Transfer SSD from Desktop to Laptop

Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 19:23

Hi all,

Bought a new 240gb SSD from MSY (ok special with free microSD). Now, I intend to swap this new SSD with the existing 120gb on my desktop, and install the 120gb SSD in my laptop. Never done this before, so have a few questions here:

1) Would the whole OS and programs installed on the old 120GB SSD readily available on the laptop when I put it in? Or better to wipe clean and do clean install?

2) Can I mirror copy my OS & programs (C drive) to another HDD drive (D drive) on my desktop, and then just transfer to the new SSD? Or do I need to do fresh install of window OS?

While I'm on this topic, any good guide of converting old laptop HDD to portable USB 3.0 HDD?

Appreciate your help. Thanks!

Computing

Comments

  • RobMel on 17/08/2015 - 20:24

    Hi,
    You cant transfer an OS from one PC to another.
    Especially with UEFI/Windows 8 onwards.

    What you can do is to transfer the current OS and partitions of the target machine to a new harddisk.
    Best program I found (and free) is farstone drive clone, free edition.
    Resizes partitions, adjusts IDs to UEFI does not get all excited.

    Used it on 4 laptops recently, no issue.

    Cheers

    • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 20:25

      Uh..you lost me there.. lol

      In noobie term meaning? I do have window 8.1 running on my desktop though

      • scrimshaw on 17/08/2015 - 20:31

        The easy way to understand is

        [120GB OLD SSD] => Migrate Partitions and Copy data => into [NEW BLANK SSD]

        Once imaging is done, verify the imaging is successfull by booting into the new drive. Ensure old SSD is unplugged.

        If it boots, then that's it.

        Once that is finished, you are going to want to FORMAT and WIPE the old SSD to prepare for re-imaging. You can do that by plugging your SSD as an external drive. Buy yourself an enclosure from anywhere or a SATA to USB3.0 cable.

        Now if your laptop has a HDD that has more data than your SSD can hold, you'd have to either delete files to get the data to fit into the 120GB SSD or just start anew with a completely fresh copy of Windows. Your choice.

        Once you've done that just use Macrium reflect and image the externally connected SSD. Unplug internal drive and replace. Format the laptop drive as an external drive. Done.

        • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 20:39

          "[120GB OLD SSD] => Migrate Partitions and Copy data => into [NEW BLANK SSD]"

          How would you typically do this part? I have to find a sata cable in my desktop or external usb to sata to connect to the 250gb SSD correct?

        • scrimshaw on 17/08/2015 - 20:40

          @Droid11:

          Uhh, your desktop ATX motherboard has multiple SATA slots right? It usually has between 4 to 6 SATA ports and a multitude of other drive power cables. Simply hook up the SSD into your machine just like any other drive.

        • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 20:41

          yea I suppose, just don't like touching cable inside lol

        • scrimshaw on 17/08/2015 - 20:43

          @Droid11:

          well, you're going to have to need to purchase a USB enclosure or some type of SATA USB adapter for you to transfer your laptop's contents into your SSD anyway, so why not just buy the required stuff first and then transfer your files via the USB method?

        • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 20:43

          Actually I don't mind do fresh install on 120gb SSD on my laptop, nothing much in the laptop to clone anyway.

          Do I wipe the old SSD first before plugging into my laptop?

        • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 20:45

          @scrimshaw: I did buy an enclosure SATA to USB 3.0 to turn the old HDD in my laptop into a portable HDD. Is this what I needed?

        • scrimshaw on 17/08/2015 - 20:46

          @Droid11:

          That's all you need.

          You'll need to do a quick format on the OLD SSD to empty it out and then just whack it into your laptop, and install Windows on it.

    • Herbert on 18/08/2015 - 13:51

      Hi, Rob,

      Your comment is not entirely correct.

      For Windows XP, Windows 7, OSX and Ubuntu,you can just plug and play old SSD on another computer. No cloning required. The first boot will take a while to install new drivers.

      I speak from my personal experience. My SSD can multi boot into these four OS's. I have put it in two laptops and one desktop. All four OS's and applications work.

      I am not sure about Windows 8, never used it.

      Kind regards,

      Herbert

  • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 20:56

    ok scrimshaw, let me rephrase again to make sure I understand everything right..hehe

    1) Connect the new SSD to my desktop using internal sata cable, then use the cloning software to clone everything from the the existing 120gb to 250gb SSD. P/S Does it mean now the 250gb SSD can boot previous window version and have every old files ready?

    2) Remove the 120gb SSD from desktop, connect to a "SATA to USB 3.0" enclosure, then format it through USB connection

    3) Remove old HDD from my laptop, plug in the formatted 120gb SSD (removed from enclosure), then flash window from bios using USB stick

    4) Insert the old HDD into my USB enclosure, and format…and voila a new portable HDD?

    Hope I'm right. Thanks heaps scrimshaw!

    • scrimshaw on 17/08/2015 - 21:43
      +1

      That's correct.

  • mskeggs on 17/08/2015 - 21:15

    The comments are right about Win8 UEFI, but you should be able to clone your desktop drive onto the new bigger drive if it is an earlier OS. I have done this a few times with free software that came with an Intel SSD and a copy of Paragon drive something or other that I downloaded free from a deal here.
    I would be inclined to do a fresh install on the laptop. There are some settings in Windows that a different to optimise SSD performance, so I understand optimum performance comes from a fresh install.

    • Lancerx on 17/08/2015 - 21:19

      Oh bugger, I am running window 8 on my desktop..So meaning I can't clone to the new SSD then?

      Don't mind fresh install on laptop, just a lot more work on my old SSD on my desktop due to all the unfinished games etc

  • RobMel on 17/08/2015 - 21:44
    +1

    Hi,
    Farstone driveclone handles all the copying, shrinking, bootenabling and UEFI stuff.
    Just plug in the new (target) SSD via USB3/SATA cable into USB3 (or USB2 if you dont have USB3) and start the program, select simple clone.
    Cheers

  • ChrisLevo on 18/08/2015 - 13:29

    Also, from my PC's HDD to a new SSD?

    My Samsung 850 EVO arrived today from MSY.

    I have reduced C: to <250GB (it's a 2TB HDD with a partition), so thought to be ready to go.
    I thought to plug it into a spare SATA port and a spare power connector (I have the cables), and use the migration software.

    However, the instructions say that I need to use a USB connector with a cable/adaptor that I do not have.
    Samsung service promised an immediate call back 3 hours ago………

    Never had an SSD before, so I'm being pretty careful.
    Can I plug it into the PC using a SATA and power cable, and just run the migration software, without buying this extra adaptor/cable?

    Thanks, guys.

    • Lancerx on 18/08/2015 - 14:47

      Don't quote me, but advised by other members, apparently you can.

  • goms on 18/09/2015 - 10:29

    If you have linux. You can do disk cloning using dd (aka: disk destroyer if you are not careful). It's a low level tool without a fancy gui but works for me everytime.

    One caveat here is that the resulting disk will have 120G usable space as the original disk because it's technically a clone. You should be able to adjust the space afterwards.

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