How do I upgrade my boot drive, preserving OS, programs, files...

[alexthealex]

I am looking to upgrade my boot drive from a RAID1 cash hdd (2 disks) to a single SSD. I will keep the raided disks for secure storage but want to use the SSD as my new boot drive.

How do I go about transferring EVERYTHING from the current drive array to my new SSD? (want to preserve absolutely everything: windows install, files, programs...)

My idea was:

1. clone disk C: with Macrium Reflect software to my SSD.

2. assign SSD as boot drive in bios

3. Format the old raid disk array

 

Is this a good way to do it? Can someone confirm, or give a batter idea?

:)

[manikyath]

this is the place where i like to mention that if you buy a samsung SSD, samsung has a tool just for this.

 

but essentially, yes, you plug the new ssd in, you use software to clone your install to the new SSD, you adjust boot priorities in bios, and call it a day.

[ahuckphin]

I have been playing around with Macrium Reflect as off late and continue to be surprised at it's versatility. 

 

While I have not tried to image a RAID array, it should be able too.

 

So your idea should work great. 

 

You can try to image the RAID array and restore that image onto the new SSD. See how things are. If you are satisfied, then can proceed with formatting the RAID array. If you are not satisfied, no harm done by using Macrium Reflect. 

[alexthealex]

12 minutes ago, manikyath said:

this is the place where i like to mention that if you buy a samsung SSD, samsung has a tool just for this.

 

but essentially, yes, you plug the new ssd in, you use software to clone your install to the new SSD, you adjust boot priorities in bios, and call it a day.

It is a Samsung EVO 860 500GB SATA SSD. Is the Samsung's tool better in any way?

[manikyath]

4 minutes ago, a0l0e0x000 said:

It is a Samsung EVO 860 500GB SATA SSD. Is the Samsung's tool better in any way?

i like it because it's pushing a button and waiting, essentially.

[Kedohawyr]

11 minutes ago, bindydad123 said:

I have been playing around with Macrium Reflect as off late and continue to be surprised at it's versatility. 

It's a very useful tool. My best example was buying a very cheap rebranded Chinese laptop a while back. First thing I did was make a Macrium image of the drive before reformatting and doing my own clean install of Windows 10. But I discovered a few devices that weren't recognized and there was no manufacturers site to download drivers from, at least none in english that I could find by using the brand's model number or info in the super generic BIOS. So I plugged in my external HDD, mounted the original factory image as a read only drive and used the 'Have disk' option to let Windows simply scan the entire mounted image (as if it was a really big floppy disk) looking for the correct driver from all the ones installed on that copy of Windows. 5 minutes later I had the signed drivers installed and was ready to go.