Caveman attempts upgrading desktop PC with SSD hard drive

monkeyactive · 21-03-2025 01:32PM #1

Hi

Attempting to put a faster hard drive in the family PC.

A Dell Inspiron 3650

I dug up the specs and I think the relevant ones are in pic below.

So I guess I'm looking for a 2.5 inch Sata 6 SSD drive ?

Does That sound correct ? Complete luddite here.

Plan is to get an enclosure for it then use cloning software to make an identical copy of old hard drive onto the new SSD.

Then simply plug and play?

Am I on the right track?

Thanks for any advice

Spear · 21-03-2025 01:37PM

There should be 4 SATA connectors on the motherboard from the images I checked, so you could just connect the new one to one of those, and forgo the enclosure.

monkeyactive · 21-03-2025 02:08PM

Ah OK thanks, that would save a step ,

Then just fix it so that it boots from the new SSD not the older hard drive.

Flinty997 · 21-03-2025 02:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284315#Comment_123284315

You'll have to install windows on it. Then make it the boot drive.

monkeyactive · 21-03-2025 02:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284369#Comment_123284369

This was what I was hoping to avoid , have no windows install discs or a clue where the license is. I was hoping to just literally clone the HD onto an SSD and do a straight swap.

Murt2024 · 21-03-2025 02:42PM

What operating system is on it currently. You can download windows 10/11 direct from Microsoft website create a bootable USB drive or DVD using their creation tool.

coylemj · 21-03-2025 02:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284375#Comment_123284375

Cloning your existing system (C:) drive is precisely what you should be aiming to do. Avoid having to install Windows at all costs, it would mean reinstalling all your apps. And you wouldn't necessarily have the install discs (or the licence numbers) to do so.

monkeyactive · 21-03-2025 03:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284436#Comment_123284436

This is what I hope to do. Ssd in enclosure hooked up to PC via usb , clone harddrive to it , open pc , switch drives, plug n play .

Only thing is the hard drive in there is 3.5 inch I believe , while the ssd will be 2.5inch.

I may have to buy cables to connect it to the motherboard, power and data I guess as the cables from the 3.5 may not be compatible

Cordell · 21-03-2025 03:09PM

Get SSD of size equal or larger than the current HDD

Connect new empty SSD, leave the HDD connected

Boot Clonezilla from a USB drive (download Rufus, download Clonezilla iso image, use Rufus to create bootable USB)

Clone HDD to SSD

Power off, remove and discard HDD

https://rufus.ie/en/

https://clonezilla.org/downloads/download.php?branch=stable

cml387 · 21-03-2025 03:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284514#Comment_123284514

This is the best method. And you can even make an image of the drive as well for backup purposes.

styron · 21-03-2025 05:19PM

I'd get an SSD at least as large as the original drive and clone drive-to-drive rather than just the OS partition.

Some manufacturers provide "free" migration/cloning software to run within windows both drives attached eg. Samsung, Crucial (Acronis). Free Disk Genius runs similarly or Clonezilla clones the drives outside of windows with a boot USB key or CD using the F12 key at start up to boot from either USB or CD (a lot simpler than it sounds).

A short easy to follow demo of options here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gTJw8ehkVc

Main thing to avoid is confusing the old source drive with the new target / destination drive - cloning the blank new on to the old and wiping it.

Also as a precaution hang on to the old drive for a bit after switching it out in case of any (very rare) issue with the clone.

Coyler · 28-03-2025 11:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284512#Comment_123284512

To answer your concerns,you only have SATA ports to as long as you get a 2.5inch SATA drive it will work off those cables.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crucial-BX500-NAND-Internal-CT1000BX500SSD101/dp/B0CCN9NHTC?crid=18526BPDNYUBI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3ILjXXLT2Roo7pj6YbnlgaF9-Iriqm93nL7e6c8eC9NjZOtG0HJ-Z15GyJa9XkzCA42sW5LIoY0SxCauqOurQTsvuoJTG4dbYRvPm3ZdTLfe5tH_PSi-OHIsww2yQHaO0t5Tbg5gHrbXlphE4EQ6vHA1BYDyNWhTtnECf8hJivKArzfVenR8wpQaPL47gBCYBFem2in0Fh_VImjJ9KWLYKhwfDTQo3jQ_MkoGveNhlg.LcUcokgtJWMa8f1SMylObXxOcHG_xOnvBtBe-tst2Jc&dib_tag=se&keywords=2.5+crucial&qid=1743158623&sprefix=2.5+crucial%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-3

I like the Crucial SSDs for this as they provide a copy of Acronis True Image for their drives. Other tools are available and work fine for Crucial also have a very detailed walk through with videoes.

https://eu.crucial.com/support/ssd/ssd-install/ssd-install-steps/part-1-prepare

Minor thing, order a mounting bracket. Cheap as chips. Not 100% absolutely needed but better to secure the drive properly than not. Upside it Desktops are a million times easier to work with. Everything is very accessible.

https://amzn.eu/d/eCUUAYD

I've passed this info to completely non-technical friends to do exactly as you are looking to do and so far everyone had succeeded. Good luck.

monkeyactive · 28-03-2025 12:22PM

Thank You very much , as luck woukd have it I picked up a Crucial SSD before I read this.

