How to best move my Windows install?

HarryBizzle · 21 Jul 2023 at 23:25

Thanks to a system refresh (new mobo, RAM and CPU) I have added an NVME to my PC.

I currently have Win 10 on a SATA SSD (500GB) and have just got a 1TB NVME which is were I'd like to have my install. What's the best way of doing this? I've thought about cloning the drive but then potentially have the issue of needing to resize the partition.

I'm thinking I might have to just bite the bullet and do a fresh install with a USB install drive, change the boot order so I boot from the NVME and then wipe the SATA?

Armageus · 21 Jul 2023 at 23:41

HarryBizzle said:
What's the best way of doing this? I've thought about cloning the drive but then potentially have the issue of needing to resize the partition.

Macrium Reflect (the free version is discontinued but is still kicking around) or any other modern disk cloning tool will handle this and allow you to expand the partition to fill the new drive.

HarryBizzle · 22 Jul 2023 at 10:05

Thanks. They offer a free trial and did both the clone and expand partition in one go. Amazing how easy it was!

Before:

After:

Mcnumpty2323 · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:01

Thought it was still free
Until 1st January 2024?
Even then suspect they may just stop you updating
Rather than disable everyone's free version
Especially if you just block it in firewall

DampDog · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:15

This thread is timed to perfection. Just picked up a replacement drive and want to move my windows drive to a larger SSD I currently have a 250Gig and simply want to clone that drive to a new 1TB SSD. Macrium Reflect preferred way to go? Or are there any other ways that are free and simple?

Mcnumpty2323 · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:18

Macrium is my preference
There are others
If samsung drives for example
They have a tool

SonicSW20 · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:20

Cloning is pretty much pain free these days. If its an old install thats seen many major updates, driver updates etc I usually use an OS drive change as an excuse to do a fresh install.

DampDog · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:27

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Macrium is my preference
There are others
If samsung drives for example
They have a tool

They do??.. Both my drives are Samsung. Old 250Gig 840. replacement is a 1TB- 870EVO

Mcnumpty2323 · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:30

DampDog said:
They do??.. Both my drives are Samsung. Old 250Gig 840. replacement is a 1TB- 870EVO

Think it's called
Samsung migration tool
Not sure if it's in Samsung magician
Or still a separate software

DampDog · 22 Jul 2023 at 12:47

Cheers. Looks like there is a combined version of Magician & Migration software, but they also have stand alone versions. I'll download it and have a little look.

HarryBizzle · 22 Jul 2023 at 13:06

SonicSW20 said:
Cloning is pretty much pain free these days. If its an old install thats seen many major updates, driver updates etc I usually use an OS drive change as an excuse to do a fresh install.

Thanks. I’mgetting some Bluetooth issues probably caused from going from using a dongle to a new mobo with built in so I think I’m going to upgrade to Win 11 and then do a fresh install.

Armageus · 22 Jul 2023 at 13:17

HarryBizzle said:
Thanks. I’mgetting some Bluetooth issues probably caused from going from using a dongle to a new mobo with built in so I think I’m going to upgrade to Win 11 and then do a fresh install.

Worth going into device manager - show hidden devices and delete anything that's no longer relevant
Reboot and then hopefully might improve things

hartgeh3 · 22 Jul 2023 at 13:48

Never updated my Macrium before just worked. Another free one is https://www.ubackup.com/free-backup-software.html never used it myself though

DampDog · 26 Jul 2023 at 14:11

Cocked up my disk clone!! Any help appreciated...

So old system disk is a 250Gig Samsung 840 new Drive is 1 TB 870. Downloaded Macrium Reflect V7. Ran it up, no issues, sees both disks so I clone old disk to new target disk and off it goes no problem. Only issue is as I guess the clue is in the name, it's done a "clone" of the first drive to the new drive and left me with a 750Gig unallocated partition... Doh.. ( just ignorance on my part with not doing it before really. I just assumed it would use all the space.) What I wanted was to use all the available space so in essence Just end up with a new "C-Drive"

Looking in Disk Manager
I've now got a 3 partition a 250Gig, 750Gig which I can't suss how to re-merge as a single partition!? And and Recovery partition clone that I cant shift on what was my pristine 1TB.

So how do I
1 undue/fix the ****-up
2 Force it to use all the available space.
Cheers

darael · 26 Jul 2023 at 14:14

I'm pretty sure you can tell Macrium Reflect to expand the new Windows partition so you use all the space on the new drive.

Here is a guide how to it here: https://www.macrium.com/blog/cloning-a-disk-with-macrium-reflect-v8

HarryBizzle · 26 Jul 2023 at 14:16

DampDog said:
Cocked up my disk clone!! Any help appreciated...

So old system disk is a 250Gig Samsung 840 new Drive is 1 TB 870. Downloaded Macrium Reflect V7. Ran it up, no issues, sees both disks so I clone old disk to new target disk and off it goes no problem. Only issue is as I guess the clue is in the name, it's done a "clone" of the first drive to the new drive and left me with a 750Gig unallocated partition... Doh.. ( just ignorance on my part with not doing it before really. I just assumed it would use all the space.) What I wanted was to use all the available space so in essence Just end up with a new "C-Drive"

Looking in Disk Manager
I've now got a 3 partition a 250Gig, 750Gig which I can't suss how to re-merge as a single partition!? And and Recovery partition clone that I cant shift on what was my pristine 1TB.

So how do I
1 undue/fix the ****-up
2 Force it to use all the available space.
Cheers

I think you should be able to delete the empty 750GB one and once it reads as unallocated, expand the smaller one.

DampDog · 26 Jul 2023 at 16:31

darael said:
I'm pretty sure you can tell Macrium Reflect to expand the new Windows partition so you use all the space on the new drive.

Here is a guide how to it here: https://www.macrium.com/blog/cloning-a-disk-with-macrium-reflect-v8

Thank you for that, I'm just having a read through it now. Bit annoyed with myself as I just assumed instead of properly reading up on it first.

HarryBizzle said:
I think you should be able to delete the empty 750GB one and once it reads as unallocated, expand the smaller one.

That is what I thought. But if I do that and try to create a "simple volume" it throws an error message " There is not enough available space on the disk to complete the operation" does that regardless of whether I choose the unallocated 200 odd or 720 odd.
Scratching my head a bit?

DampDog · 26 Jul 2023 at 19:41

darael said:
I'm pretty sure you can tell Macrium Reflect to expand the new Windows partition so you use all the space on the new drive.

Here is a guide how to it here: https://www.macrium.com/blog/cloning-a-disk-with-macrium-reflect-v8

That's been a big help thanks, got sorted now. I did have Macrium V7. However it's not quite as powerful or flexible in re-sizing partitions. Used V8 and sorted it with 5 mins. Cheers

Guest2 · 6 Aug 2023 at 18:39

Macrium will be EOL on 1st Jan. I'll still use it, not like my home pc is getting audited and will fail anything for having EOL software

If my machine become infected, i'll clone from a backup image and uninstall Macrium!

I'm still using Office 2007, works fine - though I do use O365 aswell

Macrium Reflect Patch Details

Macrium Reflect Free - Service Announcement

This is to notify that Macrium Reflect Free Edition is being retired. Security patches will be provided until 1st January 2024, but there are no planned feature changes or non security related updates following this update.