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SSD Migration Newbie Doubt

Roshan

Hello there folks. I recently ordered two ADATA XPG 256 GB SSDs as they were on sale for an extremely ridiculous price and I thought it would be a sin to not get them for my relatively new build and put them in raid as an experiment. As this is my first time experience fiddling around with SSDs, I wanted to know if it is possible that I could clone just the C Drive that houses the OS over to the SSDs instead of the entirety of the 1TB hard drive which is not possible anyway. Because everywhere I look at tutorials that talk about OS migration on the net I keep seeing them say the words "You cannot clone part of a drive", and I'm confused as to what they mean... like are they talking about the C Drive or the entirety of the hard drive.

 

Might sound like an extremely noobie thing to ask but I'm just a bit confused. Sorry if I sound like an absolute div but hey I gotta learn someway or the other. :P

 

My dilemma in a nutshell, here below you can see my current partitions and all I want to know is can I migrate just the C Drive over to the SSDs after I install them -

XfwmqvM.png

 

(Also, apologies in advance if I posted this topic in the wrong section instead of the "New Builds and Planning" sub forum, I couldn't decide which was more appropriate)

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when i added my HDD and tried to keep all the stuff from raid0 i had on SSDs i cloned the raid to HDD, but then was unable to get just the files back on SSD

maybe it's coz i'm also a newb

and after searching and asking here even, i gave up and just installed windows on the SSD, mind you, i unplugged the 2nd SSD and HDD, before i installed it

and maybe that would be best option for you as well

just unplug HDD(s), leaving only SSDs plugged, make a raid array and install windows on the raid, it only takes few min and after, you can plug in the HDD(s) and keep all the files you had and/or move those you want

A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

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Doing a fresh install is the better option, especially if you're going RAID.  Every time I've installed Windows with the controller in AHCI mode and had to switch to RAID afterwards (for creating a storage array on an existing system), Windows flat-out refused to boot. 

 

Unplug the HDD, create the RAID array in the BIOS, install Windows. 

Once you have it up and running, shut down the PC and re-attach the HDD. 

Go straight back into the BIOS to select the RAID array as primary boot device, otherwise it just might try to boot from the HDD.

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Doing a fresh install is the better option, especially if you're going RAID.  Every time I've installed Windows with the controller in AHCI mode and had to switch to RAID afterwards (for creating a storage array on an existing system), Windows flat-out refused to boot. 

 

Unplug the HDD, create the RAID array in the BIOS, install Windows. 

Once you have it up and running, shut down the PC and re-attach the HDD. 

Go straight back into the BIOS to select the RAID array as primary boot device, otherwise it just might try to boot from the HDD.

 

I guess fresh install it is then, I was kinda hoping to keep it as a last resort option. ^-^

 

Although, does that mean my current C Drive will become redundant and I will have to install a fresh set of drivers (like say the ones for the motherboard, asus' sound card driver, the Logitech drivers etc.) and programs (like the usual chrome, steam, origin etc.) onto the SSD or will they work fine since they have been installed already once on the HDD?

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Every time I've installed Windows with the controller in AHCI mode and had to switch to RAID afterwards (for creating a storage array on an existing system), Windows flat-out refused to boot. 

 

Actually that's normal - but can be prevented by editing the registry before making the change.

[Main rig "ToXxXiC":]
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K | MB: ASUS Maximus VII Formula | RAM: G.Skill TridentX 32GB 2400MHz (DDR-3) | GPU: EVGA GTX980 Hydro Copper | Storage: Samsung 850 Pro 256GB SSD + Samsung 850 EVO 1TB SSD (+NAS) | Sound: OnBoard | PSU: XFX Black Edition Pro 1050W 80+ Gold | Case: Cooler Master Cosmos II | Cooling: Full Custom Watercooling Loop (CPU+GPU+MB) | OS: Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit)

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well a fresh install is always a safe thing to do, i can help you speed this process up.

But first you can in your case clone your c drive to the ssd's via a software as it appears you partitioned the the 1tb drive to have a 200gb partition acting as your c drive. There are a few programs out there to do this. 

