[SOLVED] SSD Cloning

[rickwhoo]

A few days ago I bought a used HP-24 dd0017c AIO PC. The seller showed in the description that it had a 500GB SSD in it. Firing it up I find it's a 1TB 7200 SATA HDD. I want to replace it with a new 500GB SSD. What's the easiest way to clone the new SSD and replace the drive? I've done this before but I just want to refresh my old brain to make it an easy transition. I will buy a encloser for the HDD and use it as a back-up for all my stuff from the last few PC's in my life.

 

[USAFRet]

Is there space in there for 2x SATA drives?
If not, you might have to do this via an Image.

How much space is consumed on your current C drive?
Do you have some other external device with enough free space to hold the entirety of your current C drive?

 

[Krotow]

At first make sure that HDD is not filled above 500GB. Delete anything not wanted to make disk use below 500 GB plus overhead for data moving.... let say make 600 GB free. Then connect SSD to system, boot from some recovery drive with disk cloning software and clone HDD to SSD. After cloning replace HDD with cloned SSD and you are good.

Particularly in last year for me Lazesoft Disk Image & Clone on Hirens BootCD PE on USB stick did the trick without any issues.

 

[rickwhoo]

There's nothing in this PC. I just got it. It's basically just the operating system and 5 screenshot pics.

 

[Nighthawk117]

I recommend Macrium Reflect for cloning one drive to another, it can resize the 1TB partition to fit, however as above you will need to make sure that you are using significantly below 500GB. Having said all that, if you've only just got it and it doesn't have any of your stuff on it. You could just reinstall Windows on the SSD and punch in the Windows License key.

 

[USAFRet]

There's nothing in this PC. I just got it. It's basically just the operating system and 5 screenshot pics.

In that case, don't bother with cloning.

Just do a fresh OS install on the new SSD.

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

 

[geofelt]

Upgrading to a ssd will be magical.

If this is your pc:
https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-all-in-one---24-dd0017c-9ee53aa-194850241673-partner
then I consider the problem simple.
It has a slot for a m.2 ssd.
Buy a 500gb samsung m.2 ssd Either the 980 or the 970 EVO plus.
Install it in your system.
Download the samsung nvme driver and ssd migration app and instructions here:

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

semiconductor.samsung.com

Install the samsung nvme driver first.
Then run the ssd migration app to copy the original HDD c drive and other partitions to the m.2.
When done, your pc will shut down.
To test for correct operation, temporarily disconnect the hdd and boot.
You can later reattach the hdd and wipe it if you want.

 

[rickwhoo]

What's a free cloning software?

 

[USAFRet]

What's a free cloning software?

Macrium Reflect

-----------------------------
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
Both drives must be the same partitioning scheme, either MBR or GPT
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
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

[Ignore this section if using the SDM. It does this automatically]
If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing
[/end ignore]

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD. This is not optional.
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 all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

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

 

[rickwhoo]

Macrium Reflect

-----------------------------
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
Both drives must be the same partitioning scheme, either MBR or GPT
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
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

[Ignore this section if using the SDM. It does this automatically]
If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing
[/end ignore]

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD. This is not optional.
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 all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

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

I tried Macrium and it won't work. I get to where to transfer data and it won't continue.

 

[USAFRet]

I tried Macrium and it won't work. I get to where to transfer data and it won't continue.

What error did it give you?

But like I mentioned earlier....it is a brand new system, with nothing on it except the OS.

Just do a fresh install, per the link above.

 

[rickwhoo]

What error did it give you?

But like I mentioned earlier....it is a brand new system, with nothing on it except the OS.

Just do a fresh install, per the link above.

No error. Just would not clone or anything. I tried several times too. I'll try again and show you.

 

[USAFRet]

No error. Just would not clone or anything. I tried several times too. I'll try again and show you.

Don't bother trying to fix why it is failing.

There is nothing on this brand new system to try to save.

A fresh OS install, you would have been done already.

 

[rickwhoo]

Ok, I think it's working. Right now it's asking in a window, "Backup Save Options" what should I do?

 

[rickwhoo]

Already Checked in the little window is Run this backup now,

And Save as an XML backup definition file

 

[Lafong]

Ok, I think it's working. Right now it's asking in a window, "Backup Save Options" what should I do?

Try defaults. Most likely a couple are checked.

It works or it fails.

 

[rickwhoo]

Try defaults. Most likely a couple are checked.

It works or it fails.

It appears to be working... I'll report back when it's done

 

[rickwhoo]

It worked! Thanks for all the help!!! Now I need to get an enclosure for the old HD.