Cloning my failing laptop HDD to replace with and SSD?

[erichr]

So I'm fairly new to anandtech, but I lurk here for benchmarking and forums. However, I've encountered a problem I can't seem to figure out. I posted a similar question over at Tested.com, but no one there seems to have any input so I figured I'd give here a shot as well.

I have a 2009 Windows Vista laptop, who's HDD is failing once again. Rather than pay Sony $200 to put another shitty drive into it, I've decided I will do it myself and while I'm at it I will upgrade to an SSD hopefully in the ~200GB range. Thing is, I'm not sure how I would go about transferring my Windows and MS Word licenses to the new drive. I looked into cloning the drive, but I'm unsure how to do it and in any case my HDD is much larger than the SSD that would replace it. I have everything backed up, so I'm not too concerned about losing data or anything. Also of note, it is a Sony laptop, and Sony does not provide Windows recovery discs, and in my infinite wisdom I seem to have never made one myself.

So what are my options here? Thanks in advance, and I'll try and keep you guys updated on what I do with this.

 

[Charlie98]

This might be a good time to not only upgrade to an SSD, but W7 as well...

If memory serves, my Office '03 licenses are good for 2 computers... 1 desktop and 1 laptop, ostensibly to the same owner. I've actually had it across about 4 different computers (all my own, not at the same time) and I've never had a problem activating it.

 

[Elixer]

So I'm fairly new to anandtech, but I lurk here for benchmarking and forums. However, I've encountered a problem I can't seem to figure out. I posted a similar question over at Tested.com, but no one there seems to have any input so I figured I'd give here a shot as well.

I have a 2009 Windows Vista laptop, who's HDD is failing once again. Rather than pay Sony $200 to put another shitty drive into it, I've decided I will do it myself and while I'm at it I will upgrade to an SSD hopefully in the ~200GB range. Thing is, I'm not sure how I would go about transferring my Windows and MS Word licenses to the new drive. I looked into cloning the drive, but I'm unsure how to do it and in any case my HDD is much larger than the SSD that would replace it. I have everything backed up, so I'm not too concerned about losing data or anything. Also of note, it is a Sony laptop, and Sony does not provide Windows recovery discs, and in my infinite wisdom I seem to have never made one myself.

So what are my options here? Thanks in advance, and I'll try and keep you guys updated on what I do with this.

You can get a 256GB SSD for ~$256 now, so how much bigger is the HD that is on it now ?

In any case, first, I would uninstall anything that I don't really need, and see how full the HD is.
Then, assuming it is well under 256GB, (like no more than 200GB), you can then do a clone of the HD to the SSD, you just have to create a dummy 1MB partition in the beginning, so that the SSD is aligned.
You can use the SSD's clone utility (if it comes with one), or gparted, or one of the many other free cloning programs.

The only kicker here is, you need to have both drives hooked up at the same time, unsure if your laptop supports that or not.
I wouldn't bother with installing W7, vista will do just fine with a SSD (note, vista don't support TRIM, so look for a SSD that has a utility that can do that) and at least 4GB RAM (8GB is better). The reason for that is, why keep spending more $$$, when you can get a upgraded laptop with W7 pre-installed, and have better performance as well.

 

[erichr]

You can get a 256GB SSD for ~$256 now, so how much bigger is the HD that is on it now ?

In any case, first, I would uninstall anything that I don't really need, and see how full the HD is.
Then, assuming it is well under 256GB, (like no more than 200GB), you can then do a clone of the HD to the SSD, you just have to create a dummy 1MB partition in the beginning, so that the SSD is aligned.
You can use the SSD's clone utility (if it comes with one), or gparted, or one of the many other free cloning programs.

The only kicker here is, you need to have both drives hooked up at the same time, unsure if your laptop supports that or not.
I wouldn't bother with installing W7, vista will do just fine with a SSD (note, vista don't support TRIM, so look for a SSD that has a utility that can do that) and at least 4GB RAM (8GB is better). The reason for that is, why keep spending more $$$, when you can get a upgraded laptop with W7 pre-installed, and have better performance as well.

The HDD currently inside it is 400GB, and very full, although it's all backed up so I could easily go through and delete media and uninstall things from steam. There's also 4GB RAM inside the laptop, although if I got it open and noticed that I could upgrade that I probably would do so if the price were right.

And yeah that was my thinking on just sticking with vista at the moment, it hasn't caused me any trouble so far and upgrading always brings up issues. The laptop is a Vaio CS-390, if that helps. I have no idea if I could connect two drives in it.

Do you know any SSDs off the top of your head that come with a cloning utility?

 

[nitrous9200]

The VAIO CS definitely does not have two hard drive bays, but you could always plug the old hard drive and the SSD into a desktop to do the clone if you have one.

I just used Macrium Reflect free edition to swap my laptop's SSD into my desktop (also cloned the SSD onto a new hard drive to go into the laptop). It was very easy and the partition alignment is correct - during the process, there is a setting to set the partition alignment, though it was already on the correct choice by default.

