clonning os to 1 ssd to another ssd how?

chewy-tuna · 8 May 2013 at 13:13

need advice on how and what to use to clone ssd.
got 120 gb ssd need to clone this 120 to 256 ssd.
what do I need to have in order to clone my os ssd properly?
like is there any extra hardware and software I should need?
I'm a bit nervous here as as I don't want another lengthy costly call to Microsoft for another activation.
so in short how do I clone my os ssd to another so I don't have to activate win7 again?

RJC · 8 May 2013 at 13:17

I use Acronis but Macrium Reflect is free and I believe is just as good.

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

You should not need to activate but sometimes Windows may need to be re-activated.
The call to MS is a 0800 number.

wazza300 · 8 May 2013 at 13:18

its a toll free call to ms

Dunks · 8 May 2013 at 13:26

I'm sure there's an 020 number as well.

Unicorn · 8 May 2013 at 13:39

Call them by skype

I do (its free)

Dervious · 9 May 2013 at 18:01

Easeus Todo Backup Free.

Does the job nicely, and has an "optimise for SSD" option, which seems to make sure partition alignment is correct.

welshdragon · 9 May 2013 at 23:36

I used Macrium reflect free to clone my 128gb m4 to a 256gb m4. Then disk manager in windows to expand the volume to use the extra space.

Stelly · 10 May 2013 at 16:07

I use Macrium Reflect to do this, but expand it using them as they defrag on the fly as well...

Stelly

UKDTweak · 10 May 2013 at 16:12

If you have a second hard drive you can use the built in Windows Backup to create a backup onto the second disk and then restore it to your new drive, just use the option in the backup tool to create a restore disk to boot from...
Make sure you check the alignment Afterwards though as that can sometimes get messed up, though from SSD to SSD should be ok.

DennisColes · 10 May 2013 at 21:15

welshdragon said:
I used Macrium reflect free to clone my 128gb m4 to a 256gb m4. Then disk manager in windows to expand the volume to use the extra space.

What do you mean by expanding the volume?

What is this and why would you need to do that?

DennisColes · 12 May 2013 at 14:45

DennisColes said:
What do you mean by expanding the volume?

What is this and why would you need to do that?

Anyone?

I really need help with this.

Is there a step by step guide that explains how to move from one SSD to another larger SSD? I've googled but can't find anything.

I have no idea about partitions etc

wazza300 · 12 May 2013 at 15:07

DennisColes said:
Anyone?

I really need help with this.

Is there a step by step guide that explains how to move from one SSD to another larger SSD? I've googled but can't find anything.

I have no idea about partitions etc

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18479625

I cloned from my hdd to an ssd and back again but its the same thing only set the ssd as the source drive and your new ssd as the target drive

to expand the partition its easy from within windows or with easus partition master,all it does is stretch the newly cloned drive so that it fills up all the ssd

you don't have to do that with paragon migrate but that's paid software,macrium is free

topgazza · 12 May 2013 at 20:18

I use a program called Casper which does a spot on job of mirroring a drive and will automatically make the whole drive available when its bigger than the original. very easy to use but the others quoted here are also good

welshdragon · 13 May 2013 at 10:35

DennisColes said:
What do you mean by expanding the volume?

What is this and why would you need to do that?

When you clone say a 128gb ssd to a 256gb, the 256 gb drive will show a 128gb in use as the partition and then the rest as free/unallocated space. To make use of the extra space on the drive you go to windows disk manager and expand the 128gb partition to use the rest of the available free space.

So, use macrium reflect and clone disk. Then in the start menu search box type 'disk management' and the top will have a control panel option 'creat and format hard disk partitions' Click it and it will open disk management. Say your ssd is disc 0, right click on the partition and then 'extend volume' and done.

DennisColes · 14 May 2013 at 18:54

welshdragon said:
When you clone say a 128gb ssd to a 256gb, the 256 gb drive will show a 128gb in use as the partition and then the rest as free/unallocated space. To make use of the extra space on the drive you go to windows disk manager and expand the 128gb partition to use the rest of the available free space.

So, use macrium reflect and clone disk. Then in the start menu search box type 'disk management' and the top will have a control panel option 'creat and format hard disk partitions' Click it and it will open disk management. Say your ssd is disc 0, right click on the partition and then 'extend volume' and done.

Funny that I asked this question the other day. Before i saw your reply I had to do a similar thing at work. I was cloning hard drives using one of these: and it would only show the capacity as the amount of the hard drive being cloned.

http://www.integralmemory.com/news/integral-hard-drive-copy-station-clone-drives-ease

Could i technically use this to clone my old SSD to my new SSD? I ask, because I have one at my disposal.

welshdragon · 15 May 2013 at 11:49

It would appear so, but I have no experience with such a device. The first ssd I cloned I just used a spare slot on the motherboard. Second one I cloned was in a caddy.