[SOLVED] Speeding up Laptop by Migrating Windows 10 to SSD with a freeware?

[Muhammad.Qasim]

I just bought a Laptop Dell Inspiron 3505 it comes with pre-installed Windows 10 on its HDD which is 1 TB and its extremely slow to boot up and load things So I bought a Kingston 250GB SSD and installed it. Now I need some guidance in order to SHIFT windows 10 to SSD in order to speed things up with a freeware for example Macrium Reflect.

My concerns are.

1. Will shifting OS to SSD will speed things up?
2. Is Macrium Reflect Free is good for that operation?
3. Should I clone all partitions recovery and such.? It has one EFI partition, 3 recovery partitions, 1 OS partition and two data partitions (See image for reference).
4. After I clone, how to make the SSD Bootable?
5. Should I format the OS Partition in the HDD in order to make use of it for other purposes, and how to make it a normal data partition?
6. I don't want to lose my OS that comes with the Laptop, what other precautions should I take?

Please help, thank you so much.

Click here to see Image of my DISKs

Macrium Reflect is showing disks like that.

 

[sds20020024]

You technically could use disk cloning software to transfer your OS to an ssd, but that won't be ideal, and in some cases, can corrupt your windows installation.

The best thing to do is to do a fresh install on the SSD.
Your windows license is probably an OEM license.
It should let you transfer your license to another boot drive as long as you don't change your motherboard.
Link your windows license to your microsoft account first.

Then download a copy of windows from the Microsoft website and create a bootable thumb drive using their create bootable disk tool.

Now plug the ssd into your laptop, get into the bios, choose to boot from that usb stick you made, and choose install windows , and choose the ssd.
Make sure you select the version of windows that you have the OEM license for (home or pro).

If it asks you for an activation key, click I don't have one.
Once windows is installed, head into activation settings, and log into your microsoft account, and run the activation troubleshooter.

You should be able to activate windows without any problems.
And as for your hard drive, if you want to use it, you can buy one of these if you have a dvd bay inside your laptop,

https://www.amazon.com/Highfine-Universal-SSD-HDD-Enclosures/dp/B01MRI8YFN/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=2nd+hard+drive+caddy&qid=1613507946&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExU0VaOFQxN0c1TUVGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTgyMjMxMTRFVFpMUlFQTFRLSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTIwNDM1TFY5QTQ5U1FDSVJIJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Or you could buy an external sata to usb enclosure like this https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[USAFRet]

I just bought a Laptop Dell Inspiron 3505 it comes with pre-installed Windows 10 on its HDD which is 1 TB and its extremely slow to boot up and load things So I bought a Kingston 250GB SSD and installed it. Now I need some guidance in order to SHIFT windows 10 to SSD in order to speed things up with a freeware for example Macrium Reflect.

My concerns are.

1. Will shifting OS to SSD will speed things up?
2. Is Macrium Reflect Free is good for that operation?
3. Should I clone all partitions recovery and such.? It has one EFI partition, 3 recovery partitions, 1 OS partition and two data partitions (See image for reference).
4. After I clone, how to make the SSD Bootable?
5. Should I format the OS Partition in the HDD in order to make use of it for other purposes, and how to make it a normal data partition?
6. I don't want to lose my OS that comes with the Laptop, what other precautions should I take?

Please help, thank you so much.

Click here to see Image of my DISKs

Macrium Reflect is showing disks like that.

Can this be done? Probably.

What is in the D partition? It seems nothing?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Probably, but we'll investigate this
4. Details to follow
5. That comes later
6. You won't

 

[USAFRet]

If this is a brand new purchase, a fresh install on the new drive is recommended. You don't really have anything to "save" from the old install.
It can be done eitherway...details on either way depending on which way you want to go.

 

[Muhammad.Qasim]

You technically could use disk cloning software to transfer your OS to an ssd, but that won't be ideal, and in some cases, can corrupt your windows installation.

The best thing to do is to do a fresh install on the SSD.
Your windows license is probably an OEM license.
It should let you transfer your license to another boot drive as long as you don't change your motherboard.
Link your windows license to your microsoft account first.

Then download a copy of windows from the Microsoft website and create a bootable thumb drive using their create bootable disk tool.

Now plug the ssd into your laptop, get into the bios, choose to boot from that usb stick you made, and choose install windows , and choose the ssd.
Make sure you select the version of windows that you have the OEM license for (home or pro).

If it asks you for an activation key, click I don't have one.
Once windows is installed, head into activation settings, and log into your microsoft account, and run the activation troubleshooter.

