Upgrade from HDD to SSD

Pards

Hi there

Looking to ensure I am attempting this the correct way.

I am awaiting delivery of a new laptop (Lenovo e50-80) which comes with a 500gb HDD. I am wanting to swap this out for a SSD. I haven't done this before so wanted to check the correct steps are thus;

1. Purchase a SSD -Mr Memory shows I can have a Samsung 850 EVO 250gb which is 2.5inch, however I will probably go for a cheaper SanDisk SSD PLUS 240gb (I believe this will fit as it is also 2.5inch?)

2. Purchase a USB 3.0 to 2.5 SATA hard drive adapter cable cheaply off eBay

3. Find some software to "clone" my hard drive to my new SSD. Hoping for recommendations for some software and also guidance here as I have read some people prefer a "fresh" install but not sure exactly what this means. Also I am planning to do this as soon as I turn my new laptop on, so will the "clone" be the same as a "fresh" install as I have no data on there?

4. Physically unscrew the laptop and swap the HDD out for the SSD and everything should work.

Will the above steps work?

Thanks in advance

motorguy

Yes, i've done several using the above method.

I cant remember the name of the s/w i used though.

I am sure somebody will be along soon with cloning software names.

cookie365

Samsung has an SSD migration tool that I believe can clone a larger disk to a smaller SSD, as long as the data will fit.

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/support/downloads.html

I've never tried it, I suspect it resizes the partitions on the original drive first; if so I'd be a bit dubious about doing anything that changes the original drive.

Remember that the original drive probably contains additional partitions with the recovery image.

If you can get an imaging app that non-destructively clones to a smaller SSD (probably a paid version) then it might be worth taking the drive out of the laptop and cloning it before you even switch it on.

I usually just buy a 16GB USB drive and use the laptops own restore program.

jk0

I bought a Crucial Acronis True Image Disk with the cable you mention a couple of years ago from Amazon for £15.99.

One thing I now do is take a clone of the electronic hard disk every couple of weeks onto the old mechanical one, and keep the mechanical one in a drawer. (Edit: This requires a hard disk socket on the pc as the mechanical disk won't work from the lead.) This has helped me a number of times when a virus or duff update has crashed my computer. I simply boot up from the Crucial CD, and clone the mechanical disk back to the electronic one.

(Also I have Mozy automatic backup, so all my documents and emails from the last fortnight can be restored.)

Pards

Thanks for the replies.

My other question is what is meant by a"fresh" install? I assume it is somehow the opposite of cloning my HDD and moving the data to a SSD.

jk0

Pards wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

My other question is what is meant by a"fresh" install? I assume it is somehow the opposite of cloning my HDD and moving the data to a SSD.

I think it implies wiping everything off your hard drive, and starting from scratch as if it was a new computer.

pappa_golf

if the machine is new and running win 10 , go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 scroll down and d/load the iso and burn it to a pendrive/dvd , fit the new drive and re install , you might also want to go to the mfg website and d/load any drivers and save those to the pendrive , when reloading (on the new drive) just select "skip entering ser number" as the machine/motherboard will already be registered.


make sure you d/load the same version as the one installed on the original , and select custom install in order to create the correct UEFI partitions

londonTiger

Samsung migration tool worked well for me, but I was upgrading a really old computer which had a 160gb hdd so the Ssd was larger.

The migration tool does a great job and it reallocates the partition size to the optimal size for Ssd as well.

googler

If you have the install disc(s) for the OS and drivers (it is a new PC, isn't it?), wouldn't it be easier to just install the SSD and install the OS etc from these?

pappa_golf

probably , however knowing the "cost effectiveness" of the manufacturer , I suspect that there will be a recovery partition instead.


my idea of a d/load- clean install was 2 fold


1: remove any garbage installed by mfg
2: to save the old drive intact in case of any warranty work.

Chrishazle

Just a thought - when I delved into the back of my wife's Dell Inspiron 1702 laptop I found that there were 2 HDD bays side by side, only 1 in use from the factory so I was able to buy a second HDD and caddy thing and install it alongside the original one!