Cloning from a larger drive to a smaller drive...

[mvbighead]

So, I was preparing to replace my laptop's 500GB HDD with a 128 GB SSD, and simply wanted to clone the drive. Problem is, my existing partition is too large (there is only 30gb or so of data, so it's simply the partition size holding me back).

In looking into this, I realize I can shrink the partition, but it appears Windows has placed a few files in the middle of the drive that it will not move. I tried Defraggler, but I am either missing a setting or those files truly cannot be moved.

I would like to use Clonezilla to get the job done (and not buy some software that I only use once), but am not sure what other options I have. One suggestion for shrinking a drive was to use GParted, which I could try, but I am not sure if it would simply have the same limitation due to those files being where they are, or if it would move them.

I suspect many of you have been through this scenario, and just wanted to see what you recommend. I'd prefer using an opensource tool to get the job done, but if you all simply use Acronis or whatever, that may be my only option.

Thanks!

 

[TheELF]

I'd prefer using an opensource tool to get the job done, but if you all simply use Acronis or whatever, that may be my only option.

Thanks!

Well,since most hdd/ssd companies give out a free copy of acronis it's no wonder.
Check out the sites of both your hdd and ssd manufacturer and look for it,it would be the easiest choice since most are made for migration.

You could use Mydefrag and the consolidate free space option to move all files to the start of the disk,files that are used by windows at the time can't be moved so if you like you could try to turn off hybernation and the page file that's two huge files so less moving around and a higher chance of all the files beeing moved to below the 128gb limit.

Or you could just not use any clonig software at all,just prepare your ssd by making a primary and bootable partition,boot up some linux distro like ubuntu or puppy (from an usb stick)and just copy the files across by using the command line (terminal) or midnight commander so you can make sure that hidden files get copied as well.

 

[JackMDS]

Use Acronis TI. BackUp the 500GB to an external drive or Network drive.

Then Recover to the smaller drive. As long as the smaller Drive has enough space for all the data it would Not care what was the size of the Org. drive.

TI by default compresses the .tib backup file to about half of its size.

I.e., if the 500GB drive has about 100GB data you needs about 55GB space to make a backup, and the new drive should be at list 105GB to be fully restored to the 100GB Data.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You could try shrinking the 500 GB partition with Partition Wizard bootable disk. It generally has fewer limitations than other tools.

If cloning fails, try imaging instead.

 

[Joepublic2]

Try this:

http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

If you want to use gparted/clonezilla those files that windows can't move are pagefile.sys hiberfil.sys and swapfile.sys (windows 8+). You can delete them after disabling the page file and hibernation.

 

[LTC8K6]

My Samsung SSD came with software that took care of that with custom cloning.

http://www.samsung.com/global/busin.../SSD/global/html/whitepaper/whitepaper11.html

 

[VeryCharBroiled]

another option that will shrink partitions:

macrium reflect free

 

[BonzaiDuck]

It was once the case -- or rumored to be -- that the free Acronis tool offered by the drive-makers wouldn't shrink a partition to make the clone.

Acronis Disk Director 11 (there's an Update-2 version) and TI 2014 I know personally will do it. Other tools may do it, like Parted Magic. But I guarantee the acronis software to move a larger partition to a smaller disk, as long as the used space on the source partition will fit on the target drive.

Hopefully, there are freeware, shareware or even trialware tools that will do it, but I can't say.

 

[mvbighead]

Try this:

http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

If you want to use gparted/clonezilla those files that windows can't move are pagefile.sys hiberfil.sys and swapfile.sys (windows 8+). You can delete them after disabling the page file and hibernation.

I had actually just figured that out last night, so I moved the PF to a different partition, and removed all restore points and was able to shrink the drive to 47GB.

Upon trying Clonezilla, it still balked about the disk being larger, and didn't do anything.

Think I'll be trying Todo tonight once I put the machine back together and slap the SSD into a USB caddy to move the data over.

 

[biostud]

another option that will shrink partitions:

macrium reflect free

This, very easy to use.

 

[Paperdoc]

As others have suggested, look carefully at the cloning and migration software utility that came with your SSD. This is a very common task and I would expect those tools to have a way to deal.

For example, I have a customized version of Acronis True Image for my Seagate HDD's (Seagate calls this Disk Wizard) that will make clones only TO a Seagate product, so it is not for your case. BUT when you set up to make a clone it offers a group of proposed settings and asks for confirmation and permission to proceed. At that point you can simply NOT approve, and use the menu system to change the settings. One thing you can change is the size of the new Partition on the destination drive. As long as the reduced size is still large enough to accept all the data actually on the original drive's Partition, it will do that. I KNOW (I've done it) that it will allow me to make a clone of my C: drive that is smaller than the Partition on the C: drive HDD unit. I would expect that the utility that came with your SSD has such a feature, even if you need to use menu settings to get there. If that utility has a manual document file with it, I find it useful to read that manual and find these tips.

