Cloning OS SSD

[Ryan Ras]

Hi,

 

I am about to build a new desktop and want to put the SSD that currently has my OS for my laptop into the new build. Its a M.2 970 EVO so I'll refer to is as 970 from now on. I am planning on cloning the 970 SSD onto a second drive in my laptop before I use the 970 in the new build. I know that my laptop will be fine and that the clone will let me keep things running as is on that but if I leave all the windows data and files on the 970 and install it in my new system will it boot into windows and give me a chance to enter a new product key so I dont have to do anything to have the exact same setup on the new system or will it recognize that the motherboard/system isn't the laptop it is linked to and not boot at all?

 

I am planning on using Macrium Reflect Free Edition to do the cloning, is this a good software to use or is there something better out there that's free?

 

Ryan

[NineEyeRon]

I’ve used it to migrate a bunch of laptops from HDD to SSD. All good imo 

[homeap5]

Macriumb Reflect is great, but just as additional safety - create bootable rescue usb (using Macrium Reflect) and boot from usb so you'll be clone offline system.

[Ryan Ras]

2 hours ago, homeap5 said:

Macriumb Reflect is great, but just as additional safety - create bootable rescue usb (using Macrium Reflect) and boot from usb so you'll be clone offline system.

So I boot from the usb with the 970 installed in the system? I will have an external HDD that will have another copy of the 970 in case anything goes wrong.

[homeap5]

Boot Macrium Reflect from usb, clone system, unplug old drive at first boot.

[Roswell]

Windows 10 has disk imaging built in that's super easy to use.  Search for "backup and restore" on your task bar.