Samsung Data Migration - How to clone 1 TB HDD to 250 GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD ?

[rcald2000]

I'm aware that both devices simply need to be connected to SATA ports and then the Samsung Data Migration software will clone FROM the 1 TB HDD to the 250 GB SSD. But since the SSD is only big enough for the WIndows 7 installation, how can I clone from the much bigger HDD to the SSD.

I'm trying to instruct a friend of mine that lives out of state. The plan is to move his OS only to a new SSD, and then use the 1 TB HDD for storage. But he does not have the Windows installation discs. How can this be accomplished?

 

[USAFRet]

The used space on the 1TB must be below 200GB to do this migration.

In the Samsung application, you can leave off things in your Libraries (Doc/Music/Video), but that it. Everything else goes.

 

[13thmonkey]

You could shrink the partition on the 1TB until it is below 250. But it is not without risks and I wouldn't do it without a backup.

 

[USAFRet]

You could shrink the partition on the 1TB until it is below 250. But it is not without risks and I wouldn't do it without a backup.

With the newer migration tools (incl the Samsung DM), partition size doesn't matter.
Just the actual used space matters.

Older tools like CloneZilla, yes, the actual partition size matters.

 

[13thmonkey]

Useful to know, thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

Useful to know, thanks.

Macrium Reflect and Casper are two others.

 

[rcald2000]

+USAFRet I never thanked you for your solution, so thank you. Interestingly enough, CloneZilla was on fresh on my mind when I first posed this question back in February.

By the way, my friend's migration went smoothly, just as you had predicted it would.

 

[USAFRet]

+USAFRet I never thanked you for your solution, so thank you. Interestingly enough, CloneZilla was on fresh on my mind when I first posed this question back in February.

By the way, my friend's migration went smoothly, just as you had predicted it would.

Coolness.
Glad to know it worked.

For future reference, when you come across someone with the same question, copy and save the following:
-----------------------------
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
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
-----------------------------

 

[shaitan56]

Hi USAFRet,
I was trying the exact steps you recommend, while trying to clone my new Samsung M.2 970 NVMe (1tb) SSD from my old M.2 960 NVMe (500gb which was full). The old ssd was in the onboard M.2 slot and the new one was on a PCLe adaptor.
Samsung magician formatted the drive fine, the drive migration program said it had successfully cloned the new ssd. I then removed the old ssd and inserted the new one in it’s M.2 port. The pc keeps giving errors, and I had to give up and go back to the old SSD after tearing what’s left of my hair out! I don’t have the other cloning programs, and I thought the Samsung disk migration tool did the job, but not in my case. Any other issues to be aware of when cloning SSD NVMe drives?
Any help appreciated

 

[13thmonkey]

Please start your own thread on this, feel free to copy and paste your text, this is a two year old thread.