Recovery disk vs installation disk

[Fgtfv567]

So I've been thinking about installing a brand new SSD and I have to reinstall Windows. In alienware respawn, it says I can move my factory software to discs. Does that mean I'm moving Windows to a disk so that I can use it to reinstall Windows straight to the SSD? Or do the discs just contain some sort of software that will access the OS on the HDD partition and will not let me reinstall onto the SSD?

[Infernal Burrito]

Recovery is to repair the OS as far as I know. I am pretty sure there is software with which one can mirror the OS to an SSD.

[MrYuriy]

No.. There will be no 'moving Windows' from AlienRespawn.

 

Factory Software option kind of explains itself in the name..? It's all the software that Alienware provided pre-installed. It can also contain drivers & whatever else Alienware decided to load on there.

A Recovery/Rescue disk basically takes things to default settings, fixing OS, driver, & other issues.

 

Doesn't it explain all this on that screen?!

[Fgtfv567]

No.. There will be no 'moving Windows' from AlienRespawn.

 

Factory Software option kind of explains itself in the name..? It's all the software that Alienware provided pre-installed. It can also contain drivers & whatever else Alienware decided to load on there.

A Recovery/Rescue disk basically takes things to default settings, fixing OS, driver, & other issues.

 

Doesn't it explain all this on that screen?!

Read the first bullet point. To me, that implies that Recovery discs contain the OS etc. and that I can use it to move it all to the SSD

[Fgtfv567]

Recovery is to repair the OS as far as I know. I am pretty sure there is software with which one can mirror the OS to an SSD.

I think the only software that comes with it is cloning software that moves over EVERYTHING. And I've heard that cloning isn't good, and I should stay away from it

[JefferyD90]

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/324871-guide-how-to-install-windows-the-right-way/#entry4412493

Look at this guide for reinstalling Windows.

[Infernal Burrito]

I think the only software that comes with it is cloning software that moves over EVERYTHING. And I've heard that cloning isn't good, and I should stay away from it

From whom? Cloning is a big read/write operation, but that's the only negative I can think of about it. It does move everything.

[Fgtfv567]

From whom? Cloning is a big read/write operation, but that's the only negative I can think of about it. It does move everything.

@Enderman @Captain_WD

[Infernal Burrito]

@Enderman @Captain_WD

Alrighty then, I cloned off of an old 250gb drive to my SX900 and had no damage. It may be related to the fact that you are writing a huge amount to the SSD in a really quick time.

[Fgtfv567]

Alrighty then, I cloned off of an old 250gb drive to my SX900 and had no damage. It may be related to the fact that you are writing a huge amount to the SSD in a really quick time.

You want me to clone my 1TB HDD halfway full of games and other programs onto a 120GB SSD?! NO WAY.

[Infernal Burrito]

You want me to clone my 1TB HDD halfway full of games and other programs onto a 120GB SSD?! NO WAY.

It is probably impossible. I was assuming that you have less files than the max capacity of your HDD. It is impossible to clone more files to an SSD than there is storage on the SSD.

[Enderman]

From whom? Cloning is a big read/write operation, but that's the only negative I can think of about it. It does move everything.

Cloning to an SSD is one of the worst things you could do to it. Not only will you be not getting the fastest speeds from your SSD as you would with a clean install, but you also move all of the previous issues with your OS over.

Sometimes cloning will fail right at the start, but usually it doesn't and actually causes issues in the future including BSODs, system hands, disk usage spikes, lag spikes in windows, failed program installations, OS corruption, and a ton of other issues that you could avoid by doing a clean install in the first place.

 

Yes cloning looks like its faster, but when you need to reinstall windows 7 months from now its not going to be very convenient. What most people don't know is that they should be doing a clean install every 1-2 years to keep an OS in optimal condition, but cloning is a very bad option, especially for a new SSD.

 

cloning is SUPPOSED to copy everything from one drive to another, but drives have errors and even the smallest incorrect bit could corrupt your OS when you least expect it. Also a HDD is physical storage which is managed very differently from digital storage in an SSD. This conversion of data from one form to another leads to a "scrambled up" operating system with windows files in places they shouldn't be, and crap like that.

 

TL;DR dont be lazy. install windows properly the first time so you dont have to do it later

[Infernal Burrito]

Cloning to an SSD is one of the worst things you could do to it. Not only will you be not getting the fastest speeds from your SSD as you would with a clean install, but you also move all of the previous issues with your OS over.

Sometimes cloning will fail right at the start, but usually it doesn't and actually causes issues in the future including BSODs, system hands, disk usage spikes, lag spikes in windows, failed program installations, OS corruption, and a ton of other issues that you could avoid by doing a clean install in the first place.

 

Yes cloning looks like its faster, but when you need to reinstall windows 7 months from now its not going to be very convenient. What most people don't know is that they should be doing a clean install every 1-2 years to keep an OS in optimal condition, but cloning is a very bad option, especially for a new SSD.

 

cloning is SUPPOSED to copy everything from one drive to another, but drives have errors and even the smallest incorrect bit could corrupt your OS when you least expect it. Also a HDD is physical storage which is managed very differently from digital storage in an SSD. This conversion of data from one form to another leads to a "scrambled up" operating system with windows files in places they shouldn't be, and crap like that.

