Upgrading SSD

[mkU1tra762]

I have a  laptop that camme with a 256GB m.2 SSD. I want to upgrade it to somethig larger. Hw simple is the process? I know how to open up that laptop and change them out however, I'm not really sure I know how to swith the OS over. Do I need to buy another copy of windows 10? What about all of the stuff associated with my thinkpad (stylus support etc.) as well as the media controls and other Fn key setup. I doubt I can just swap themm out right? 

[DVA]

You can put everything on a flash drive or external hard drive and do a simple file transfer. 

[LukeSavenije]

9 minutes ago, MattKnutson84 said:

I have a  laptop that camme with a 256GB m.2 SSD. I want to upgrade it to somethig larger. Hw simple is the process? I know how to open up that laptop and change them out however, I'm not really sure I know how to swith the OS over. Do I need to buy another copy of windows 10? What about all of the stuff associated with my thinkpad (stylus support etc.) as well as the media controls and other Fn key setup. I doubt I can just swap themm out right? 

depends, most of the times it just works by cloning the drive with some software and a dock (if your laptop can't have 2 sata's at a time). just swap it like you would do on any laptop

[mkU1tra762]

1 minute ago, LukeSavenije said:

depends, most of the times it just works by cloning the drive with some software and a dock (if your laptop can't have 2 sata's at a time). just swap it like you would do on any laptop

Do they make docks for cloning M.2 SSD's?

[Enderman]

You don't need to buy a new copy.

https://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

[LukeSavenije]

1 minute ago, MattKnutson84 said:

Do they make docks for cloning M.2 SSD's?

there are m.2 docks. you can find them on ebay for example

[mkU1tra762]

2 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

there are m.2 docks. you can find them on ebay for example

Awesome,thanks!I assume I would need cloning software too?

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, MattKnutson84 said:

Awesome,thanks!I assume I would need cloning software too?

yep. what ssd are you planning on using?

[mkU1tra762]

4 minutes ago, Enderman said:

You don't need to buy a new copy.

https://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

Great news! Thanks!

[mkU1tra762]

Just now, LukeSavenije said:

yep. what ssd are you planning on using?

I've thought about getting a Samsung 960 Evo. I really like their SSD's.

[seagate_surfer]

You do not need a lot of equipment, but you will definitely need a computer where you can connect both SSDs and then start the cloning process with tools like EaseUS for example:

• Clone the disk for disk upgrade, data transfer, SSD migration - EaseUS

For the Windows license number, what you can do is to recover it before formatting, then you can enter it again when you are reinstalling, some tool options that allow you to extract the Windows license key number are:

• Products: Belarc Advisor

• KeyFinder | Magical Jelly Bean

 

[TekSupport]

14 minutes ago, MattKnutson84 said:

I have a  laptop that camme with a 256GB m.2 SSD. I want to upgrade it to somethig larger. Hw simple is the process? I know how to open up that laptop and change them out however, I'm not really sure I know how to swith the OS over. Do I need to buy another copy of windows 10? What about all of the stuff associated with my thinkpad (stylus support etc.) as well as the media controls and other Fn key setup. I doubt I can just swap themm out right? 

When Upgrading to a higher storage there are a 2 options.

1. First would be to clone the m.2 SSD on to an external drive (that can include a USB if it has enough storage), then you would replace the m.2 ssd and transfer the cloned data to the new drive. I would recommend Clonezila. ( i have tried it with ssd but not with M.2.)

2. Would be to take the data you need out of the old drive then install the new m.2 drive and do a fresh install of windows. If your Laptop was bought in the last 2ish years and has M.2 then i assume that it should store your windows key on the board and would auto enter when you do a fresh install.

 

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, MattKnutson84 said:

I've thought about getting a Samsung 960 Evo. I really like their SSD's.

well, great idea. samsung has their own cloning software. would recommend to back up your data before that tho

[Enderman]

Just now, TekSupport said:

When Upgrading to a higher storage there are a 2 options.

1. First would be to clone the m.2 SSD on to an external drive (that can include a USB if it has enough storage), then you would replace the m.2 ssd and transfer the cloned data to the new drive. I would recommend Clonezila. ( i have tried it with ssd but not with M.2.)

2. Would be to take the data you need out of the old drive then install the new m.2 drive and do a fresh install of windows. If your Laptop was bought in the last 2ish years and has M.2 then i assume that it should store your windows key on the board and would auto enter when you do a fresh install.

 

He doesn't need to do this.

He is ADDING a drive.

He can simply unplug the old drive, plug in the new one, and install windows.

 

Then plug the old one back in and it will have all his data on it. Or move the data to the new one, format the old one, and use it as extra storage.

[Enderman]

1 minute ago, LukeSavenije said:

well, great idea. samsung has their own cloning software. would recommend to back up your data before that tho

Cloning is a great way to screw up your OS.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, Enderman said:

He doesn't need to do this.

He is ADDING a drive.

He can simply unplug the old drive, plug in the new one, and install windows.

 

Then plug the old one back in and it will have all his data on it. Or move the data to the new one, format the old one, and use it as extra storage.

also a great idea. cloning works great too imo

[TekSupport]

1 minute ago, LukeSavenije said:

well, great idea. samsung has their own cloning software. would recommend to back up your data before that tho

Yes i agree, make sure to take precautions. 

e.g. Extracting windows product key and backing up your data.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, Enderman said:

Cloning is a great way to screw up your OS.

well, my 860 evo disagrees

[TekSupport]

1 minute ago, LukeSavenije said:

well, my 860 evo disagrees

it does happen even though its rare.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, TekSupport said:

it does happen even though its rare.

I know. I just wanted to let you and @Enderman know

[Enderman]

3 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

well, my 860 evo disagrees

I'm sure you've at least run into some problems with windows updates or errors in event viewer and stuff like that which you probably don't check.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, Enderman said:

I'm sure you've at least run into some problems with windows updates or errors in event viewer and stuff like that which you probably don't check.

well event viewer always has it's errors. but I actually never do and still didn't untill now. so I disagree a bit here...

not saying that it's impossible, just that it seems to happen rarely

[Jurrunio]

Actually you could use Windows' backup and restore (windows 7) function. Just backup the boot drive to whatever storage device you have (preferably the internal hard drive if it has one, otherwise I think you can save it to a USB drive), clean install the OS after boot drive swap, then restore the backup. No need to reactivate anything.

[Enderman]

5 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

well event viewer always has it's errors. but I actually never do and still didn't untill now. so I disagree a bit here...

not saying that it's impossible, just that it seems to happen rarely

Well if you want, there's tens of thousands of examples on google of what goes wrong when you migrate/clone.

Event viewer should have close to 0 errors if you've clean installed correctly.

[SSD Sean]

3 hours ago, Enderman said:

Cloning is a great way to screw up your OS.

This gave me a very very very good laugh. LOL