Jump to content

Transferring Windows from a HDD to A SSD any suggestions ?

ProGearUk
By ProGearUk
in Storage Devices
 Share
Posted

I am going to buy a SSD for my computer but my OS is on a Mechanical Hard Drive. I was wondering whether I could transfer the contents of that HDD over to a SSD without losing everything or the windows files and all of my applications being lost. Any suggestions are welcome. I want to do this because I have applications that I bought that can only be installed once on my Hard Drive.

XYPHER AMD FX8350 @ 4.6Ghz ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 AMD RADEON HD 7970 @ 1140Mhz 16GB Corsair VENGEANCE 1600Mhz OCZ VERTEX 3 240GB SSD Corsair H100i 1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA FRACTAL DESIGN DEFINE R4 CORSAIR K90 MADCATZ RAT 3 iiyama ProLite B2480HS 24"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Depending on which SSD you get, some come with imaging software. I know a lot of Intel ones do. You can also use something like Acronis or Ghost. Plug a USB drive into your computer, big enough to hold your current drive. Take an "image" or backup as in Acronis of you drive. Pull out mechanical, put in SSD. Boot back into the imaging software and restore from the USB the image. Voila, lost nothing and everything way it was before you started, except now, running on a SSD.

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Spoiler

Whaler_99 Links - "Green Machine" (watercooled), "Out of the Blue" (watercooled), My 4P Folding rigs, My multi GPU Folding Rigs, The Water Cooling FAQ, My 40TB Storage Server, My Folding Stats. The CM HAF XB review, the Aqualis Pro 450 review, the PrimoChill CTR Phase II Res review, the IcyDock ToughArmor 6x1 review, the 3x2 Storage Cage review, the 5x3 Storage Cage review, my Milwaukee Jobsite Backpack review, my Thermaltake Core X2 review, my CoolerMaster Storm Stryker overview. Link to DA Blogs home.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

I couldn't have said better Whaler_99, but considering you are installing a brand new SSD into your PC you might also want to do a fresh start by reinstalling your OS from scratch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
Depending on which SSD you get, some come with imaging software. I know a lot of Intel ones do. You can also use something like Acronis or Ghost. Plug a USB drive into your computer, big enough to hold your current drive. Take an "image" or backup as in Acronis of you drive. Pull out mechanical, put in SSD. Boot back into the imaging software and restore from the USB the image. Voila, lost nothing and everything way it was before you started, except now, running on a SSD.
so i make an image of all of my data using acronis and then I power down the pc install my ssd and remove my mechanical drive and power on the pc. Or do I make an image of the data onto my external drive that then goes onto my ssd. I then shut down the PC take out the mechanical drive and change the booth drive to the SSD. is that one correct.

XYPHER AMD FX8350 @ 4.6Ghz ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 AMD RADEON HD 7970 @ 1140Mhz 16GB Corsair VENGEANCE 1600Mhz OCZ VERTEX 3 240GB SSD Corsair H100i 1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA FRACTAL DESIGN DEFINE R4 CORSAIR K90 MADCATZ RAT 3 iiyama ProLite B2480HS 24"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
I couldn't have said better Whaler_99, but considering you are installing a brand new SSD into your PC you might also want to do a fresh start by reinstalling your OS from scratch.
i cant really do that because I have 1 install software on my pc that cost me $500

XYPHER AMD FX8350 @ 4.6Ghz ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 AMD RADEON HD 7970 @ 1140Mhz 16GB Corsair VENGEANCE 1600Mhz OCZ VERTEX 3 240GB SSD Corsair H100i 1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA FRACTAL DESIGN DEFINE R4 CORSAIR K90 MADCATZ RAT 3 iiyama ProLite B2480HS 24"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

I am not sure what "imaging" solution you use. Some, you install in Windows. In that case, you also need to make the recovery boot drive. Some, you boot directly into them. Either way, take an image of your entire disk. This is easiest by using a USB drive as the destination for the image. Remember, if you have an 80GB drive, probably need a 80GB USB drive, and so on... Typically it will list the disk and partitions, etc. Just click the Disk to do everything. Then shut down, pull drive out and put in SSD. Either boot back into the imgae software or use the recovery disk you just made. Restore image, choosing the USB drive containing the image. Once done, reboot and should work.

