HDD to SSD clone?

[dcr]

i wish to clone a HDD to a SSD. obviously I would have to make the partition of the HDD to match the complete size of the SSD (even smaller to make sure the boot sector is always coppied)

Is this possible? Would Windows 7 automatically "switch" to ssd mode?

thank you

[n_K]

Look up gparted and try that.

Will it switch to the SSD, good question, try it and see (run the TRIM enabled commands). It should do once booted, drivers are installed/reconfigured and you've restarted.

[spikey_richie]

http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid+state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

[dcr]

Look up gparted and try that.

Will it switch to the SSD, good question, try it and see (run the TRIM enabled commands). It should do once booted, drivers are installed/reconfigured and you've restarted.

cloning the drive shouldnt be difficult at all as ive done it and i know the tools, im just worried about Windows 7 detecting it correctly. btw, this isnt for me so i cant try it out.

[Dutchie64]

clonezilla?

[dcr]

clonezilla?

thats the tool ill use the problem is going from (example) 200GB HDD to 160GB SSD. There are problems as you see in size diffference so I want to make sure that if that 200GB HD partiion is shrinked to 160 (150 just in case) if everything (including boot sector) will work correctly AND that Windows 7 detects it is SSD and turns on its wear tear protection mode.

[schramh]

I have just used Ghost to do a disk to disk image to my new SSD. Worked like a charm. Just make sure that you make the nessecary changes in the BIOS.

[Buzz99]

I have just used Ghost to do a disk to disk image to my new SSD. Worked like a charm. Just make sure that you make the nessecary changes in the BIOS.

Is ghost really works with Windows 7 ?

[GrayW]

There is an parameter that tells CloneZilla to ignore drive size

http://www.clonezilla.org/clonezilla-live/doc/03_Disk_to_disk_clone/advanced/05-advanced-param.php

[Jim K Global Moderator]

I used this guide last year when I installed a SSD into my HTPC. Worked like it should...and easy to follow (probably similar to what Spikey linked to).

http://www.howtogeek.com/97242/how-to-migrate-windows-7-to-a-solid-state-drive/

[dcr]

I have just used Ghost to do a disk to disk image to my new SSD. Worked like a charm. Just make sure that you make the nessecary changes in the BIOS.

clonezilla (dd) is a lot more accurate than ghost.

i know it can be done but i think y ou guys are missing my MAIN questions :)

1: will windows 7 change to ssd mode?

2: will bigger to smaller work?

[Jim K Global Moderator]

clonezilla (dd) is a lot more accurate than ghost.

i know it can be done but i think y ou guys are missing my MAIN questions :)

1: will windows 7 change to ssd mode?

2: will bigger to smaller work?

Did you read the lifehacker or howtogeek article? It answers both of those questions. Short answer is yes

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

i literally just did this a few days ago. I replaced a std hd in my laptop at work w/ an SSD. I used Acronis to make a backup (tlb) of the drive, then restored the image to the SSD. the only downside is that the SSD has much more capacity than the hd so i had unallocated space on the SSD. That can be remedied with software to merge the space or just create another partition.

[xendrome]

Hopefully you guys are using a utility that correctly aligns the partition for SSD drives. Do some google research into Alignment checking on an SSD. Otherwise you are going to have performance issues.

[freak180]

I was wondering this myself but What about from 60GB SSD to a 120GB SSD. I currently have 1 GB free right now :( what would I have to tweak in the BIOS in order for it to work properly? I would be using cloneZilla btw

[xendrome]

I was wondering this myself but What about from 60GB SSD to a 120GB SSD. I currently have 1 GB free right now :( what would I have to tweak in the BIOS in order for it to work properly? I would be using cloneZilla btw

Shouldn't have to "tweak" anything, especially if you are already using an SSD.. Honestly I don't think a BIOS knows the difference between a HDD and SSD, it just see's it as a drive.

[Hum]

thats the tool ill use the problem is going from (example) 200GB HDD to 160GB SSD. There are problems as you see in size diffference so I want to make sure that if that 200GB HD partiion is shrinked to 160 (150 just in case) if everything (including boot sector) will work correctly AND that Windows 7 detects it is SSD and turns on its wear tear protection mode.

Macrium software will adjust the partitions, expand or shrink:

http://kb.macrium.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50081.aspx

[dcr]

xendrome is the only one who has understood my question

[Radium]

Why not just create the partitions on the new drive, use XCOPY (command line tool in Windows) and then use BOOTSECT.EXE to write boot sector and use DISKPART (another tool in Windows) to make sure that the correct partition is set as bootable?

I recommend starting from the beginning when moving from one drive to another.

Is the computer UEFI compatible?

Does the current drive use GPT or MBR?