 

TL;DR dont be lazy. install windows properly the first time so you dont have to do it later

I haven't had any issues. It seems you know better about the cloning matter. From what I understood, it was merely a large write operation that can damage an SSD, but is not guaranteed to. I for one have had none of these issues and find it far more convenient, I may have just been lucky.

[Enderman]

I haven't had any issues. It seems you know better about the cloning matter. From what I understood, it was merely a large write operation that can damage an SSD, but is not guaranteed to. I for one have had none of these issues and find it far more convenient, I may have just been lucky.

it is a big write, but clean installing your OS and programs and files will fill it the same. The problem is what happens to all the OS files during the transfer. I have seen hundreds of people come to this forum because their disk usage was spiking, or windows was freezing, or games were lagging, and it was all because they cloned to their new SSD.

Seems like you're lucky, but only time will tell...

[Infernal Burrito]

it is a big write, but clean installing your OS and programs and files will fill it the same. The problem is what happens to all the OS files during the transfer. I have seen hundreds of people come to this forum because their disk usage was spiking, or windows was freezing, or games were lagging, and it was all because they cloned to their new SSD.

Seems like you're lucky, but only time will tell...

I've been using this setup since 2013 December, the drive has been cloned since 2013 November. The OS files for me seem to be perfectly fine. So is disk usage.

[Enderman]

I've been using this setup since 2013 December, the drive has been cloned since 2013 November. The OS files for me seem to be perfectly fine. So is disk usage.

you should go into windows event viewer and see how many warnings you've got

[Infernal Burrito]

you should go into windows event viewer and see how many warnings you've got

I've got none in most categories. Only errors that are normal or those relating to issues not relating to storage. It seems I'm luckier than you think I am.

[Enderman]

I've got none in most categories. Only errors that are normal or those relating to issues not relating to storage. It seems I'm luckier than you think I am.

usually warnings from programs are because of file mismanagement though

[Infernal Burrito]

usually warnings from programs are because of file mismanagement though

Not programs warnings, in the System tab. I'll add a screenshot.  As you see, it's information, not errors. If those are errors, you're right. The one I've found is in the Applications tab and is in one of the screenshots.

[Enderman]

Not programs warnings, in the System tab. I'll add a screenshot.  As you see, it's information, not errors. If those are errors, you're right. The one I've found is in the Applications tab and is in one of the screenshots.

looks good

[Infernal Burrito]

looks good

It seems it does. From this we can conclude that I am merely lucky and that I was misinformed in regards to cloning drives to SSDs. 

[HaraldR]

 

it is a big write, but clean installing your OS and programs and files will fill it the same. The problem is what happens to all the OS files during the transfer. I have seen hundreds of people come to this forum because their disk usage was spiking, or windows was freezing, or games were lagging, and it was all because they cloned to their new SSD.

Seems like you're lucky, but only time will tell...

Transferring data via cloning does not cause errors, the software  initially runs in error check to ensure accuracy, then transfers data.

 

Any problems in OS were there prior to cloning,the difficulty with SSD's is matching the partition size, so you can't clone a bigger partition to a smaller one (ignoring empty space and page files)

 

All Migration software is Cloning and every laptop that has swapped mechanical HD for an ssd is cloned,Every shop that upsizes a Hard Drive would clone it , thus by your assertion all would be faulty installs.Not likely

 

In the issue of recovery discs vs clean instal then with SSD's  the better option always is a clean instal of OS only to SSD (then data migrate from old HD if you really want to).

[Enderman]

Transferring data via cloning does not cause errors, the software  initially runs in error check to ensure accuracy, then transfers data.

 

Any problems in OS were there prior to cloning,the difficulty with SSD's is matching the partition size, so you can't clone a bigger partition to a smaller one (ignoring empty space and page files)

 

All Migration software is Cloning and every laptop that has swapped mechanical HD for an ssd is cloned,Every shop that upsizes a Hard Drive would clone it , thus by your assertion all would be faulty installs.Not likely

 

In the issue of recovery discs vs clean instal then with SSD's  the better option always is a clean instal of OS only to SSD (then data migrate from old HD if you really want to).

Well explain that to the hundreds of people who only started having issues after cloning a drive.

[HaraldR]

 

Well explain that to the hundreds of people who only started having issues after cloning a drive.

"Hundreds" is  an abstract that does not qualify as fact.

Unless of course all have the same issues,ie same os,same migration software,etc

Since i have cloned many many drives from win 95 through to today and never had issues nor have my customers I beg to differ.

[obsidian1200]

For AlienRespawn, the recovery media it creates can be used to install the OS to a new drive in the same machine (at least this was the case on the Windows 8 computer I had to install an SSD in, looks like you're running 7 so it may be different but I doubt it). If you do it this way, it'll save you some hassle in locating drivers as they'll be preloaded within the Windows installation. The discs will take the machine back to an out-of-the-box state, including the stock software. From there, you'll have to reinstall your programs and redo any kind of OS customization/Updates.

 

I'd recommend using a USB 3.0 flash drive. It'll make the reinstallation much faster than from discs/takes less time to make than discs.