Some SSDs are sold in laptop kits with an external USB bracket and cloning software - plug the SSD into the bracket, run the software and it clones the internal drive to the new SSD. They do cost more, though, and using a program like Reflect is what I'd recommend.

 

[taltamir]

You say the current drive is failing, how so? Depending on its issues cloning might not be a good idea (you don't want to end up with corrupt OS files on the new drive)

 

[Charlie98]

You say the current drive is failing, how so? Depending on its issues cloning might not be a good idea (you don't want to end up with corrupt OS files on the new drive)

That was kind of my thought... when I upgraded the HDD in my laptop, I opted to reload the OS from scratch (XP in this case; ) the clean install fixed a LOT of problems I was having. I sure didn't want to take 6 years of gummed up OS to the new HD, let alone a corrupted one.

 

[erichr]

The VAIO CS definitely does not have two hard drive bays, but you could always plug the old hard drive and the SSD into a desktop to do the clone if you have one.

I just used Macrium Reflect free edition to swap my laptop's SSD into my desktop (also cloned the SSD onto a new hard drive to go into the laptop). It was very easy and the partition alignment is correct - during the process, there is a setting to set the partition alignment, though it was already on the correct choice by default.

Some SSDs are sold in laptop kits with an external USB bracket and cloning software - plug the SSD into the bracket, run the software and it clones the internal drive to the new SSD. They do cost more, though, and using a program like Reflect is what I'd recommend.

I don't personally have a desktop, but I know a few people who I'm sure would let me use their desktop. Is there no way I could use an external drive via USB?

 

[erichr]

You say the current drive is failing, how so? Depending on its issues cloning might not be a good idea (you don't want to end up with corrupt OS files on the new drive)

Well basically what happens is that the last few times I started it it detected a problem with the drive and automatically ran chkdsk, but finds no problems. And then it will work fine until I call up a file or program (haven't noticed a pattern of which files) and then it locks up. I tried to run a defrag but it also locked up when it was beginning.

This, combined with the fact that the previous HDD failed in this laptop (I'm quite sure Sony replaced it with the exact same model), leads me to this conclusion. I suppose I could install Windows 7 as long as I was able to carry over my Office licenses.

TBH I'm leaning towards just getting a Lenovo X220 and being done with it haha.

 

[taltamir]

carrying the licenses will be difficult. You will have to first find the license (which require running the PC) and record it, and then get a copy of the exact version (OEM) and install it again.

I would first try to retrieve my licenses and then do a clean install on a new drive rather then cloning a most likely defective drive and result in a corrupt OS

 

[sm625]

I have been trying to clone an oem installation onto a new 128GB SSD for a while now. Cant get anything to run. Not ghost, not acronis, not partition wizard. Something always goes wrong, and it is always something different. The software is really poor. The tech help is really poor. This just feels like uncharted territory.

It is much easier to deal with images of retail copies of windows. All these oem installs with their stupid recovery partitions and randomly placed boot files makes it too complicated. With a retail windows install, you can easily resize your partition to make it fit on the ssd, and then backup and restore easily onto a new drive.

 

[taltamir]

I have been trying to clone an oem installation onto a new 128GB SSD for a while now. Cant get anything to run. Not ghost, not acronis, not partition wizard. Something always goes wrong, and it is always something different. The software is really poor. The tech help is really poor. This just feels like uncharted territory.

It is much easier to deal with images of retail copies of windows. All these oem installs with their stupid recovery partitions and randomly placed boot files makes it too complicated. With a retail windows install, you can easily resize your partition to make it fit on the ssd, and then backup and restore easily onto a new drive.

All those things are junk that manufacturers put that don't need to be there.
You can delete all partitions and then create a proper clean install using an OEM disk with the license that came with your PC (check the sticker)

 

[Elixer]

All those things are junk that manufacturers put that don't need to be there.
You can delete all partitions and then create a proper clean install using an OEM disk with the license that came with your PC (check the sticker)

Most of them don't bundle a OEM disk, so he would need to find it some other way.

Usually, the first partition, they have the restore image located there, and it is possible to create recovery DVDs from that, and then plug in the SSD, and then you boot from the DVD and it should create a new "factory fresh" image on the SSD. This assumes that the SSD is at least the same size as the original HD.
Forgot to mention, if you do go the recovery DVD route, then you must use gparted or something along those lines to align the SSD correctly!

 

[taltamir]

Most of them don't bundle a OEM disk, so he would need to find it some other way.!

You don't need to use your manufacturer's OEM disk.
In fact, there is no such thing as a manufacturer specific OEM version of windows. All of them use the same OEM version, which anyone with access to MSDN can get. Granted he probably doesn't have it (since it costs 600$ year/person) but he can find someone who has an OEM disk...
And it doesn't have to be from MSDN, a friend who bought a PC from a manufacturer that DID include an OEM disk will work.
I personally have a library (since I repair computers so often) of install disks for most windows versions out there. (neither cracked nor pirated)

It is perfectly legal as long as he uses his own license.