You should be able to activate windows without any problems.
And as for your hard drive, if you want to use it, you can buy one of these if you have a dvd bay inside your laptop,

https://www.amazon.com/Highfine-Universal-SSD-HDD-Enclosures/dp/B01MRI8YFN/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=2nd+hard+drive+caddy&qid=1613507946&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExU0VaOFQxN0c1TUVGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTgyMjMxMTRFVFpMUlFQTFRLSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTIwNDM1TFY5QTQ5U1FDSVJIJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Or you could buy an external sata to usb enclosure like this https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Very helpful information.

There is nothing on Laptop yet, no apps or anything. I just want the Windows and its recovery options to transfer to the New SSD.

I have one more question, please tell how can I link my OEM License to my account in order to activate it later? (I checked with "slmgr /dli" command my windows license is OEM_DM.

 

[sds20020024]

Very helpful information.

There is nothing on Laptop yet, no apps or anything. I just want the Windows and its recovery options to transfer to the New SSD.

I have one more question, please tell how can I link my OEM License to my account in order to activate it later? (I checked with "slmgr /dli" command my windows license is OEM_DM.

Log into your Microsoft account from within windows and head to settings.

Here this guide should help

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-link-your-windows-10-product-key-microsoft-account?amp

 

[USAFRet]

Very helpful information.

There is nothing on Laptop yet, no apps or anything. I just want the Windows and its recovery options to transfer to the New SSD.

I have one more question, please tell how can I link my OEM License to my account in order to activate it later? (I checked with "slmgr /dli" command my windows license is OEM_DM.

The factory "Recovery" should be invoked right now, and used to create a USB to recover with. That is what it is for, and the user manual will tell you this.
To be used in case of physical drive fail. If you just keep that on the same drive, it is useless when/if that drive actually dies.

But also, it is only there because they are required to include it.
With Win 10, you can make your own Win 10 USB to reinstall with, direct from MS.

Since this is a brand new laptop with nothing on it, I strongly suggest just a clean install.

That configuration is really suboptimal. Too many partitions that do nothing.

 

[USAFRet]

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Muhammad.Qasim]

The factory "Recovery" should be invoked right now, and used to create a USB to recover with. That is what it is for, and the user manual will tell you this.
To be used in case of physical drive fail. If you just keep that on the same drive, it is useless when/if that drive actually dies.

But also, it is only there because they are required to include it.
With Win 10, you can make your own Win 10 USB to reinstall with, direct from MS.

Since this is a brand new laptop with nothing on it, I strongly suggest just a clean install.

That configuration is really suboptimal. Too many partitions that do nothing.

What are the optimal configuration for a 1 TB? I made the partitions for future data and some data from OLD laptop.

 

[Muhammad.Qasim]

Log into your Microsoft account from within windows and head to settings.

Here this guide should help

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-link-your-windows-10-product-key-microsoft-account?amp

Thank you so much.

I am bothering you for one more question.

When I download windows and install it on SSD, what to do with the recovery and EFI partitions, where they reside? on both HDD and SSD?

 

[USAFRet]

What are the optimal configuration for a 1 TB? I made the partitions for future data and some data from OLD laptop.

Really, partitions on a single drive are not really needed anymore.
It used to be a good idea...separate the OS from applications. Today, if you need to reinstall the OS, you need to reinstall the applications as well.

Individual physical drives are much preferred vs 2 partitions on a single drive.
OS+applications on one, personal files on the other.

Or, everything on ONE drive.

 

[USAFRet]

When I download windows and install it on SSD, what to do with the recovery and EFI partitions, where they reside? on both HDD and SSD?

The OS install will create what it needs on the drive you install it to.
This includes the EFI boot partition

The link I posted above walks you through the whole process.

 

[sds20020024]

Thank you so much.

I am bothering you for one more question.

When I download windows and install it on SSD, what to do with the recovery and EFI partitions, where they reside? on both HDD and SSD?

Since it's a new pc, just delete all the partitions on the ssd (you'll be able to do this in the installer) and install it on the unallocated space in the ssd.
As for the hard drive if you have it connected to your laptop while you install windows on your ssd, the hard drive will show up as well, and since you don't have anything on it, you can delete all of those partitions as well.

Since you're doing a fresh install, you won't be needing any partitions.

Just choose to install windows on the unallocated space on the ssd after you've deleted all the partitions. Windows will create the new system reserved and recovery partitions it needs.

