HDD to SSD

KERSPLAT!

I'm upgrading from a HDD to SSD on my Acer laptop.

Have downloaded a Win 7 ISO and have it on a USB and have the key. Have the SSD and dock. I just want to do a clean install on the SSD and I'll hook up the HDD to move over any files and whatever else. Whats the best way to go about doing this?

I've no experience doing this so an easy step by step walk through would be great. Any issues I might encounter? Anything I need to look out for?

Is this even in the right place!!??

Any help appreciated

KERSPLAT!

Just installing the software that came with the SSD and it has a clone tool, it's the Samsung 850. Would I be as well off just cloning the thing? It's a 256GB SSD with my HDD using about 180GB, I can obviously dump a lot of that too...

Any suggestions?

BloodBath

You can clone it but you might have to configure some windows settings to make the most of the ssd. There's plenty of guides online.

SterlingArcher

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Just installing the software that came with the SSD and it has a clone tool, it's the Samsung 850. Would I be as well off just cloning the thing? It's a 256GB SSD with my HDD using about 180GB, I can obviously dump a lot of that too...

Any suggestions?

You in here chatting with yo self KERSPLAT ?

https://youtu.be/Mlw2bu2Cjuk

SterlingArcher

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2043634/how-to-stretch-the-life-of-your-ssd-storage.html

Disabling the hibernation will free up a few gigs.

BloodBath

Reduce virtual memory to 2GB if you want to save even more.

KERSPLAT!

Thanks everyone. Decided to use the cloning tool that came with the SSD but I'm a bit confused, when it's finished is it just a case of swapping them around? Or do I have to change anything in the BIOS?

KERSPLAT!

Balls, any ideas?

ED E

Is that booting from the SSD or HDD?

If the bit for bit clone worked it should have copied the MBR over, but thats suggesting its missing/not working.

Really unless you have a really strong reason not to clean install, you should clean install.

Fir3Fly1995

I would say, copy all your docs and pics and other important stuff to an external HDD. bring your programs over too. If not, take saves from games and move them instead if your a gamer. The saves will likely be under %appdata% which is is a hidden file. So. My advice to help avoid complication. Start fresh. Wipe the SSD and do the following.

You will need:
HDD in your computer with your stuff on it.
External HDD/SSD preferably blank.

Method 1
1. Backup your entire system to the external drive. Ensure that the external drive is either the same or bigger than the internal one.
2. Partition it to 30GB for the shadow copy and the rest for the backup.
3. Install SSD
4. Install Windows 7 or 10
5. Migrate your files.

Method 2
1. Using 2 computers. Install the SSD in one of them and install windows on it.
2. Use migration assistant to migrate your files over
3. Swap the drives.
Note. Ensure that both computers are the same to keep the MBR consistent.

Method 3 (the long way)
1. Create the following folders on the external drive.
Photos
Videos
Documents (work/other)
Programs
Game data
Desktop
Downloads
Downloaded programs
Product keys
OS_FILES

2. Search your computer for the files that can be arranged into the folders on your external drive. DO NOT CUT AND PASTE OR MOVE. ONLY MOVE IF NECESSARY.

3. Create a text file for your product keys. Enter what the keys are for and the key including the length. Use dashes instead of spaces.

4. Download programs that you can't move and place the download files in the "downloaded programs" folder.

5. Copy all photos over. Do not compress unless they are already compressed.

6. Copy the entire %appdata% folder over. Don't delete after. (Copy just the contents and omit anything that makes windows work. Like java files or manufacturers files unless necessary.)

7. Check that you have everything that's on your HDD on your external one.

8. Remove the old HDD.

9. Install windows on the SSD.

10. Copy everything to their respective folders in your explorer (docs to docs, pics to pics, music to music)

11. Install everything from your external drive.

12. Don't delete anything from the external drive for about a week, just in case you missed something.

Good luck.

KERSPLAT!

ED E wrote: »

Is that booting from the SSD or HDD?

If the bit for bit clone worked it should have copied the MBR over, but thats suggesting its missing/not working.

Really unless you have a really strong reason not to clean install, you should clean install.

Booting from the SSD without the HDD connected. If I reconnect the HDD and start up I get the recovery screen but I didn't go any further.

I've no problem doing a clean install, I have the Win 7 key but the ISO is on a USB, do I need to burn it to a disk or can I run it from the USB, I've nothing to burn it to

Thanks again everyone.

stupid clone tool said it was complete and to simply swap drives... Yeah right!!!

ED E

Use the Windows 7 USB Download tool to "burn" the ISO to the USB. Then you can boot from that and clean install onto the SSD.

KERSPLAT!

ED E wrote: »

Use the Windows 7 USB Download tool to "burn" the ISO to the USB. Then you can boot from that and clean install onto the SSD.

Do I need to do anything to the SSD beforehand? Since data was cloned to it like.

Sonics2k

I had a similar problem a few weeks after upgrading my OH's PC to an SSD.

I know it's really really stupid, but it worked for and worth a shot for you, try swapping the Sata cables to a different port itself. Leave the SSD cable in the original port and swap the HDD to a different one.

KERSPLAT!

I don't really understand...

The SSD is in the laptop and the old HDD connected via SATA to USB. What should I move and where?

Cheers

Sonics2k

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

I don't really understand...

The SSD is in the laptop and the old HDD connected via SATA to USB. What should I move and where?

Cheers

I didn't see it was a laptop until I re-read it just now! My bad!

ED E

Leave ssd installed
Boot off win7 usb key(made with tool)
Delete all partitions when asked what drive to install to
Let windows do the rest
When fully updated and running connect old drive to usb-sata and copy out anything required.

KERSPLAT!

ED E wrote: »

Leave ssd installed
Boot off win7 usb key(made with tool)
Delete all partitions when asked what drive to install to
Let windows do the rest
When fully updated and running connect old drive to usb-sata and copy out anything required.

Have the ISO on a USB but didn't burn it, will follow this tomorrow

KERSPLAT!

Just a follow up on this. Managed to get the ISO burned to a USB. Had some issues with booting it from there but YouTube videos pointed me in the right direction.

Then I got Windows installed but had no drivers, knew this would happen but thought I'd manage with an ethernet cable.. I thought wrong. Had to download the Wireless driver to my phone, move it to the laptop and install from there. After that it was a case of letting windows update, everything flying at the moment, hopefully it stays that way!!

Thanks all for the info

KERSPLAT!

Any cons to putting the HDD in to replace the DVD drive? A caddy is about €10 so might as well if there are no reasons not to. Will do for movies etc so as not to take up space on the SSD

grindle

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Any cons to putting the HDD in to replace the DVD drive?

No real drawback at all, have the same set-up on my laptop.

If you use the default library folders you'll have to point them to their new home.

KERSPLAT!

grindle wrote: »

No real drawback at all, have the same set-up on my laptop.

If you use the default library folders you'll have to point them to their new home.

Ah yeah, I'll set the default save location for my torrent downloads to the HDD. Will leave everything else as is.

I'm guessing the DVD drive can still be connected via the SATA to USB cable just in case it's ever needed?

AlmightyCushion

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Any cons to putting the HDD in to replace the DVD drive? A caddy is about €10 so might as well if there are no reasons not to. Will do for movies etc so as not to take up space on the SSD

The only down side is you no longer have a DVD drive. Having a hard drive in there may also increase power usage giving you less battery life but I can't imagine it would be much. I'd go for it. I've done it on my last two laptops and I wouldn't go back. Another drive bay is far more useful than an optical drive.