How to move programs and OS to new harddrive?

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panda123

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#315787 15-Aug-2024 20:03

I'm looking at getting a M.2 SSD to put into my system. Currently I've got a HHD and Sata SSD in my system with most programs and OS in my SSD. How would I be able to move the OS from my Sata SSD to the M.2 and get my PC to boot from the M.2?

RunningMan

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#3272241 15-Aug-2024 20:23

Probably depends what OS you are running.

antoniosk

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#3272248 15-Aug-2024 20:29

A simple google search yields

Clone Windows 10 to SSD Without Reinstalling Everything | PCWorld

Personally i have never found these very good in practise, and have normally just reinstalled the core OS and apps. takes longer but is cleaner.

________

Antoniosk

Oblivian

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#3272268 15-Aug-2024 21:38

Use the method the new drive paperwork /manufacturer recommends. (Ie Samsung magician)

Most now usually suggest a free tool that will take care of it and clone it. By adding software to the working OS and installing the blank drive and following the GUI.

Just make sure to unplug the old one if/when it tells you.

They can queue a task to setup the new boot order in the hidden config partition for you as last step. And the old drive becomes a back-up until you choose to nuke it.

..Or it can mess up your booting in a way that's harder to be told how to fix.

xpd

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#3272310 16-Aug-2024 07:23

I'd honestly start from scratch. Then no chance of any drivers trying to fight things, and can re-assess installed software as to if you actually need it.

Otherwise, I've used things such as Macrium Reflect to do it when necessary.

XPD / Gavin

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panda123

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#3272821 17-Aug-2024 11:28

Would I have to erase the ssd first before slotting in the M.2 and installing windows on it?

xpd

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#3272826 17-Aug-2024 11:31

If starting from scratch, no. Windows will still see the drive, just as unformatted, and format it.

If you have data on the other drives you want to keep, I recommend disconnecting those first, to avoid accidentally overwriting them during the Windows installation.

XPD / Gavin

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panda123

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#3272832 17-Aug-2024 11:48

The windows OS is currently installed on the SSD, would I not need to either disconnect the sdd or format/erase it first before connecting the M.2 and installing windows again on there?

Sorry, haven't done this before so don't want to stuff it up

Jase2985

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#3272834 17-Aug-2024 11:53

Install new SSD in system. Open up disk management and initialise drive, give it new drive letter and format it. Once formatted use your chosen tool, macrium reflect seems to work well, to copy the data to the new drive.

Then you might need to set the BIOS to boot from the new disk, test it's worked, and if happy you can use the disk management too to format the old drive, and give the new drive the c drive letter again.

richms

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#3272835 17-Aug-2024 11:57

Keep all the other drives disconnected till you have the machine installed and booting and updated, because if there is a boot manager on the other drives there is a good chance that the firmware will see that boot manager and windows will add its NVMe drive install to the other drives boot manager and then you are reliant on that drive being there to have the machine boot up.

A fresh install also means that you will get the correct recovery partition layout on the drive, rather than whatever it was stuffed into on the old drive that may have been partitioned on older windows so has things like the recovery files on the same partition as the OS and missing many boot options to repair things (the old start up repair that never does anything is the usual outcome of this)

Richard rich.ms

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#3272836 17-Aug-2024 12:08

You need the installation media on USB/DVD first.

https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

Boot off that, and it'll take care of the install.

XPD / Gavin

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K8Toledo

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#3272840 17-Aug-2024 12:25

panda123:

I'm looking at getting a M.2 SSD to put into my system. Currently I've got a HHD and Sata SSD in my system with most programs and OS in my SSD. How would I be able to move the OS from my Sata SSD to the M.2 and get my PC to boot from the M.2?

I always use Macrium Reflect for cloning (Windows). Generally I image first then restore the image onto a new drive.