Best way to transfer OS to a new SSD

Drag0nFireMage · 12-22-2011, 11:14 AM

Hi all,

Upgrading from a x25-m 80GB to a 320 160GB. (Yay Black Friday!)

Wondering how best to transfer the OS. I really don't feel like doing a fresh install this time...

Can I use any old imaging program? My preference would be to simply back up to my windows home server and restore to the new drive, but I'm not sure whether this will cause any performance / drive life issues.

I've seen a lot of disagreement in searching for an answer - figured I'd come here for a definitive answer. All suggestions welcome!

Thanks!
--J

danieliusk · 12-22-2011, 11:21 AM

You can back your system up by using "Acronis True Image Home 2010".

Diogenes2 · 12-22-2011, 11:26 AM

Does home server have the image backup like Win7 ?

Drag0nFireMage · 12-22-2011, 11:38 AM

Yeah, my understanding is that the WHS does a block level image backup.

Wondering whether differences in terms of lay-out on the SSD will cause performance issues or excess wear if I go this route?

Drag0nFireMage · 12-22-2011, 11:59 AM

An alternative would be this:

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/...al-restore.htm

If you look at this screenshot, it seems to have an "optimize for SSD" option in the restore.

http://www.todo-backup.com/images/fe...hardware-2.gif

jaiello · 12-22-2011, 12:02 PM

Acronis is the way to go. They have a cloning feature that I have used many times without any adverse effects. Just bear in mind that Win7 and Office will have to be reactivated but that should not be a big issue for you.

kevinsbane · 12-22-2011, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drag0nFireMage

Hi all,

Upgrading from a x25-m 80GB to a 320 160GB. (Yay Black Friday!)

Wondering how best to transfer the OS. I really don't feel like doing a fresh install this time...

Can I use any old imaging program? My preference would be to simply back up to my windows home server and restore to the new drive, but I'm not sure whether this will cause any performance / drive life issues.

I've seen a lot of disagreement in searching for an answer - figured I'd come here for a definitive answer. All suggestions welcome!

Thanks!
--J

I've used this every time I've needed to migrate from Intel SSDs.

linster · 12-22-2011, 12:12 PM

I just did this yesterday. Transferred my boot drive from a X25-M 160GB to a 240GB Agility 3. I used http://clonezilla.org/ and it worked flawlessly.

jjmIII · 12-22-2011, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drag0nFireMage

I really don't feel like doing a fresh install this time...

Since it would take under 10 minutes?

linster · 12-22-2011, 12:27 PM

It's not just the OS, it's the programs. Can take a while depending on how many you have to reinstall.

corkyg · 12-22-2011, 01:11 PM

I would use Acronis TI-2012 - it has been updated to provide for correct SSD alignment during cloning. Cloning should be done with bootable media, not from within Windows for best results.

Drag0nFireMage · 12-22-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinsbane

I've used this every time I've needed to migrate from Intel SSDs.

Wow. This is awesome. I had no idea Intel had its own data migration utility!

Does it go directly from old media to new, or did you create an image first and than restore the image?

Thanks,
--J

Diogenes2 · 12-22-2011, 01:30 PM

There is a help file that tells you everything you need to know..
http://downloadmirror.intel.com/19324/eng/Intel%C2%AE%20Data%20Migration%20Software%20Help.p df

kevinsbane · 12-22-2011, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drag0nFireMage

Wow. This is awesome. I had no idea Intel had its own data migration utility!

Does it go directly from old media to new, or did you create an image first and than restore the image?

Thanks,
--J

Directly from old to new. Plug new drive in. Install the Data Migration software, start it, set up parameters, hit start, reboot, and it does everything for you.

The *only* catch is that you need an Intel drive. Otherwise, I'd say it's the most straightforward drive cloning software I've ever used.

Drag0nFireMage · 12-23-2011, 10:43 AM

Thanks so much! It worked great! Really appreciate the advice.

Rus2 · 06-02-2012, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drag0nFireMage

An alternative would be this:

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/...al-restore.htm

If you look at this screenshot, it seems to have an "optimize for SSD" option in the restore.

http://www.todo-backup.com/images/fe...hardware-2.gif

I use easeUS with great success. Never a problem and I don't have activate anything. Everything is as it was with my old HDD but not on my new SSD.
Less than an hour to make the transfer. Couldn't be easier and the software is free!!!!!!

AUGieDogie · 06-02-2012, 04:27 AM

I never, ever, had any luck in the many years that i have been doing this. UNTIL My newest SSD came with intel data migration. worked perfectly.

BFG10K · 06-02-2012, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drag0nFireMage

Wow. This is awesome. I had no idea Intel had its own data migration utility!

They don't, it's just another version of Acronis.

Regs · 11-07-2012, 09:51 PM

Ah, sorry for bringing this from the grave. But I'm trying to do the same. My older 32 GB SSD is not cutting it for OS system space and just installed a new 240GB SSD. So with EaseUS I can clone my source SDD to my new SDD. Then how do I get it to boot and use the clone drive on my new SDD?

corkyg · 11-08-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regs

Ah, sorry for bringing this from the grave. But I'm trying to do the same. My older 32 GB SSD is not cutting it for OS system space and just installed a new 240GB SSD. So with EaseUS I can clone my source SDD to my new SDD. Then how do I get it to boot and use the clone drive on my new SDD?

There have been worse grave robbings.

Don't worry about it. If you clone the new drive properly, simply replace the old with the new and boot as well as load your OS. Never used EASEUS - but, never had a problem cloning a drive with TI.

wpcoe · 11-09-2012, 01:39 AM

When I installed an SSD in my notebook, I installed Windows fresh from a bootable USB thumbdrive. However, I transferred my data partition from the old HDD to the new SSD using EASEUS, and the new data partition on the SSD was not aligned.

So, I suspect that if you move your system/boot partition via EASEUS, it might not be aligned on the new SSD.

Regs · 11-10-2012, 01:09 PM

Yeah, a friend at the help desk warned me about these programs could be hit or miss with different types of SDD's. I guess windows gets confused when you install it on a different SDD than what it originally was sourced from. I'll just have to reinstall everything again!

Puffnstuff · 11-10-2012, 03:51 PM

+1 Acronis. easeus works if the drives are the same size but has trouble when you're moving to a larger drive. I used acronis to migrate from 128 to 256 and it worked perfectly. If you have a wd drive you can get it for free from their website.