Replace Working HDD in SSD/HDD Setup

[DaBayer]

My storage setup:

120 GB SSD - (C:) OS & misc. files

250 GB HDD - (G:) Program FIles (x86), Program Files, User Data (mapped)

 

So I got a sweet deal on a 2 TB HDD, and I'd like to replace my existing 250 GB HDD for two reasons. 1) To re-purpose the HDD to another machine and 2) To know how to do it.

 

What I THINK I want to do us add the 2 TB drive to the machine, boot into something other than Windows, Image G: onto the 2 TB drive, pull the 250 GB drive and rename the 2 TB drive as G:. I have Hirens as well as numerous 3rd party imaging apps.

 

What is my least painful option?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Lotus]

You're booting from the drive you aren't replacing, so it's a super simple process of just mirroring your 250GB on your 2TB, then expanding your one volume. This can all be done without any disconnects in one go without even so much as a restart. Then just pull your 250GB HDD and so long as the drive letter that was assigned to your old 250GB HDD is assigned to the new 2TB volume, you're done.

[DaBayer]

You're booting from the drive you aren't replacing, so it's a super simple process of just mirroring your 250GB on your 2TB, then expanding your one volume. This can all be done without any disconnects in one go without even so much as a restart. Then just pull your 250GB HDD and so long as the drive letter that was assigned to your old 250GB HDD is assigned to the new 2TB volume, you're done.

I was hoping it would be simple

 

A few questions about your response:

"mirroring your..." - using what software?

"expanding your..." - same question

assign drive letter - I am assuming in Windows here?

 

Thanks again.

[DaBayer]

Found this reply from user Devon_Pearce in another thread:

 

connect both drives at once. ensure the new hard drive has been innitialized. then simply select all your contents and copy them over to the new drive. then shut down your computer. remove the old one and boot it up. once booted up ensure the new drive has the same drive letter as the old one. if it doesnt youll need to go into the disk management utility in windows to reassign a letter to it.

[DaBayer]

OK Got it!

 

First, need to ensure that the correct drive letter is available when the format and old drive removal is complete...

1) Remove all flash drives from your system (yeah, that was an issue)

2) Disable optical drives (Device Manager)

3) Disable virtual optical drives (MagicISO, etc.)

4) Make note of your existing hard drive's letter

 

Power down and connect the drive

1) Connect SATA cable

2) Connect power cable

 

Power up and enable the drive

1) Ender BIOS setup

2) Ensure SATA port is enabled

3) Save and reboot or continue to boot

 

Get old data onto the drive

1) Start -> right-click Computer -> Manage

2) Select "Drive Manager"

3) Select new drive

4) At this point, configure your new drive the way you want it...

5) Close "Manager"

6) Using Windows Explorer, copy all of the data from your old drive to the new one

 

Swap out the drives and power up

1) Power down Windows

2) Pull the old drive from its bay

3) Install the new drive in the old drive's bay using the old drives SATA and power cables

4) Remove the unused SATA cable

5) If you had to enable the SATA port for the new drive, disable it againg through the BIOS

 

Clean up

1) Start -> right-click Computer -> Manage

2) Select "Drive Manager"

3) Select new drive

4) Change its drive letter to that of the old drive

5) Re-enable optical drives (Device Manager)

6) Re-connect flash drives

7) Test, fix, test