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What to use to copy a whole drive

LukeNukem9
By LukeNukem9
in Storage Devices
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Posted

So i want to copy the data (partitions and all) from one HDD to a SSD. The hard drive is 640Gb and i tried reducing the main partition to fit on the 240Gb SSD. However, I cant shrink it below 290Gb(ish) and in GParted it just says it cant handle NTFS very well so i hooked it up to my main rig and windows said there are important files around the 290GB block area and it cant shrink anymore because of that. Can i just try to recreate the partitions then copy the data manually? Or will that foobar it up?

I'm gonna go find my own tech support...

with BLACKJACK and HOOKERS!

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I'd strongly recommend just doing a fresh install of Windows.  Then you can hook up the HDD to your computer, boot to the SSD, move whatever files you need over, then format the HDD and use it for storage.

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If it can't shrink small enough to fit on the SSD, then it isn't going to be possible.  I agree with the clean install on the SSD.  Then add in the HDD as a data drive.

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Is it an OS drive? I don't believe you've specified it.

 

Trying to "clone" a drive is quite a serious task and whatever software you use like Clonezilla won't do miracle of fitting 290gb inside 240gb.

 

To my understanding if you absolutely want to clone your current drive be it with OS or not you will need at least a 480gb SSD.

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You need to do one of two things. Get a bigger SSD as @Princess Luna mentioned, or do a fresh install (as @AlexTheGreatish said) which is never a really bad idea. I know it is a pain. However, you will find it helps with de-cluttering and making your machine run faster and more efficient.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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11 hours ago, Princess Luna said:

Is it an OS drive? I don't believe you've specified it.

 

Trying to "clone" a drive is quite a serious task and whatever software you use like Clonezilla won't do miracle of fitting 290gb inside 240gb.

 

To my understanding if you absolutely want to clone your current drive be it with OS or not you will need at least a 480gb SSD.

 

10 hours ago, dual290x said:

You need to do one of two things. Get a bigger SSD as @Princess Luna mentioned, or do a fresh install (as @AlexTheGreatish said) which is never a really bad idea. I know it is a pain. However, you will find it helps with de-cluttering and making your machine run faster and more efficient.

The only option to fit 290gb inside 240gb is to move data off it

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  • Author

@dual290x @Princess Luna @AlexTheGreatish @DeaconFrost Sorry but i forgot to mention, This is a laptop for my grandma as well I previously replaced the fan so i'm doing this for her as well. I seem to have misplaced my SATA/IDE to USB adapter (works like a charm) So im kinda out of options but a clean install might be a good idea.

I'm gonna go find my own tech support...

with BLACKJACK and HOOKERS!

(Welcome to LTT Forums)

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9 hours ago, LukeTheCoder05 said:

@dual290x @Princess Luna @AlexTheGreatish @DeaconFrost Sorry but i forgot to mention, This is a laptop for my grandma as well I previously replaced the fan so i'm doing this for her as well. I seem to have misplaced my SATA/IDE to USB adapter (works like a charm) So im kinda out of options but a clean install might be a good idea.

If memaw is using it then you should to do a fresh install (unless the old drive has legacy apps that she really wants to keep).

 

Deleting/not installing all the downloaded docs, jpegs and apps that have not been used or opened since Bill Clinton was impeached will truly make the upgrade worth while. 

 

I poke some fun because I dealt with this on three separate occassions with the same family member. Nothing personal bud. Good luck. 

 

FYI. In the south, Memaw is a common nickname for grandmothers.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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