Move HDD to SSD (NTFS partitions DD)

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

Partition magic has not been a viable product for YEARS!!!  Why does it keep coming up?  There is no way anyone is actually still using it..  It's last version was like 2005 - 10 years ago..

 

Window can with built in tools shrink the system OS.  Sometimes you have to defrag it before you can shrink - sometimes you have to fiddle a bit to shrink it to min it can shrink to because of placement of files, etc.

 

example

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/working-around-windows-vistas-shrink-volume-inadequacy-problems/

 

To be honest.. vs just playing with all this you most likely would of been done already just doing a clean install..  Then installing your apps, copy over your files you want on your shiny new ssd.  You can get a cable or external case for your hdd for like $20 so you could then use it as backup disk and used to copy your old files to your new ssd, etc..

 

Install on a ssd takes a few minutes..  Now your sure windows knows its a ssd, etc. etc. 

 

It always befuddles me.. On one hand you have people that at the drop of hat reinstall windows.. Freaking icon is moved - reinstall windows!!  Oh my its been 78 hours, windows is slow - reinstall!!  I call it WRS, windows reinstall syndrome..   Then on the other hand you have people that when it makes sense to do a clean install.. Look for every possible method how to waste more time when a clean install would make the most sense.

 

Got a new computer, took my hdd out of my intel based machine and plugged it into my new amd - why does windows not boot..  Well I got infected with something and been trying to clean it for 37 hours straight - help!!  Windows Z just came out and I was running Y.. How do I do a upgrade??  I was running PATA disk, and just got a new shiny m.2 pci disk how do I move my OS to the new disk??

 

While yes it is possible to move from hdd to ssd and shrink the OS while you do that as long as the actual sized used is smaller than your new ssd - why not just do clean and be done with it?

 

And btw just because software doesn't come in the box doesn't mean you can't get the software from the website.  Now crucial seems to be one of those companies charging you extra for a kit (comes with cable)

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ctssdinstallac

 

But for example samsung you can just download the software. 

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/whitepaper/whitepaper11.html

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/support/downloads.html

 

If you really want to just do a copy with 3rd party - here this works.

http://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/comparison/epm-free.html

 

Free version for sure includes "Disk & partition copy, migrate OS to SSD/HDD"

I feel like a moron, I meant partition master instead of partition magic (those names are just too confusing for software that isn't used on a daily basis), I got a free license a few year ago from giveawayoftheday.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

I've done this several times without a problem using the free editions of Partition Wizard and HD Clone

 

On occasion I have had to run Partition Wizard in safe mode, but I have never had a problem.

 

HD Clone also manages any alignment issues.

 

It's complete FUD about Windows not detecting a drive as an SSD, switching on TRIM etc.  Does this without fail, and every time.

 

I have taken a machine from a 250GB HDD, to 64GB SSD, 96GB SSD and then to a 128GB SSD - using this.  Never had a single problem.

 

Obviously, if you have the time, energy and inclination - then a fresh Windows install would be better.

I have better things to do with my life though....

[Billaguana]

Try using Paragon Partition Manager. I have used this for every clone I have ever done and, as long as the HDD is not throwing too many sector errors, have never had a true issue since. I know it costs money for the home version, but it truly does a fantastic job with actively cloning one drive to another while re-sizing partitions.

[Night Prowler]

Hi!

 

Recently, my notebook had very terrible loading times, all application were very slow, when I realized it's most like due to the HDD being very old, and around the area it was melting hot. I had same issue once with my very 1st laptop back in 2007, then I simple reinstalled everything on the new SSD and tossed the old drive out. This time, I need to copy the partitions, I simply don't want to reinstall everything, it would take days. (active doing, unlike DD) But the problem is, the HDD currently in use is 320GB in size, but only partially in use. The new SSD is a 120GB (Crucial BX100).

 

So, i think it's better to DD. Or, any opposing ideas?

 

Currently the notebook has a drive of 320GB, with the following partition layout: https://space.zeo.net/g/5e86s

 

I will shrink the (C:) down from 150GB to the max with windows allows me, which is about 112GB. But now comes the tricky stuff, and the main point i'm not sure if it can work, do DD windows "hidden" partition and the main partition, and of course the MBR as well. Then it would fit exactly to the SDD: https://space.zeo.net/g/qs11

 

Also, can any1 recommend me a quick linux distribo, live version which has a built-in DD or ntfsclone?

 

What I did to move my HDD to an SSD.

 

Backed up my drive using Acronis backup to a USB removable drive

Replaced my HDD with an SSD

Installed a fresh copy of Windows 8.1

Used Acronis Backup and restored the C: partition

 

I now have my original data back on a  new correct partition install of Windows 8.1.

 

Note: My original OS was 8.1 on the HDD.

[Billaguana]

He isn't looking for a backup though, and I think it is because he has some type of application installed on current drive that he doesn't want to have to reinstall on the new one. The backup will make a copy of all his data, but no backup out there, that I know of, can copy over an application installed on the machine mainly because of environment issues that would come with trying to copy and paste an application. A clone would essentially be a byte to byte transfer of information from one drive to another for the purpose of exact copying. This allows for things like boot partitions to be moved over seamlessly so that you can just stick the drive back in and viola it works right off boot (as long as there are no driver issue on the new drive).