And if you don't have your hard drive connected to your laptop when you install windows, you can delete the partitions later from disk manager.
If you want to create seperate partitions of your own (say you wanna divide the ssd into C drive and D drive), you can do that from disk management later on as well

 

[USAFRet]

If you do this fresh install ont he SSD, do NOT have the HDD still connected.
You will end up with a badly configured dualboot scenario. Which you do NOT want.

Physically remove the HDD, fresh install on the SSD.

 

[sds20020024]

If you do this fresh install ont he SSD, do NOT have the HDD still connected.
You will end up with a badly configured dualboot scenario. Which you do NOT want.

Physically remove the HDD, fresh install on the SSD.

Well he won't end up with dual boot if he actually deletes the partitions on the hard drive from within the installer and then installs windows on the ssd.

 

[USAFRet]

Well he won't end up with dual boot if he actually deletes the partitions on the hard drive from within the installer and then installs windows on the ssd.

Right.
But that would also result in the boot partition residing on the HDD. Which you also do not want.

One physical drive connected during the install.

 

[Muhammad.Qasim]

If you do this fresh install ont he SSD, do NOT have the HDD still connected.
You will end up with a badly configured dualboot scenario. Which you do NOT want.

Physically remove the HDD, fresh install on the SSD.

Won't I be able to delete all the partitions of HDD in the installer? I can do that then there will be no problem of Dualboot. I just don't want to any damage to the NEW machine as I don't have the proper tools to disengage the HDD.

 

[sds20020024]

Right.
But that would also result in the boot partition residing on the HDD. Which you also do not want.

One physical drive connected during the install.

Why would the boot partition reside on the hard drive if he deletes all the partitions on the hard drive and is left with only unallocated space, which he can set up later in disk manager.
I do this all the time.
He might have to change the boot priority to the ssd in the BIOS.

 

[USAFRet]

Why would the boot partition reside on the hard drive if he deletes all the partitions on the hard drive and is left with only unallocated space, which he can set up later in disk manager.
I do this all the time.
He might have to change the boot priority to the ssd in the BIOS.

Why?
Because Windows is idiotic like that.
Yes, it does that, unfortunately. Maybe not ALL the time, but often enough to cause issues.

2 completely blank drives connected in the system.
During the install, select Drive 1 to install the OS to.
All goes without a hitch.
Later, you look in Disk Management..the boot partition was placed on Drive 2. Through no choice or action of yours.

 

[SkyNetRising]

It's not "dual-boot"you have to worry about. Bad wording. Means something different.

Problem with multiple drives connected while installing windows is, windows installed on one drive but bootloader ends on the other drive.
This results in system being unbootable unless both drives are connected.

 

[sds20020024]

Why?
Because Windows is idiotic like that.
Yes, it does that, unfortunately. Maybe not ALL the time, but often enough to cause issues.

2 completely blank drives connected in the system.
During the install, select Drive 1 to install the OS to.
All goes without a hitch.
Later, you look in Disk Management..the boot partition was placed on Drive 2. Through no choice or action of yours.

huh
Never seen that happen.
Although if this is true, removing the hard drive would be the best option.

Although OP you say that you don't have the tools for removing the hard drive?
It's really simple, all you need is a philips head screw driver.
Although let me ask you is this ssd an m.2 ssd?
And your hard drive is in the hard drive bay?

 

[USAFRet]

huh
Never seen that happen.
Although if this is true, removing the hard drive would be the best option.

Although OP you say that you don't have the tools for removing the hard drive?
It's really simple, all you need is a philips head screw driver.
Although let me ask you is this ssd an m.2 ssd?
And your hard drive is in the hard drive bay?

See it here daily.
And seen it in my own experience, doing it with more than one drive connected.

Remove the other drive, and no boot for you.

 

[sds20020024]

See it here daily.
And seen it in my own experience, doing it with more than one drive connected.

Remove the other drive, and no boot for you.

Okay so if the bootloader ends up in another drive, you can see it in disk management right?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay so if the bootloader ends up in another drive, you can see it in disk management right?

Yes but...

Remove that drive, and the system will fail to boot up.

 

[Muhammad.Qasim]

huh
Never seen that happen.
Although if this is true, removing the hard drive would be the best option.

Although OP you say that you don't have the tools for removing the hard drive?
It's really simple, all you need is a philips head screw driver.
Although let me ask you is this ssd an m.2 ssd?
And your hard drive is in the hard drive bay?

Screw Driver is not the problem, I may cause Electrostatic discharge.
Yes it is M.2 design.
I think it is in hard drive bay, it is internal hard drive.