Can I move entire OS?

[Bigbootyjudy]

Im going to get a new ssd for my really slow computer but I don't want to delete everything on the hdd. What I want to do is get my new ssd and be able to copy windows or at least have all my programs from before on it. ow would I go about doing this?

[8uhbbhu8]

You will need to clone it using cloning software. Some examples are clonezilla, Acronis True Image, Macrium Reflect, Norton Ghost

[aisle9]

Cloning the whole drive is the easiest way, assuming your SSD is big enough for that. If it's not, you'll need to bring a third storage solution into the picture like a portable HDD to house all of the data you want to keep while you wipe the HDD. Reinstalling programs is a pain, but there's usually a way to save your settings and reload them to the new installation if you look hard enough.

[Bigbootyjudy]

Just now, aisle9 said:

Cloning the whole drive is the easiest way, assuming your SSD is big enough for that. If it's not, you'll need to bring a third storage solution into the picture like a portable HDD to house all of the data you want to keep while you wipe the HDD. Reinstalling programs is a pain, but there's usually a way to save your settings and reload them to the new installation if you look hard enough.

I don't really care too much about saving settings, just programs and their data. How long does cloning a drive take? The current hdd is a 5400 rpm crappy one so I feel like it would take a while. and I'm not patient 

[aisle9]

1 minute ago, Bigbootyjudy said:

I don't really care too much about saving settings, just programs and their data. How long does cloning a drive take? The current hdd is a 5400 rpm crappy one so I feel like it would take a while. and I'm not patient 

Cloning is a shitload faster than trying to remove an OS from a drive without affecting anything else.

[Bigbootyjudy]

20 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

Cloning is a shitload faster than trying to remove an OS from a drive without affecting anything else.

okay, what are some programs that you recommend? Are any of the ones @8uhbbhu8 mentioned above good? 

 

[aisle9]

3 minutes ago, Bigbootyjudy said:

okay, what are some programs that you recommend? Are any of the ones @8uhbbhu8 mentioned above good? 

 

I wouldn't touch Norton with a 39-and-a-half foot pole, but Macrium isn't bad. Heard good things about Acronis, too. Honestly, when I'm in your situation, I find it's better to just pull the data, write down program settings, then do a full wipe.

[JakeNTech]

I find macruim reference to be the best. I couldn't get the others to work properly. It can take upto and beyond an hour. I have done it before with no issues. 

[Bigbootyjudy]

3 hours ago, fixitnow said:

I find macruim reference to be the best. I couldn't get the others to work properly. It can take upto and beyond an hour. I have done it before with no issues. 

ok, I might try macrium because everyone so far has mentioned it.

[vaiwalker]

ubuntu is good. all you need is 

sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb

you could boot live from a thumbdrive then connect the 2 hdds. thumbdrive will likely be /dev/sda and the other 2 hdds will be /dev/sdb and /dev/sdc. the 'if' should be your old drive and 'of' should be your new drive. /dev/sdX might change depending on what other drives are connected. did this last week on a dying hdd with tons of corrupted data. took more than 24hrs. but the cloned hdd is working flawlessly. didnt have to reactivate windows or anything.