Switching laptop from 5.4k-rpm to SSD | How to?

[positivePXL]

Title says it all, I have a laptop with a 480gb internal 2.5in, 5400rpm HDD, and I don't want to wait 5 minutes for my computer to launch, but I want to keep all my files. I know it's not difficult, I can even use another computer to do it, but how would I clone the HDD over to an SSD so I can drop it back into my computer and half my boot times.

 

Thanks in advance, 

positivePXL [+PXL]

[ZetZet]

keeping files is not recommended, but you can do it. http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

[Stardar1]

2 minutes ago, positivePXL said:

Title says it all, I have a laptop with a 480gb internal 2.5in, 5400rpm HDD, and I don't want to wait 5 minutes for my computer to launch, but I want to keep all my files. I know it's not difficult, I can even use another computer to do it, but how would I clone the HDD over to an SSD so I can drop it back into my computer and half my boot times.

 

Thanks in advance, 

positivePXL [+PXL]

"cloning" requires a drive of equal or greater capacity, but you don't necessarily need to wipe the old drive

[positivePXL]

1 minute ago, ZetZet said:

keeping files is not recommended, but you can do it. http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

How so not recommended?

[ZetZet]

2 minutes ago, positivePXL said:

How so not recommended?

well you keep the old install, fresh install is always better.

[positivePXL]

1 minute ago, ZetZet said:

well you keep the old install, fresh install is always better.

The install isn't much more than 6 months old, don't think a new one will be necessary.

[Enderman]

dont clone/migrate

its a bad idea

 

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

put windows 10 on a USB drive, then replace your laptop drive with the SSD

then from the BIOS boot into the USB and start installing windows

 

when windows is installed just plug your HDD in using an external adapter (or into a regular PC) and move your files back

 

programs will need to be reinstalled

[HalGameGuru]

IF you don't wanna do that, you WILL want to make sure SSD specific settings are set in Windows after the transfer. Easiest way to transfer is to use a USB SATA adapter to plug your OLD drive into externally, install SSD internally, and boot from a cd like Hiren's, Ghost, or the bootable image from your SSD maker and clone. If the old drive is all one drive, no partitions, it should automatically make use of the space, so long as you arent using more than the new SSD has available, if you had partitions you will probably have to specify how to handle them, either only cloning C: or having them transferred proportionally.

 

A clean install is the best for windows and making sure you are stable, but the clone is pretty quick and easy to attempt first.

[positivePXL]

18 hours ago, Enderman said:

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

put windows 10 on a USB drive, then replace your laptop drive with the SSD

then from the BIOS boot into the USB and start installing windows

I think it's cute how you guys think I just have money to throw at people to do a new Windows install whenever I need to replace hardware.

18 hours ago, Enderman said:

programs will need to be reinstalled

This. This is why. I'm not doing this again until I have to buy a new desktop. 

[Enderman]

2 hours ago, positivePXL said:

I think it's cute how you guys think I just have money to throw at people to do a new Windows install whenever I need to replace hardware.

This. This is why. I'm not doing this again until I have to buy a new desktop. 

1) you dont need to pay anything to reinstall windows on new hardware

 

2) if you change the motherboard then your key gets invalidated, all you have to do is call microsoft and tell them you replaced your motherboard

give them your old key and they will renew it

 

3) reinstalling programs literally takes 30 minutes of googling, downloading, and double clicking an icon

if you're seriously too lazy to do that then you deserve all the issues you will get from cloning

[positivePXL]

1 hour ago, Enderman said:

3) reinstalling programs literally takes 30 minutes of googling, downloading, and double clicking an icon

if you're seriously too lazy to do that then you deserve all the issues you will get from cloning

Grr, you guys keep saying that there are issues, but I have heard of none so far.  ._.

 

Also, I play high-capacity games, it takes me no less than 3 days to reinstall all of my programs over my internet connection, it's kind of stupid. 

[Enderman]

2 minutes ago, positivePXL said:

Grr, you guys keep saying that there are issues, but I have heard of none so far.  ._.

 

Also, I play high-capacity games, it takes me no less than 3 days to reinstall all of my programs over my internet connection, it's kind of stupid. 

do you really need me to google for you all the millions of posts of people having issues after cloning a HDD to an SSD?

 

even WD recommends against doing so, and they know their stuff

 

also you dont need to reinstall games, there are ways you can store games on a hard drive and just reinstall steam and link to your games

its just programs that need to be reinstalled

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2000534/fresh-install-ssd-maintain-access-games-installed-hdd.html

[positivePXL]

14 minutes ago, Enderman said:

do you really need me to google for you all the millions of posts of people having issues after cloning a HDD to an SSD?

 

even WD recommends against doing so, and they know their stuff

 

also you dont need to reinstall games, there are ways you can store games on a hard drive and just reinstall steam and link to your games

its just programs that need to be reinstalled

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2000534/fresh-install-ssd-maintain-access-games-installed-hdd.html

I don't even use Steam (|)___(|)