 

[xgsound]

Aomei does that and it is free. I've used it twice to do exactly what you want. It even states "copy system to smaller SSD". It took about 6 minutes to do 60GB. It reboots after you select "apply" and does the clone. http://www.disk-partition.com/download-home.html

They suggest removing all but the new system drive for the first boot after the copy is completed and so do I.

Jim

 

[corkyg]

I clone regularly between different size drives using Acronis TI. Use bootable media, manual mode, and select PROPORTIONAL. Never had a problem up or down.

 

[mvbighead]

Ugh, Aeomi won't do GPT. Acronis won't do a clone under the trial version.

And the drive is a PNY XLR that didn't come with any tools.

 

[ArisVer]

I would shrink the partition (including pagefile & etc, - move them all to one partition for the cloning) using MiniTool Partition Wizard Free and then clone the disk with the same utility or any other utility.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I would shrink the partition (including pagefile & etc, - move them all to one partition for the cloning) using MiniTool Partition Wizard Free and then clone the disk with the same utility or any other utility.

That's also an option, and I'm fairly sure that "Computer Management->Storage->Disk-Management" can do that.

 

[mfenn]

Ugh, Aeomi won't do GPT. Acronis won't do a clone under the trial version.

And the drive is a PNY XLR that didn't come with any tools.

Since you've got the partition shrunk down, you can boot up a Linux LiveCD (Ubuntu works well) and use good ole dd to copy the partitions.

apt-get install gdisk lsscsi parted
lsscsi  # note the device names (/dev/sdX) of the OLD and NEW drive
NEW=/dev/sdX  # where X is the letter of the new drive
OLD=/dev/sdY # where Y is the letter of the old drive
sgdisk -R $NEW $OLD
sgdisk -G $NEW
partprobe $NEW
ls -l /dev/$OLD*   # note the numbered devices, these are the partitions
dd if=${OLD}1 of=${NEW}1 bs=1M
dd if=${OLD}2 of=${NEW}2 bs=1M
# and so on for each number

 

[mvbighead]

Thanks for all the other suggestions.

I ended up finding Macrium Reflect (as VeryCharBroiled pointed out) did the job for me.

Now I get to go through and remove all of these utilities, but system booted up fine from the SSD, appears to be aligned correctly, trim is enabled, etc. Everything looks good. And of course the laptop is now a heckuva lot more responsive.

 

[ArisVer]

That's also an option, and I'm fairly sure that "Computer Management->Storage->Disk-Management" can do that.

True. But...Windows Disk Management doesn't like to shrink all the way.

 

[mvbighead]

True. But...Windows Disk Management doesn't like to shrink all the way.

Windows disk management shrinks plenty when the files are moved out of the way.

Defraggler a few other tools help with that. That, and deleting those files.

 

[mfenn]

Thanks for all the other suggestions.

I ended up finding Macrium Reflect (as VeryCharBroiled pointed out) did the job for me.

Now I get to go through and remove all of these utilities, but system booted up fine from the SSD, appears to be aligned correctly, trim is enabled, etc. Everything looks good. And of course the laptop is now a heckuva lot more responsive.

:thumbsup: Glad it worked out for you!

 

[BonzaiDuck]

True. But...Windows Disk Management doesn't like to shrink all the way.

I was jus' throwin' in a trivial point, but you have yours also, more enlightenin'.

The important thing to be sure of for the slick software disk management solutions like Acronis: SSD alignment. But even DD 11 did that right, I think. If the SSD isn't properly aligned, all sorts of unfortunate difficulties -- I think slow-downs among them.

 

[tcsenter]

another option that will shrink partitions:

macrium reflect free

The latest (as of this post) Reflect Free would not restore to a smaller drive (SSD) from a disk image (file), complaining about partition sizes and insufficient space. I tried editing the partition sizes, there is an option to change partition size it but it wouldn't proceed. I tried shrinking the main partition/volume containing the OS, which was the largest partition with the most free space and it still complained of not enough space to accommodate all partitions (GPT).

This going from a 500GB HDD to 480GB SSD. I even deleted one of the partitions that was 25GB and still received the same errors. This was attempting to restore from an image file, I haven't tried direct cloning disk to disk. I gave-up and just installed the OS cleanly on the SDD.

 

[biostud]

The latest (as of this post) Reflect Free would not restore to a smaller drive (SSD) from a disk image (file), complaining about partition sizes and insufficient space. I tried editing the partition sizes, there is an option to change partition size it but it wouldn't proceed. I tried shrinking the main partition/volume containing the OS, which was the largest partition with the most free space and it still complained of not enough space to accommodate all partitions (GPT).





This going from a 500GB HDD to 480GB SSD. I even deleted one of the partitions that was 25GB and still received the same errors. This was attempting to restore from an image file, I haven't tried direct cloning disk to disk. I gave-up and just installed the OS cleanly on the SDD.

Yeah, you should do it directly.

 

[mvbighead]

Yeah, you should do it directly.

I did have to perform a direct clone and skip some partitions (even though I had room for everything). That's all good though, because I really only wanted to keep the OS partition anyway.