Good Free Cloning Software

[DocSwag]

So I got a 240gb SSD, and am planning to put it in my desktop. However, I'm not sure what cloning software to use. My hard drive has less than 240GB worth of data on it right now so it won't be a problem that I can't clone it over. I want to use free software. What is a good one? I've used Macrium Reflect before, and the clone has worked fine, but when I checked the space used the space used on the SSD was always lower than that of the hard drive, which I always founded strange. Is that a problem, or is it fine to use Macrium Reflect. As well, why is this so?

 

Thanks.

[Digital]

I have used Clonezilla for most of the time. It's pretty solid for cloning.

[Naeaes]

Rawcopy. But don't tell your friends you're doing this. You'll come off as stupid:

1) It takes way less time to install Windows on an SSD from a fast USB drive than read and copy it from an HDD.

2) You're getting an SSD to try and gain some extra speed but you're using an old OS which will only cost you speed.

3) Now the chance to get rid of each and every virus you might have in there.

 

What I'm trying to say is, don't clone it. Reinstall.

[DocSwag]

1 minute ago, Naeaes said:

Rawcopy. But don't tell your friends you're doing this. You'll come off as stupid:

1) It takes way less time to install Windows on an SSD from a fast USB drive than read and copy it from an HDD.

2) You're getting an SSD to try and gain some extra speed but you're using an old OS which will only cost you speed.

3) Now the chance to get rid of each and every virus you might have in there.

 

What I'm trying to say is, don't clone it. Reinstall.

1) I don't have to be on my computer while it's cloning. I can just leave it cloning and go do other stuff. Plus I don't want to have to go through the work of reinstalling everything.

2) I have Windows 10.... not sure what you're talking about

3) Don't believe I have any viruses on my computer.

 

My computer is still fairly new BTW. It's less than a year old.

[HPWebcamAble]

7 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

1) I don't have to be on my computer while it's cloning. I can just leave it cloning and go do other stuff. Plus I don't want to have to go through the work of reinstalling everything.

2) I have Windows 10.... not sure what you're talking about

3) Don't believe I have any viruses on my computer.

 

My computer is still fairly new BTW. It's less than a year old.

1) Yep, that's a strage point. I agree with you

2) By "old OS" he means that you've used it for a while, so it's got 'clutter' basically. Reinstalling will boost speed, especially startup and shutdown times.

3) That's what they want you to think

 

Additionally, cloning might cause issues with the hardware change, when Windows expects the HDD. I highly advise that you do a fresh install on the SSD.

[DocSwag]

4 minutes ago, HPWebcamAble said:

1) Yep, that's a strage point. I agree with you

2) By "old OS" he means that you've used it for a while, so it's got 'clutter' basically. Reinstalling will boost speed, especially startup and shutdown times.

3) That's what they want you to think

 

Additionally, cloning might cause issues with the hardware change, when Windows expects the HDD. I highly advise that you do a fresh install on the SSD.

Really?

Interesting. I may consider that. I will definitely run a virus scan, but I see the point.

 

That also rings a bell for me. I got Windows 10 by upgrading from 8.1, and I've had some issues from it (two of my .dll files were missing and it took me two hours to get them. I ended up having to get them by copying them from my laptop to my desktop). I still can't get Afterburner to run because my msvcr90.dll file (or maybe it's msvcd90.dll) is missing.

 

I'll consider this then. I don't have TOO many files so it wouldn't be TOO much trouble.