[Class]

He isn't looking for a backup though, and I think it is because he has some type of application installed on current drive that he doesn't want to have to reinstall on the new one. The backup will make a copy of all his data, but no backup out there, that I know of, can copy over an application installed on the machine mainly because of environment issues that would come with trying to copy and paste an application. A clone would essentially be a byte to byte transfer of information from one drive to another for the purpose of exact copying. This allows for things like boot partitions to be moved over seamlessly so that you can just stick the drive back in and viola it works right off boot (as long as there are no driver issue on the new drive).

I was offline last week, so now i can catchup with all the information.

Yes, i wanted to do an exact copy because, now comes the magic word: this notebook is owned by a women. So thats why its way better to carbon copy as it is. I hope it's understandable now.

Since the "old" system is not booting up, pretty much cloning is ou? of the question. Unless i manage to repair the os. (winload.exe missing, partition locked, shrinked partition restore?!) at this moment i don't really know did cause it.

Most likely, i will not be able to restore the original state, so in this chase i will need to reinstall win8.1, or the insider version of win10, it's updatable according to microsoft.

If I manage to get the old windows back, i will try over. But somehow i don't get this why this had to fail in the 1st place?! Did't find any helping articles in the CZ forums either.

[Billaguana]

The first thing to determine is what happened to the installation? Did the drive go bad or was the problem purely software based. If the drive isn't bad then we need to just look at getting the OS image repaired. If it is a bad drive, sometimes doing a byte transfer instead of a smart transfer, when it comes to cloning, can take a corrupt system and make it workable again.

[binaryzero]

I would not install Win10.

[Class]

The first thing to determine is what happened to the installation? Did the drive go bad or was the problem purely software based. If the drive isn't bad then we need to just look at getting the OS image repaired. If it is a bad drive, sometimes doing a byte transfer instead of a smart transfer, when it comes to cloning, can take a corrupt system and make it workable again.

 

I google around and found this solution to the booting problem, which completely solved it. (http://goo.gl/XopmNw)

 

1. Windows 8.1 install DVD (USB sticked)

2. Repair

3. Command Prompt by running these:

bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot

Now I can resume the cloning process. So any recommendations? How to copy this HDD setup to an SSD without many troubles. Made a diskpart screenshot of the current standing:

 

From the media partitions, "System Rese" and "System" I would like to copy to the SSD. Mathematically still under 120GB, should be possible, but CloneZilla didn't want to make it happen. Only copied the MBR, then with error stopped, even if I selected "ignore target size" check.

 

Is there a solution to copy this setup, with some custom "DD"?

 

#EDIT: I'm trying the earlier recommended app, EaseUS Partition Manager's 'Migrate OS to HDD/SSD' funciont, starting now. Let's see, but the partition part was really done so badly by the app, it's enlarged the "reserved" area to a full of 20GB, and sliding those bulks is really terrible.

 

I would not install Win10.

 

Me neither, just saw it live in VB, b10130, not really too polished in my opinion.

[Billaguana]

Again, it costs money, but the program I always use is Paragon. So easy to use and the smart clone is good for drives going bad. It will move from big to smaller drive as well

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

In all this time, you could have just reinstalled and have everything updated/loaded...

[Class]

Again, it costs money, but the program I always use is Paragon. So easy to use and the smart clone is good for drives going bad. It will move from big to smaller drive as well

 

Thanks, going to download it. EaseUS didn't work. Samsung's tool is just for samsung SSD-s only, sadly. Crucial's doesn't have any tools available for free.

 

In all this time, you could have just reinstalled and have everything updated/loaded...

 

Thanks for repeating...

[Billaguana]

You will need to make a bootable image, but I think paragon does this for you now. Live boot it onto your machine and go through the process to copy. Couple of things to be aware of: Make sure you select the right source and dest disks and when it asks how much you want to scale the drive, just make sure it is at 100%. Overall use the smart copy first, and if that doesn't work try the byte copy next.

[Billaguana]

Holy cow, looking through their stuff again, I found this tool: https://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/. I'm sorry I didn't know of this earlier. That clone should still do the job for you

[Class]

Holy cow, looking through their stuff again, I found this tool: https://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/. I'm sorry I didn't know of this earlier. That clone should still do the job for you

 

 

You will need to make a bootable image, but I think paragon does this for you now. Live boot it onto your machine and go through the process to copy. Couple of things to be aware of: Make sure you select the right source and dest disks and when it asks how much you want to scale the drive, just make sure it is at 100%. Overall use the smart copy first, and if that doesn't work try the byte copy next.

 

Nevermind, downloaded the Manager 14. This actually really copied exactly where stuff in and even exetended the slightly under 120GB windows partition to the max of the drive. Perfect. Perfect. (almost) Here's the result of the SDD partition picture:

 

 

[rarson]

I have tried many programs many times to clone various sized disks to other disks. AOMEI Partition Assistant is by far the best and easiest route to go in my experience.

 

In case others aren't aware, you can use Windows to resize the partition but you're often limited by the fact that Windows may put "unmoveable" files towards the end of the partition. It's actually pretty common, so at that point, you can run Disk Defragmenter all you want, you still won't be able to shrink the partition any more. AOMEI will do just that. You can shrink the partition and then clone the smaller partition. I can't recommend it enough.

[Billaguana]

Nevermind, downloaded the Manager 14. This actually really copied exactly where stuff in and even exetended the slightly under 120GB windows partition to the max of the drive. Perfect. Perfect. (almost) Here's the result of the SDD partition picture:

 

 

 

So, you said almost at the end there. Does that mean it did work for you or that you are still having trouble?