IIt seems in this particular Dell model that it has a space for the 3.5 HD and 2 additional spaces for 2 2.5 inch drives, in that case I'm hoping I won't need that bracket as the ssd should pop into one of the 2.5 inch slots?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123306019#Comment_123306019

Coyler · 28-03-2025 01:10PM

it’s all a common standard so unless Dell have some proprietary nonsense, which they are known to do, you should be good. If not, just leave it sit in the tray while you wait for a solution to secure it. No moving parts so won’t cause any problems. Just better to secure it incase you forget it’s not secured and then move the case.

styron · 28-03-2025 02:27PM

The inspiron has 2.5" caddy brackets which are ideal

But solid state with any PC, small cable ties through the drive screw holes (or velro-ing it) to anchor inside the case are fine.

If there's no spare sata data cable supplied use the DVD one for the clone.

monkeyactive · 01-04-2025 11:38PM

Unfortunately ran into an issue.

I created a USB key boot device with Akronis.

I swapped out the old 3.5 HD for the new blank 2.5 SSD by simply unplugging the cables, Removing the old drive and holding the new ssd in place with cable ties in the 3.5 space for now. I didn't touch or unplug anything on motherboard end.

I put the old HD I wanted a clone of in a usb enclosure connected to the PC

I booted up using the akronis emergency boot usb key.

Once that loaded I cloned the Old HD onto the new one. This worked in that I got a success message that cloning worked.

So it all seemed to go OK but once I removed all the external drives and booted up the computer I got this message on blue screen below , not a seamless boot into windows as hoped.

Any ideas? Maybe I missed something.

monkeyactive · 01-04-2025 11:44PM

I might just do @cordell s method above but I'm wondering is there any difference with having the old hard drive I want to clone in an enclosure outside connected via USB or having it in the machine with the new SSD ? Would it make any odds when doing the cloning process?

Cordell · 02-04-2025 12:02AM

It makes no difference.

Esel · 02-04-2025 09:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123318563#Comment_123318563

Would the read speed be the same?

Cordell · 02-04-2025 09:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123318905#Comment_123318905

No, but I doubt it will make a difference on a mechanical hard drive

monkeyactive · 02-04-2025 10:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123284514#Comment_123284514

Would I need to create that bootable usb key on the PC I'm upgrading or could I just make it on a different computer and then use it to boot into clonezilla on the PC I'm working on?

Thanks

Spear · 02-04-2025 11:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123319148#Comment_123319148

It's not tied to the machine it's created on, so another PC is fine.

Cordell · 02-04-2025 11:25AM

yes any PC is fine.

If this helps, I cloned a 512G to a 1T drive a few days back, I used drive to drive option, advanced, and then as far as I remember I used all the default options. It did resize the partitions properly, and the system booted up new drive as nothing changed (except of course for the additional space)

Def_IRL · 02-04-2025 11:51AM

Likely you will also need to change the settings in the bios from legacy boot to UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) during the system boot process, & change secure boot settings too.
UEFI: Modern firmware interface designed to replace BIOS. It supports larger storage devices, faster boot times, and a more secure boot process.
Legacy Boot Mode (BIOS): Traditional firmware interface used in older systems. It uses the MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme.

You might also need to set the new SSD boot partition as GPT(GUID partition table) rather than legacy MBR using diskpart.

diskpart
list disk
select disk X (replace X with your SSD number)
clean
convert gpt
exit
This will remove all existing partitions and prepare the SSD as GPT.

or:
If you want to prepare the SSD before installation in an existing PC:
1. Connect the SSD to another Windows computer via SATA or USB adapter.
2. Open Disk Management:
Press Win + X, then select Disk Management.
Locate your SSD (it will show as "Unallocated" if it's new).
3. Convert to GPT:
Right-click on the SSD and choose Convert to GPT Disk.
Create a new NTFS partition (optional).

Cordell · 02-04-2025 12:34PM

Normally you don't need to change anything when you're making a disk clone, the new disk will be a 1:1 copy including the partition table. And if the partition table of whichever type worked with the old drive if will also work with the new drive.

styron · 02-04-2025 01:49PM

The Acronis USB tool isn't intended for for fully fledged cloning - it's a limited rescue disk to repair windows/acronis if something goes wrong. (If you want a USB/CD cloning outside the OS option Clonzilla live or even Miray's HD Clone free version are far better). It's far more stable to clone directly SATA to SATA than to external USB, particularly if you're booting up from another USB port.

Since you've installed Acronis True Image you may as well run it from inside windows. Return your original drive to the 3.5" bay and original power and blue sata port. Using one of the grey satas for the crucial drive (borrow the DVD data cable if a spare was not supplied) and connect power. The system can be left open for the cloning with the crucial resting flat.

Power up run the cloning wizard and select automatic - pick correct drives for each - clone power off and swap over using one of the 2.5" bays permanently for the crucial.

monkeyactive · 02-04-2025 03:13PM

Well it's all working now.

I just gave it a second shot with AKronis , booting off the Recovery USB key and redoing the Cloning process.

Did everything the same but somehow it worked this time. Just one of those things.

I'm Amazed at how smoother it's running . I always felt there was something up with the old hard drive.

Thanks again to all above for the assistance , much appreciated.

Cordell · 02-04-2025 03:25PM

Yes, it's amazing how badly were (or still are) mechanical drives holding back computers.

Coyler · 03-04-2025 04:12PM

I suspect it was a BIOS thing. It's best to only have the newly cloned drive connected once you've completed the prcoess to avoid any conflict. Glad you got it all sorted. Like I said, never seen someone not succeed doing it :)

Caveman attempts upgrading desktop PC with SSD hard drive

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