Restoring HDD image to SSD

orderoftheflame · 1 Oct 2011 at 12:25

I'm tempted to get my first SSD shortly, but would rather forgo reinstalling Windows 7 completely if I can. I've got some questions for the OcUK experts.

Previously I've just used a sector by sector copy to transfer from HDD to HDD, but I want to check if there's a correct way to do this when moving from HDD to SSD.
Secondly, is it safe to do this? Am I going to get significant issues that will be unresolvable, unless I install from scratch?
Is there anything that I'll need to configure in windows before I make an image (or after I restore)? Presumably Windows should sort TRIM out on it's own? Anything else to be aware of?
Is there any imaging software that people would recommend specifically for the job? I was planning to use Acronis True image 11 at the moment, but is there's something that will be more suited to the task?
I've been looking at the OCZ Vertex 2E Bigfoot 240GB 3.5" SATA-II that's on "this week only". Good drive to be looking at? Or avoiding it like the plague?

Cheers guys.

orderoftheflame · 1 Oct 2011 at 13:38

I've also seen a good price for the Crucial M4 256gb drive. There seems to be lots of positive threads on here. Is it really worth the extra money? Thanks again.

Azra · 1 Oct 2011 at 13:49

Acronis

bigjimmyauk · 1 Oct 2011 at 13:53

orderoftheflame said:
I'm tempted to get my first SSD shortly, but would rather forgo reinstalling Windows 7 completely if I can. I've got some questions for the OcUK experts.

Previously I've just used a sector by sector copy to transfer from HDD to HDD, but I want to check if there's a correct way to do this when moving from HDD to SSD.

Secondly, is it safe to do this? Am I going to get significant issues that will be unresolvable, unless I install from scratch?

Is there anything that I'll need to configure in windows before I make an image (or after I restore)? Presumably Windows should sort TRIM out on it's own? Anything else to be aware of?

Is there any imaging software that people would recommend specifically for the job? I was planning to use Acronis True image 11 at the moment, but is there's something that will be more suited to the task?

I've been looking at the OCZ Vertex 2E Bigfoot 240GB 3.5" SATA-II that's on "this week only". Good drive to be looking at? Or avoiding it like the plague?

Cheers guys.

I've been starring at the bigfoot for a while now but still can't bring myself to hit the buy button, the way SSD's are moving anyway. What motherbaord do you have cause if you have sata 3 you might be better off with the crucial unless you do a lot of writing to disk

orderoftheflame · 1 Oct 2011 at 14:16

bigjimmyauk said:
I've been starring at the bigfoot for a while now but still can't bring myself to hit the buy button, the way SSD's are moving anyway. What motherbaord do you have cause if you have sata 3 you might be better off with the crucial unless you do a lot of writing to disk

I've got a P6T Deluxe, but I'd prefer to buy with the future in mind if possible.

Azra said:
Acronis

Hodor?

neil_g · 1 Oct 2011 at 14:35

run the WEI rating once the SSD is installed, it'll set trim, disable defrag and other settings for you.

also make sure you have ACHI on in the bios.

i could never find an imaging tool that let me put an image from a larger drive onto a smaller one (despite the data on the source being less than the destination), dont know if arconis will let you do that though as i cant remember what i tried. ended up doing a reinstall which took no time at all.

orderoftheflame · 1 Oct 2011 at 14:40

neil_g said:
run the WEI rating once the SSD is installed, it'll set trim, disable defrag and other settings for you.

also make sure you have ACHI on in the bios.

It's that simple? Cheers!

i could never find an imaging tool that let me put an image from a larger drive onto a smaller one (despite the data on the source being less than the destination), dont know if arconis will let you do that though as i cant remember what i tried. ended up doing a reinstall which took no time at all.

I was going to shrink the partition of my current disk to about ~200gb (there's tons of room unused and wasted atm, hence the move to SSD), backup + restore to the SSD, then grow the partition as large as it will go on the new disk. Are there any reasons to avoid doing it this way?

ecat · 1 Oct 2011 at 15:56

neil_g said:
run the WEI rating once the SSD is installed, it'll set trim, disable defrag and other settings for you.

also make sure you have ACHI on in the bios.

i could never find an imaging tool that let me put an image from a larger drive onto a smaller one (despite the data on the source being less than the destination), dont know if arconis will let you do that though as i cant remember what i tried. ended up doing a reinstall which took no time at all.

They tell me that EaseUS ToDo Backup can do this :eek:

And it's free

orderoftheflame · 1 Oct 2011 at 16:04

Anyone got any thoughts on the Vertex 2E Bigfoot vs the Crucial M4?

smogsy · 1 Oct 2011 at 16:14

id go for the m4 i got one few days back and it was very easy to install & update.

personally i would start a fresh install but its up 2 you . i was going to do what you did but decided to make a image of my HDD
reinstall windows without image on the SSD make an image for that
so i have 2 images for 1 for HDD's 1 for SSD's just in case there are issues.

if you get an m4 make sure your on 0009 firmware.

Philtor · 2 Oct 2011 at 02:28

orderoftheflame said:
Anyone got any thoughts on the Vertex 2E Bigfoot vs the Crucial M4?

Running a 90GB Bigfoot here. It's fast :cool:

..... Very fast.

orderoftheflame · 2 Oct 2011 at 20:48

Went with a 256gb M4 in the end after reading some very encouraging reviews.

So the only thing I need to do in terms of setup would be to re-run the windows WEI again and it should all be set up? There's no funny hidden options that it's essential that I enable?

Hagar · 2 Oct 2011 at 21:00

If you set AHCI in the bios, you have to do a registry fix in windows to load the correct drivers. Do this before you image the disk.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

orderoftheflame · 2 Oct 2011 at 21:33

nkata said:
If you set AHCI in the bios, you have to do a registry fix in windows to load the correct drivers. Do this before you image the disk.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

I was fiddling with it earlier and came across similar instructions but didn't intend to do it after restoring.

I'll make the change and redo my image with it pre-done. Thanks.

orderoftheflame · 4 Oct 2011 at 07:23

My M4 should arrive today.

Just thought up a last minute question (or two) though.

How can I tell if the 0009 firmware is already installed? Presumably reinstalling it again shouldn't do any harm right?

Should I install the 0009 firmware before or after restoring? Or doesn't it make a lot of difference?

Bane · 4 Oct 2011 at 18:10

Windows 7 DVD should have a system image recovery option? Don't know how you make the image to begin with.

orderoftheflame · 4 Oct 2011 at 18:28

Bane said:
Windows 7 DVD should have a system image recovery option? Don't know how you make the image to begin with.

It's just in the Backup and Restore section of Control Panel.

Inaharry · 5 Oct 2011 at 17:16

orderoftheflame said:
How can I tell if the 0009 firmware is already installed? Presumably reinstalling it again shouldn't do any harm right?

When you download the firmware (Crucial Firmware), burn the iso and boot from it, the update should tell you which firmware the drive currently has, (probably 0002), but if you do choose to update it again, it won't do any harm.

orderoftheflame said:
Should I install the 0009 firmware before or after restoring? Or doesn't it make a lot of difference?

It doesn't really make a difference. I'd probably do it before imaging while the drive is clean unless you want to benchmark it before and after the firmware upgrade.