[podl3]

I need advice on how to migrate my Windows7 OS and some programs from my SATA3 drive to a new SATA3 SSD. I want to use the SSD as my boot drive and the HHD as my mass storage drive.

[coastie65]

I just did a fresh install when I added my SSD.

[Rommel]

podl3, on 24 April 2012 - 08:40 AM, said:

coastie65, on 24 April 2012 - 08:31 AM, said:

I just did a fresh install when I added my SSD.

I have read that this is best, however, if migration is a must for you, PM compnovo if he doesn't see this.

He has owned a SSD for quite some time and has experiance with them.

[compnovo]

Hi pod13,
I've been using EASEUS's Backup ToDo software to clone my HDDs to SDDs, and it used to be the best freeware deal going because it's one of the few programs that allow you to go from a large drive to a smaller one. It looks like they've gone to trialware but you should still be able to get the job done:
http://download.cnet...4-75369283.html
I have a similar setup with a 128GB SSD as my boot drive and 1TB HDD for storage. First I cloned the HDD, then I cut and pasted all my music, images, and other stuff to the big drive. I also created a folder on the storage drive for my Steam games, then cut and pasted the ones I wasn't currently playing to the storage drive, saving a lot of space on the SSD.

The biggest advantage of a clean install is that re-aligning the new SSD won't be necessary, whereas cloning causes the new drive to be out of alignment (in fact, it's the only advantage I know of). Quite frankly, I went a long time before I even knew anything about drive alignment and really can't tell any difference in performance now that I've done it. If you decide to clone and want to try alignment let us know and I'll post the instructions and links I found online when I did mine. I used a non-destructive process so I didn't lose anything.

This post has been edited by compnovo: 24 April 2012 - 11:15 AM

[smax013]

compnovo, on 24 April 2012 - 11:14 AM, said:

Hi pod13,
I've been using EASEUS's Backup ToDo software to clone my HDDs to SDDs, and it used to be the best freeware deal going because it's one of the few programs that allow you to go from a large drive to a smaller one. It looks like they've gone to trialware but you should still be able to get the job done:
http://download.cnet...4-75369283.html
I have a similar setup with a 128GB SSD as my boot drive and 1TB HDD for storage. First I cloned the HDD, then I cut and pasted all my music, images, and other stuff to the big drive. I also created a folder on the storage drive for my Steam games, then cut and pasted the ones I wasn't currently playing to the storage drive, saving a lot of space on the SSD.

The biggest advantage of a clean install is that re-aligning the new SSD won't be necessary, whereas cloning causes the new drive to be out of alignment (in fact, it's the only advantage I know of). Quite frankly, I went a long time before I even knew anything about drive alignment and really can't tell any difference in performance now that I've done it. If you decide to clone and want to try alignment let us know and I'll post the instructions and links I found online when I did mine. I used a non-destructive process so I didn't lose anything.

Does Easeus's Backup ToDo have some function to select which stuff gets moved over during the cloning process and which stuff does not? Otherwise, I would assume that if you are going from a larger drive to a smaller drive you could not have more data on the larger drive than what the capacity of the smaller drive has (unless you delete/remove stuff from the larger drive before you can clone).

[compnovo]

smax013, on 24 April 2012 - 05:58 PM, said:

Does Easeus's Backup ToDo have some function to select which stuff gets moved over during the cloning process and which stuff does not? Otherwise, I would assume that if you are going from a larger drive to a smaller drive you could not have more data on the larger drive than what the capacity of the smaller drive has (unless you delete/remove stuff from the larger drive before you can clone).

Hi smax,
That's a correct assumption, you can't have more data on the source drive than space available on the destination drive. The cloning function in EASEUS makes an exact copy (drive or partition, you can chose) with no option as to what files get moved.

[smax013]

compnovo, on 24 April 2012 - 07:23 PM, said:

smax013, on 24 April 2012 - 05:58 PM, said:

Does Easeus's Backup ToDo have some function to select which stuff gets moved over during the cloning process and which stuff does not? Otherwise, I would assume that if you are going from a larger drive to a smaller drive you could not have more data on the larger drive than what the capacity of the smaller drive has (unless you delete/remove stuff from the larger drive before you can clone).

Hi smax,
That's a correct assumption, you can't have more data on the source drive than space available on the destination drive. The cloning function in EASEUS makes an exact copy (drive or partition, you can chose) with no option as to what files get moved.

That is what I thought...I have yet to encounter a cloning program that can "smush" more data on to a drive than you have capacity for.

So, the key point is that if the original poster has a big drive that is full of data, then it might be better to just do a clean install (of the OS and applications) on the new SSD. Of course, if the OP want remove the Windows OS and those programs from the larger drive, then it might still be easiest to ultimately wipe the old hard drive and then recopy data files back onto it. If that is in fact necessary, then it might be that backing up all the data files on the hard drive and then deleting those files from the hard drive so that the hard drive can then be cloned to the SSD might be the better option because then you would wipe the hard drive after the cloning process and the restoring the data files from the backup.

Here is where I can toss in a "shameless Mac plug"...Apple has a migration assistance that will migrate OS settings, programs, and/or data files (you can control which gets migrated to some degree). So, on a Mac (like when I get around to installing the SSD that I got for my MBP), one would do a clean install of the OS and then "migrate" the OS settings and program files from the old hard drive, but NOT the data files. Makes life a LOT EASIER.

