Question Question about using external ssd as C drive

[Wen1975]

Hi all. New member with my first post. I started to see if my question had already been answered, but didn't want to spend a lot of time reading through so many posts. So if my exact situation has been addressed, please feel free to share the link with me. I'm all for saving time and *not* reinventing the wheel
I currently have Windows 7 Professional and my C drive is an HDD. I got an SSD with the intention of cloning the HDD onto it and using that for my new C drive but as EXTERNAL, not internal. I started the migration process using Samsung Magician but then I started thinking there would be problems with programs not able to be accessed (such as browsers, etc with the SSD drive labeled other than C: ). I understand the process of changing boot priority so the SSD would load Windows. But won't all the other programs not work? Because the SSD won't be named C drive. Is there a way to do what I want (clone HDD to SSD, with the SSD external)? Thanks for your help.

 

[rgd1101]

the boot drive is always c

the bigger question would be if you can boot from an external

 

[Wen1975]

I found this on another forum -
Hi, I just cloned my old C: and D: to new 1TB HDD from the old 320GB.I need to change the system C: letter to K: (for example) and then change that cloned one back to C:.Same with the D: but there is a paging file so I can´t change the letters of C: and D:.Can someone help?
------that person's follow up - Problem fixed.I just changed the boot priority to the new HDD and its automaticaly changed it to C: and D:.Then I just format the old C: and D:.
So my new question would be: would the system take care of my issue if I changed the boot order to the new SSD drive as #1? Would the system change the SSD drive to be C? A message popped up when I started the migration, that the HDD would be wiped, and all the data would only be on the SSD.

 

[rgd1101]

yes. if you can change it to boot from the external.
the c drive is the boot drive wherever hdd/sdd

clone shouldn't wiped your hdd.
don't wipe the hdd until you know you can boot from the ssd.

what your system spec? should run the ssd inside the pc

 

[Zerk2012]

C drive but as EXTERNAL

why external?

 

[Wen1975]

why external?

Because a lot of time and physical effort would be involved for me to install the drive internally.

 

[Wen1975]

yes. if you can change it to boot from the external.
the c drive is the boot drive wherever hdd/sdd

clone shouldn't wiped your hdd.
don't wipe the hdd until you know you can boot from the ssd.

what your system spec? should run the ssd inside the pc

I'd have to start the migration process again and see if it showed me the message again, but I'm pretty sure that's what it said about automatically wiping the drive that was cloned. I do have a recovery disc if SHTF completely. I explained in other reply why I don't want to install as internal.

 

[Zerk2012]

Because a lot of time and physical effort would be involved for me to install the drive internally.

I can't think of anything that is very hard to change a drive.

 

[Wen1975]

I can't think of anything that is very hard to change a drive.

Moving a lot of things from where they are by and on top of my tower, disconnecting all the cords, moving the tower itself...does that help your understanding?

 

[USAFRet]

Moving a lot of things from where they are by and on top of my tower, disconnecting all the cords, moving the tower itself...does that help your understanding?

Moving cables around is a 'one afternoon' pain.
Trying to run a Windows OS from an external is going to be a perpetual pain, even if you get it running.

Windows is not meant to run from an external drive., and is non-trivial to get going.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi all. New member with my first post. I started to see if my question had already been answered, but didn't want to spend a lot of time reading through so many posts. So if my exact situation has been addressed, please feel free to share the link with me. I'm all for saving time and *not* reinventing the wheel
I currently have Windows 7 Professional and my C drive is an HDD. I got an SSD with the intention of cloning the HDD onto it and using that for my new C drive but as EXTERNAL, not internal. I started the migration process using Samsung Magician but then I started thinking there would be problems with programs not able to be accessed (such as browsers, etc with the SSD drive labeled other than C: ). I understand the process of changing boot priority so the SSD would load Windows. But won't all the other programs not work? Because the SSD won't be named C drive. Is there a way to do what I want (clone HDD to SSD, with the SSD external)? Thanks for your help.

So your plan is just to clone from the internal HDD to the external SSD, reboot and select the SSD to boot from?

That's not gonna work.

 

[thestryker]

Samsung Magician shouldn't wipe anything by default I've used it in the past to migrate system drives just fine.

You can definitely boot from USB on pretty much any UEFI system, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. The chances of running into reliability problems is extremely high and your performance won't be as good as it should be. If you're going to the effort of cloning and upgrading you should be willing to take the time to do it right.

 

[Demon420]

Hi all. New member with my first post. I started to see if my question had already been answered, but didn't want to spend a lot of time reading through so many posts. So if my exact situation has been addressed, please feel free to share the link with me. I'm all for saving time and *not* reinventing the wheel
I currently have Windows 7 Professional and my C drive is an HDD. I got an SSD with the intention of cloning the HDD onto it and using that for my new C drive but as EXTERNAL, not internal. I started the migration process using Samsung Magician but then I started thinking there would be problems with programs not able to be accessed (such as browsers, etc with the SSD drive labeled other than C: ). I understand the process of changing boot priority so the SSD would load Windows. But won't all the other programs not work? Because the SSD won't be named C drive. Is there a way to do what I want (clone HDD to SSD, with the SSD external)? Thanks for your help.

Just install the drive inside the case all this so you dont have to install it lol sry i just find it silly as it take pluging in 2 plus job done i built an whole gaming pc yesterday if you go to youtube you see just how easy it is..

 

[MWink64]

Realistically, no. A standard Windows installation will not boot from an external USB drive (eSATA maybe but I doubt you're using that). Booting a version of Windows from an external drive is only going to work for something like Windows PE/RE and that's not what you want. This exercise in futility is only going to cost you time that you could be using to install the drive internally. If you want an installed OS that will happily boot from a USB drive, Linux fits the bill.

 

[DSzymborski]

Realistically, no. A standard Windows installation will not boot from an external USB drive (eSATA maybe but I doubt you're using that). Booting a version of Windows from an external drive is only going to work for something like Windows PE/RE and that's not what you want. This exercise in futility is only going to cost you time that you could be using to install the drive internally. If you want an installed OS that will happily boot from a USB drive, Linux fits the bill.

I kinda wish OP had provided pictures because I'm very curious how one can get *so* much junk piled upon a PC physically that running a janky OS forever is a better idea than performing extremely basic maintenance on the PC. And what happens if something on the PC breaks? Do they just buy a whole new PC, leaving the old one permanently entombed under a mountain of clutter and debris?

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Because a lot of time and physical effort would be involved for me to install the drive internally.

😂

The epitome of laziness. The answer is no it’s not going to work and no matter how much you don’t want to do what you have to do you’re going to have to.

Seems like the only issue you have is yourself and we can’t fix that