Yet if you are doing the fresh install route. when it comes to reinstalling your steam and origin. first install the program, log in. then close both programs. simply copy the programfiles folder from the 1tb C drvie to the new ssd c Drive then when you go to play the game steam will recognize faster than origin will and simply check the game files and what not then play. Origin likes to "Download" the game but after a few minutes it says the game is complete and ready to play. 

as for many other programs go to ninite.com it is a favourite place to get every basic program needed for fresh installs. ie chrome winrar adobe reader.... 

hope this helps, Markes12344

NAME: HAF Satlite MOBO: ASUS Maximus Extreme-Z IV CPU: i5 3570K 4.4GHz 1.256V GPU: ASUS 1080Founders RAM: 4x4GB Corsair Vengeance Red 1600MHz 7-8-8-24 PSU: EVGA 750W Gold STORAGE: 1TB Samsung Evo | 4x4TB WD Green Raid10 OS: 10 x64 Pro COOLING: Custom 360rad CPU under water soon GPU too

NAME: Node Box Server MOBO: Intel DB55SB CPU: i5 750 GPU: ASUS 560DC OC 1GB RAM: 2x2GB Corsair XMP 1333MHz PSU: Coolermaster 1000W Bronze STORAGE: 90GB Corsair FORCE Jails| 5x4TB WD Raidz2 60GB Corsair Force Cache OS: Freenas COOLING: Back to Stock

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well a fresh install is always a safe thing to do, i can help you speed this process up.

But first you can in your case clone your c drive to the ssd's via a software as it appears you partitioned the the 1tb drive to have a 200gb partition acting as your c drive. There are a few programs out there to do this. 

Yet if you are doing the fresh install route. when it comes to reinstalling your steam and origin. first install the program, log in. then close both programs. simply copy the programfiles folder from the 1tb C drvie to the new ssd c Drive then when you go to play the game steam will recognize faster than origin will and simply check the game files and what not then play. Origin likes to "Download" the game but after a few minutes it says the game is complete and ready to play. 

as for many other programs go to ninite.com it is a favourite place to get every basic program needed for fresh installs. ie chrome winrar adobe reader.... 

hope this helps, Markes12344

 

Thanks for the tips Mark, the SSDs won't be delivered till tuesday anyway so I'm just stocking up on the knowledge that I might need once they are here so as to not waste any time when they arrive. ^-^

 

And I was looking at Paragon OS to SSD software while doing my own silly research a while ago, and people seem to be quite pleased with that software in the reviews and such. I don't mind trying it out as it is only 20 bucks, but I wanted a second opinion about that software, like is it really as safe and hassle free as people make it out to be, because from the overview of it, it does look quite a simple tool to use but considering my level of knowledge I would rather get the opinion of someone more experienced with these sorts of things. :P

 

Also yes, thanks for reminding me of ninite! I was introduced to that website by Logan in his "what to do when you get a new laptop" video, but it has been so long since I used it that I almost forgot it existed. :D

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I personally use http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx recently, so far it has worked quiet well. before this program I used todo backup but it started to become filled with adds, but hey free. 

As for reflectfree day of new years night I cloned my C drive while using my C drive, something to be said as not all programs can clone files being used. 

take a look at it and see if yea like it. 

NAME: HAF Satlite MOBO: ASUS Maximus Extreme-Z IV CPU: i5 3570K 4.4GHz 1.256V GPU: ASUS 1080Founders RAM: 4x4GB Corsair Vengeance Red 1600MHz 7-8-8-24 PSU: EVGA 750W Gold STORAGE: 1TB Samsung Evo | 4x4TB WD Green Raid10 OS: 10 x64 Pro COOLING: Custom 360rad CPU under water soon GPU too

NAME: Node Box Server MOBO: Intel DB55SB CPU: i5 750 GPU: ASUS 560DC OC 1GB RAM: 2x2GB Corsair XMP 1333MHz PSU: Coolermaster 1000W Bronze STORAGE: 90GB Corsair FORCE Jails| 5x4TB WD Raidz2 60GB Corsair Force Cache OS: Freenas COOLING: Back to Stock

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