme

Was going to try cloning slot 1 to new drive via usb C external enclosure then swap out. Thought I might save a step just swapping slot 1 gen 3 with new gen 4 and clone from slot 2 gen 3 nvme

 

[USAFRet]

Is this the OS drive?
How much space is consumed ont he current source drive?

The actual user facing difference between PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 is far less than the uber benchmarks imply.



If you do choose to migrate to the new drive, you can do it via an Image, rather than a strait 'clone' thing.
Basically, you write an Image off to the HDD, Boot from a Macrium RescueUSB, and recover that Image to the new drive.

Specific steps:
--------------------------------------
Assuming you have another drive with sufficient free space to hold the entirety of your current m.2 drive:

1. Download and install Macrium Reflect
2. Run that, and create a Rescue CD or USB (you'll use this later). "Other Tasks"
3. In the Macrium client, create an Image to some other drive. External USB HDD, maybe. Select all partitions. This results in a file of xxxx.mrimage
4. When done, power OFF.
5. Swap the 2 drives
6. Boot up from the Rescue USB you created earlier.
7. Recover, and tell it where the Image is that you created in step 3, and which drive to apply it to...the new m.2
8. Go, and wait until it finishes.
9. That's all...this should work.

 

[USAFRet]

Personally, I'd just swap the second Gen3 with the new Gen 4. Leave the OS where it is.
Move the data over as desired.

 

[Nemesia]

I would do the same. Just install the PCie 4.0 NVMe and leave the OS on the PCIe 3.0.

Like USAFRet said the difference between the two for loading your OS or your games or your programs will be exactly the same or like 1 second faster. Not worth all the cloning etc.

 

[sdog]

Plenty of space on both gen 3 slot one and 2.
Only slot one supports gen 4.
Slot 2 has clone of OS and entire slot 1 nvme.

I use macrium already.

On a laptop i cloned a 250gb HDD to a blank 250gb 2.5 ssd via usb. Swapped them and the laptop booted up without skipping a beat.
Shouldn't it be the same with the nvme

 

[Nemesia]

On the laptop you cloned a 250GB HDD to a 250GB SSD. Of course it's worth it. The SSD is faster and it's a good upgrade for a laptop.

Upgrading from NVMe PCie 3.0 500GB to a NVMe PCie 4.0 500GB is pretty much switching to the same thing. You will not even see the difference unless you transfer file(s) to the same or another PCIe 4.0 NVMe.

 

[USAFRet]

Plenty of space on both gen 3 slot one and 2.
Only slot one supports gen 4.
Slot 2 has clone of OS and entire slot 1 nvme.

I use macrium already.

On a laptop i cloned a 250gb HDD to a blank 250gb 2.5 ssd via usb. Swapped them and the laptop booted up without skipping a beat.
Shouldn't it be the same with the nvme

What is the current config, and what do you want the end state to be?

OS drive is in which slot?
Is this the OS drive you're wanting to clone?

What is currently on the drive in the 4.0 slot?

 

[USAFRet]

On a laptop i cloned a 250gb HDD to a blank 250gb 2.5 ssd via usb. Swapped them and the laptop booted up without skipping a beat.
Shouldn't it be the same with the nvme

Sure. And that is a huge upgrade.

For this, you'd need to buy a USB NVMe enclosure.
Or just do an Image, for $0.

Depending on answers above, I still think the OS should remain where it is, and the new 4.0 drive just be added.