[SOLVED] Recovery partition/USB specific to hard drive?

[omaribnghulamrasul]

If a wish to clone my HDD to my SSD to make it the boot drive, and then remove the HDD from the PC, can I include the recovery partition in the cloning process? Is it something specific to the hard drive it's on, and wouldn't work on a different hard drive?
LIkewise, can a recovery USB made from the OS booting from the HDD be used for all its recovery related operations on the new SSD as well, or is it specific to the HDD?
Is there anything else I should be aware of in this regard?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes you can include the factory recovery partition in the cloning process.

The recovery USB shouldn't care about HDD vs SSD. Key word "shouldn't".
I have seen some that balk at a different drive size.

 

[Spinachy]

Every time I have cloned a HDD onto a SSD, the process worked without problems. I suggest create a new recovery USB after the clone is working correctly. If there is a complete disaster while cloning, you can always just go back to your original drive, and try again.

 

[USAFRet]

And for the actual cloning:

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 450MB Recovery Partition, 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

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

 

[omaribnghulamrasul]

And for the actual cloning:

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 450MB Recovery Partition, 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

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

How about EaseUS Todo Backup Free, instead of Macrium Reflect? Are there any significant differences/deficiencies/downsides I should be aware of?

 

[USAFRet]

How about EaseUS Todo Backup Free, instead of Macrium Reflect? Are there any significant differences/deficiencies/downsides I should be aware of?

It would probably work.
I reference Macrium in there because I use it, and I know it works.