One reason you need to pull out old drive and plug the SSD drive back into same controller, makes it easier for Windows during your boot.

Also, if anything goes wrong with the restore, just pull out SSD, plug back in your old drive, and voila. We haven't actually changed anything on old drive, so should still work. :)

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Spoiler

Whaler_99 Links - "Green Machine" (watercooled), "Out of the Blue" (watercooled), My 4P Folding rigs, My multi GPU Folding Rigs, The Water Cooling FAQ, My 40TB Storage Server, My Folding Stats. The CM HAF XB review, the Aqualis Pro 450 review, the PrimoChill CTR Phase II Res review, the IcyDock ToughArmor 6x1 review, the 3x2 Storage Cage review, the 5x3 Storage Cage review, my Milwaukee Jobsite Backpack review, my Thermaltake Core X2 review, my CoolerMaster Storm Stryker overview. Link to DA Blogs home.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
I am not sure what "imaging" solution you use. Some, you install in Windows. In that case, you also need to make the recovery boot drive. Some, you boot directly into them. Either way, take an image of your entire disk. This is easiest by using a USB drive as the destination for the image. Remember, if you have an 80GB drive, probably need a 80GB USB drive, and so on... Typically it will list the disk and partitions, etc. Just click the Disk to do everything. Then shut down, pull drive out and put in SSD. Either boot back into the imgae software or use the recovery disk you just made. Restore image, choosing the USB drive containing the image. Once done, reboot and should work.

One reason you need to pull out old drive and plug the SSD drive back into same controller, makes it easier for Windows during your boot.

Also, if anything goes wrong with the restore, just pull out SSD, plug back in your old drive, and voila. We haven't actually changed anything on old drive, so should still work. :)

thanks i will give it a shot

XYPHER AMD FX8350 @ 4.6Ghz ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 AMD RADEON HD 7970 @ 1140Mhz 16GB Corsair VENGEANCE 1600Mhz OCZ VERTEX 3 240GB SSD Corsair H100i 1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA FRACTAL DESIGN DEFINE R4 CORSAIR K90 MADCATZ RAT 3 iiyama ProLite B2480HS 24"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
I couldn't have said better Whaler_99, but considering you are installing a brand new SSD into your PC you might also want to do a fresh start by reinstalling your OS from scratch.
and you cant reactivate the software after a fresh install?? call the software company and ask them for a new activation.

Respect the Code of Conduct!

>> Feel free to join the unofficial LTT teamspeak 3 server TS3.schnitzel.team <<

>>LTT 10TB+ Topic<< | >>FlexRAID Tutorial<< | >>LTT Speed wave<< | >>LTT Communies and Servers<<

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

My suggestion is to do a clean install. I know you said "I want to do this because I have applications that I bought that can only be installed once on my Hard Drive." How would the applications know you've installed them on another drive?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
My suggestion is to do a clean install. I know you said "I want to do this because I have applications that I bought that can only be installed once on my Hard Drive." How would the applications know you've installed them on another drive?
it registers the install online

XYPHER AMD FX8350 @ 4.6Ghz ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 AMD RADEON HD 7970 @ 1140Mhz 16GB Corsair VENGEANCE 1600Mhz OCZ VERTEX 3 240GB SSD Corsair H100i 1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA FRACTAL DESIGN DEFINE R4 CORSAIR K90 MADCATZ RAT 3 iiyama ProLite B2480HS 24"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
I couldn't have said better Whaler_99, but considering you are installing a brand new SSD into your PC you might also want to do a fresh start by reinstalling your OS from scratch.
For an expensive software like that, you'll be able to reinstall it using your activation key or something.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

disk cloning wudnt be enough cause ssd use a different partition alignment than hdd s do...

so the most simple way would to use a program that supports hdd to ssd migration (paragon has one specific to this i used that to migrate to ssd)

or if you do an exact copy you have to do re alignment with a partitioning tool like parted magic or else the ssd will not perform as well as it should

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing Storage Devices

×