Windows 7 - New SSD - reinstall C: Drive

Derek W

Derek W

Derek W

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Afternoon all,

I've recently bought a new SSD to replace my 128Gb one that I'm currently using as my boot drive. Obviously with Windows 7 I've got it backing up to a separate SATA drive which will be 'restored' when i install my new SSD.

I assume the Windows 7 backup only copies the user files rather than the whole 'image' of the C: Drive? Basically I'm asking will i have to install all my programs / drivers all over again on the new drive?
 
Yeah you will have to reinstall all your programs and drivers this way. You can create a system image however from within the backup and restore centre on Windows 7.
 
why are you restoring a backup? Just clone the old SSD to the new one. Clonezilla will do this for you in about 30 minutes, just make sure you get your source and destination round the right way ;)
 
Checked my backup and it does say that its doing a user files backup as well as a disk image (but my latest backup is only 40GB while 90Gb of my SSD is used :confused:)

I take it if i use clonezilla or Reflect i'll be able to clone the drive onto the new one, switch the drive slots about, reboot and it'll work as it did before? First time I've done this rather than change drives and reinstall everything so forgive the daft questions! :p
 
I assume that works, but there is something with SSDs and alignment, and drive setup in reaction to what processes it runs with defragmenter etc, so I unsure if this method works perfectly.
 
Derek W said:
Checked my backup and it does say that its doing a user files backup as well as a disk image (but my latest backup is only 40GB while 90Gb of my SSD is used :confused:)

I take it if i use clonezilla or Reflect i'll be able to clone the drive onto the new one, switch the drive slots about, reboot and it'll work as it did before? First time I've done this rather than change drives and reinstall everything so forgive the daft questions! :p
Click to expand...

1) Compression?
2) Yes, if you use Macrium. I don't know if Clonezilla will resize.
 
KIA said:
Clone using Macrium Reflect.
Click to expand...

This..

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

Install that, get it to 'create bootable media'

Either make a USB or CD with it on.


Now turn off your PC.

Disconnect everything besides your current SSD, DVD drive (if using it) and connect your new SSD to the machine.

Now turn it on and boot from the CD/USB, choose 'Clone' and it will copy it all to the new SSD.

Now turn the pc off, disconnect old SSD. Put the new one into the SATA port that the old SSD was on, connect up any other drives.

Turn pc on.

Done.




-


I'd run CCleaner and clear out any old System Restore checkpoints to make the process quicker.
 
bledd. said:
This..

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

Install that, get it to 'create bootable media'

Either make a USB or CD with it on.


Now turn off your PC.

Disconnect everything besides your current SSD, DVD drive (if using it) and connect your new SSD to the machine.

Now turn it on and boot from the CD/USB, choose 'Clone' and it will copy it all to the new SSD.

Now turn the pc off, disconnect old SSD. Put the new one into the SATA port that the old SSD was on, connect up any other drives.

Turn pc on.

*Jazz hands*




-


I'd run CCleaner and clear out any old System Restore checkpoints to make the process quicker.
Click to expand...

Fixed
 
Derek W said:
:D

Cheers Bledd and others. I presume that I'll be formatting the new drive before cloning the original drive onto it? Should get that sorted out today.
Click to expand...

No. You don't need to do anything to the new drive before you clone.
 
I'm now using my new SSD (only took 15 mins to transfer everything across. I have noticed that it has precisely cloned the original drive as there's 100Gb unallocated. Presumably I just 'Extend Volume' in computer management to make the remainder of the space usable.
 
Uhtred said:
Yep, exactly. With windows 7 + above (and possibly Vista) you can extend the c:\ on the fly.
Click to expand...

Cool cheers. Just wanted to make sure before going ahead with it. I'm just amazed it was so easy to do and saved the hassle of reinstalling everything! :)
 
Quick question to those 'in the know'. Is Macrium Reflect suitable to use to clone an SSD to a new SSD with a different type of controller? Specifically, I'm going to be going from a Crucial C300 64Gb which uses the Marvel controller to an OCZ Agility 3 60Gb which of course uses Sand force. Any issues with doing that? I'm currently using the Intel drivers rather than the Marvel ones anyway so I guess it could all be academic at the end of the day but wanted to check first.
 
Draeger said:
Quick question to those 'in the know'. Is Macrium Reflect suitable to use to clone an SSD to a new SSD with a different type of controller? Specifically, I'm going to be going from a Crucial C300 64Gb which uses the Marvel controller to an OCZ Agility 3 60Gb which of course uses Sand force. Any issues with doing that? I'm currently using the Intel drivers rather than the Marvel ones anyway so I guess it could all be academic at the end of the day but wanted to check first.
Click to expand...

nope it has no affect

heres a step by step guide using macrium

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18576917
 
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