[compnovo]

smax013, on 25 April 2012 - 10:47 AM, said:

Here is where I can toss in a "shameless Mac plug"...Apple has a migration assistance that will migrate OS settings, programs, and/or data files (you can control which gets migrated to some degree). So, on a Mac (like when I get around to installing the SSD that I got for my MBP), one would do a clean install of the OS and then "migrate" the OS settings and program files from the old hard drive, but NOT the data files. Makes life a LOT EASIER.

Oh sure, rub it in.

[compnovo]

I can think of one other option for the OP: Disconnect the boot HDD and do a clean install on the SDD (ala coastie). After the SSD is all set up reconnect the HDD and delete the unnecessary system files and other junk from it. I've done this in the past and it's a good way to keep Steam games on the platter drive, although I don't bother with the other program files. Plus, you can go into your User folder and copy/paste your internet favorites over to the new drive.

This post has been edited by compnovo: 25 April 2012 - 11:46 AM

[smax013]

compnovo, on 25 April 2012 - 11:33 AM, said:

smax013, on 25 April 2012 - 10:47 AM, said:

Here is where I can toss in a "shameless Mac plug"...Apple has a migration assistance that will migrate OS settings, programs, and/or data files (you can control which gets migrated to some degree). So, on a Mac (like when I get around to installing the SSD that I got for my MBP), one would do a clean install of the OS and then "migrate" the OS settings and program files from the old hard drive, but NOT the data files. Makes life a LOT EASIER.

Oh sure, rub it in.

[smax013]

compnovo, on 25 April 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

I can think of one other option for the OP: Disconnect the boot HDD and do a clean install on the SDD (ala coastie). After the SSD is all set up reconnect the HDD and delete the unnecessary system files and other junk from it. I've done this in the past and it's a good way to keep Steam games on the platter drive, although I don't bother with the other program files. Plus, you can go into your User folder and copy/paste your internet favorites over to the new drive.

Also keep in mind that Microsoft does have a migration utility. It should at least copy over any data files, but also system settings (as well as maybe program settings)...but it will NOT copy over the programs themselves. I don't know why Microsoft does not offer that option...maybe the good old Registry prevents that option.

Your option is certainly viable, but having to track down stuff to delete manually is kind of a pain.

Edit: Of course, I by-pass this whole problem by having a dedicated hard drive (usually of 80 to 160 GB in size) on my Windows desktop as my boot drive that has the OS and programs on it and then separate hard drive (or in my case two 1 TB drives in RAID 1) for my data files. Makes cloning to an SSD if I ever want to go that route a lot easier.

I used to use just one drive with the OS and program files on one partition and the data files on another when I was using a Dell desktop, but went to separate hard drives when I built my current Windows desktop.

This post has been edited by smax013: 25 April 2012 - 12:23 PM

[compnovo]

smax013, on 25 April 2012 - 12:20 PM, said:

Your option is certainly viable, but having to track down stuff to delete manually is kind of a pain.

It's actually easier than you might think, or maybe it seems easy to me because I've had practice. The important thing is to make sure you don't delete your documents, pictures, videos and music, so it pays to be methodical (as opposed to slash and burn ).

[smax013]

compnovo, on 25 April 2012 - 12:43 PM, said:

The important thing is to make sure you don't delete your documents, pictures, videos and music, so it pays to be methodical (as opposed to slash and burn ).

It should not matter because you have a backup of your data files....RIGHT?!?

[Evildave]

Anything that can take a 'drive image' of a hard disk will be able to transfer everything to the SSD. So you should be able to do this if you either have an extra external drive, or can mount the 'new' drive before you start transferring. I believe windows 7's backup will do an 'os backup'.

That said, SSDs are typically smaller, and most computers come from the factory with everything on one partition, which makes this trick a little inconvenient, as you end up shuffling your work and OS files ont different partitions.

Step by step (if everything's on one big drive)

1. BACKUP YOUR DATA. This is never optional when you start moving things around. Stuff can easily fall through the cracks and get 'lost'. Also, the remaining steps are potentially destructive if either drive fails (a NEW drive is most likely to fail in its first 90 days or so). You should always be backing up, anyway, so hopefully you don't look at this as a 'big step'.

2. Partition the new drive. Leave about 30~60GB for the OS and apps. The rest goes to a data partition.
3. Copy your 'My Documents', music, movies, etc. to the second partition of the new drive.
4. (DANGER!) Delete your 'My Documents', music, movies, etc. files off the original drive and empty the trash.
5. (DANGER!) Delete your 'restore points' off the original drive. Lots of space.
6. Shrink your windows partition down as small as you can. Use third party software if the windows disk manager still sucks at doing this.
7. Copy the boot partition to the new drive's 'boot' partition

Generally speaking, if everything was all on one big disk, it might be 'easier' to do a fresh install. Either way you do it, be sure the new drive's data is partitioned with the OS and data separate, and back up that drive image, as you can use it for 'system recovery' and have everything back in 15 minutes or so, no matter what happens to the OS, without worrying about patching around your work.

[compnovo]

smax013, on 25 April 2012 - 12:45 PM, said:

compnovo, on 25 April 2012 - 12:43 PM, said:

The important thing is to make sure you don't delete your documents, pictures, videos and music, so it pays to be methodical (as opposed to slash and burn ).

It should not matter because you have a backup of your data files....RIGHT?!?

Well of course!

[compnovo]

Evildave, on 25 April 2012 - 01:14 PM, said:

I believe windows 7's backup will do an 'os backup'.

Yes, it will make a disk image to an external drive that can be used to image a new drive, I've done it sucessfully.

This post has been edited by compnovo: 25 April 2012 - 01:44 PM