Best way of copying OS HDD to a new SSD drive?

Jed Shields

Jed Shields

Jed Shields

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Hi guys,

as the title says, what's the best way of copying my HTPC HDD to a nice new Crucial SSD drive that's just arrived through my door. Or is it best to just reinstall from scratch?
 
I would say reinstall... Acronis true image would do a good job though.

If your mechanical drive is a WD drive, you can get acronis true image for free.

If I don't need critical files, I always reinstall. Nicer to have a clean machine.
 
I have a question. If i reinstalled onto a new SSD, would I have to reinstall all my programs or would they still work on my current HDD and what about the Windows install on my HDD, what do i do with that?
 
I'd personally:
1. Back up HDD.
2. Install Windows on SSD.
3. Update Windows.
4. Reinstall your programs on the SSD.
5. Format the HDD.
5. Copy and paste your documents/music/movies from the backup on the fresh HDD.
 
Most software you can migrate just by copying the appdata/roaming/<program folder> to the new windows installation. Some software has settings in the registry. Some software allows you to export settings. It all depends.
 
Ricochet J said:
I'd personally:
1. Back up HDD.
2. Install Windows on SSD.
3. Update Windows.
4. Reinstall your programs on the SSD.
5. Format the HDD.
5. Copy and paste your documents/music/movies from the backup on the fresh HDD.
Click to expand...

This is what I do

But I skip step 1 because I already have a backup!
 
Ricochet J said:
I'd personally:
1. Back up HDD.
2. Install Windows on SSD.
3. Update Windows.
4. Reinstall your programs on the SSD.
5. Format the HDD.
6. Copy and paste your documents/music/movies from the backup on the fresh HDD.
Click to expand...

This.

Also, optional step between 5 and 6.

5.5. Image OS partition with Macrium reflect and keep as a "Good clean image" for whenever you want to rebuild. Just image your nice new configured OS back! My 120Gb SSD took about 5 minutes to image to HDD.
 
1) I just install windows 7 on the ssd
2/3) put the old windows 7 install in as a secondary drive.
3/3) install all software in to windows 7 ssd.
4) copy over settings from old backup drive including backup.
5) format old drive.
 
+1 on the occasions where ive not done a clean install which is by far preferable in my eyes then acronis was the software of choice for me. Nice and simple to image and restore with it.

Hawker
 
importedforyou said:
Use windows backup tool to image the drive
Click to expand...

/thread :D

Why do people pay for windows then insist on paying for the same tools again? :p

That said, using an old, slow flashdrive you can install windows onto a regular hd in 10 minutes, if you had a decent flash to hand it would take even less time.

Depends on what you want really, windows 7 is the only ms os you don't need to reinstall ever 6 months - copying would be quicker.
 
Azuse05 said:
/thread :D

Why do people pay for windows then insist on paying for the same tools again? :p

That said, using an old, slow flashdrive you can install windows onto a regular hd in 10 minutes, if you had a decent flash to hand it would take even less time.

Depends on what you want really, windows 7 is the only ms os you don't need to reinstall ever 6 months - copying would be quicker.
Click to expand...

You do not want to image a non 4K aligned HDD partition onto an SSD that requires a 4K aligned disk.

Macrium Reflect is free and will handle it.
 
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