[SOLVED] What's the best way to change OS drive?

[Tigerbite]

I have a 120GB SSD and 2 1TB HDD. The OS (Win10) is currently installed on the 120GB SSD. I'm going to purchase a 1TB SSD and want to transfer everyone from the 120GB SSD to the 1TB SSD and then wipe the 120GB SSD for extra storage.

What would be the best/easiest way to do this?

 

[USAFRet]

I have a 120GB SSD and 2 1TB HDD. The OS (Win10) is currently installed on the 120GB SSD. I'm going to purchase a 1TB SSD and want to transfer everyone from the 120GB SSD to the 1TB SSD and then wipe the 120GB SSD for extra storage.

What would be the best/easiest way to do this?

Some questions....

SATA drives or NVMe, or both? What specific make/model?
What OS?

Detailed steps, after details.

 

[Tigerbite]

All SATA Drives.

Old drive - https://www.amazon.com/Mushkin-Chronos-2-5-Inch-Solid-MKNSSDCR120GB/dp/B005CGFU4I

New drive - Looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PX2KKHM/ref=twister_B084H9RJ5S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[USAFRet]

Personally, I wouldn't buy that one. Second rate, at best.
$20 more gets you the MX500.
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX500-NAND-SATA-Internal/dp/B077SF8KMG


To migrate:

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Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
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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

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

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 all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
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[geofelt]

Buy a samsung ssd, then your problem is simple.
Use the samsung ssd migration app which is a C drive mover, not a clone.
Not that it makes any difference in your case.
You can download the 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.

www.samsung.com

Install the new ssd and run the app.
When done, swap the data cable so you do not need to change the boot order.
Remove the original to verify that all went well.
Later you can do what you wish with the old.
With only 120gb, I would just set it aside as a backup snapshot of what you now have.