Moving Windows from HDD to SSD

[willtron]

This has probably been covered a lot before - but I seem to keep fucking up.

I want to move Windows 7 (all the associated stuff, Chrome, MSI, AVG, Real Temp...etc) WoW and ARMA2/(steam) to my 240gb OCZ Vertex 3.

I've tried a clone but I don't have a means of backing up seeing as my 1TB HDD is 600gb/1tb full.

I also tried installing windows 7 on the SSD and just copying it across, I knew it wouldn't work, but I had to try to make sure.


So now I'm stuck with just WoW on my SSD and a Windows 7 Install that's doing nothing.


Can anyone give me a push in the right direction, having a total mare with this and I want to go to the pub.

[Confucius]

make a backup image of your os partition to a different physical hdd using 3rd party program (something like Acronis)
format ssd if you havent
remove os hdd, keeping the hdd with the os image.
plug ssd to the same cables that old os hdd had.
diddle with bios to detect ssd (usually automatic) and make it a boot hd.
boot up using the 3rd party boot disc (create it with the same program you used to make the backup image of the os)
restore the os from the backup image you created to the ssd
boot up and hopefully all will be well

that's how I did it anyway

[Deleted]

Sounds to me like the only thing that will actually require time to simply reinstall might be an extensive steam library.

Why don't you just reinstall it on a fresh build? Chrome, MSI (mobo?), avg, realtemp, they're all very small downloads, so even having a bad internet connection is no excuse not to start over!

[Vook]

Uhm...you should have some sort of disc for Windows 7 installation, right? When I got my SSD, I just connected it to my computer and booted to the installation disc, making a fresh Windows 7 install on my SSD, and then installing all of the programs I wanted to install.

[chazus]

Uhm...you should have some sort of disc for Windows 7 installation, right? When I got my SSD, I just connected it to my computer and booted to the installation disc, making a fresh Windows 7 install on my SSD, and then installing all of the programs I wanted to install.

Dunno if you read his post, but he wants to not have to reinstall all that.

[Deleted]

i was looking to do this aswell only with my win 8. i got a new pc with win 8 pre installed so no media came with it and a 2tb hdd. tho i have a spare old internal 500gb hdd from my old pc i wanted to use as my boot drive for os and programs and have the 2 tb one as pure storage for my steam library. i tried downloading the win 8 upgrader tnd burning to a disc and put in the oem product code i have for my win 8 and it wouldnt let it go through, it said it wasnt a valid code for a retail version.

is there honestly anyway i can do it?? ive tried cloning it (so i keep the recovery partition etc thats pre built in) to no avail....

will try acronis and report back if it works

REPORT - ok tried it and all was goin well and then with 2 mins left of putting partitions onto new drive it failed as it had a load of sector failures. so am back to square one...

[shells]

First off how large is the SSD? Before you get into the migration process you need to consider how much data from your existing HDD will fit onto the new SSD.

Determine what applications will go on the SSD since the space is more limited than the HDD.


***Warnings***

1. You must have less space on the system image than the SSD (Leave 5GB Free). If the image exceeds the free space on the SSD the process will fail.
2. Prioritize Applications (performance dependent) over pictures/movies.
3. If the backup drive doesn't have enough free space to accommodate the image this procedure won't work. (Invest in a new external the price has come down a lot).




You can use Windows backup to create a system image. Click the Windows button and type "backup and restore", click through the options and select "include system image".

Now remove your HDD and put the SSD in.

Boot from a Windows 7 retail CD (can't be an iso) and choose "restore my computer" then go with the system image option.

It will automatically detect the previously created image and you can begin the transfer.

It won't take long on the SSD and will restart when complete.

Then it will start up and you can log in as normal. Good to go with no additional configuration.

[willtron]

As many of you have suggested just start anew with a fresh build - I'd just want to quickly point out I do have other games some that are ratehr sizeable like Planetside 2, Tribes Ascend, TES V, SWTOR and Guildy 2 and BF3 - WoW and ARMA 2 are my most played games - while i'd rather not reinstall everything, I won't rule it out.


What is the easiest way to uninstall windows?

[SpaceDuck]

you'll have to reinstall windows one way or another as you will need to tell your BIOS to boot up in ACHI mode (which is what SSD's need to boot up in to run at its max potential) rather than IDE mode because windows will throw boot errors if you try to load it up in the incorrect mode

best way to reinstall is unplug your old HDD and leave the SSD in, set BIOS to ACHI mode and boot up with the disc. install as normal (will literally take 5-10 minutes). once its done plug the HDD back in making sure the boot order is set to your SSD, and then either just format the HDD or transfer over your steam games to an external HDD before formatting it

make sure to read guides on what window features to disable when you have an SSD, you can save a chunk of space as well as disabling SSD destructive Defragmenting programs

[willtron]

you'll have to reinstall windows one way or another as you will need to tell your BIOS to boot up in ACHI mode (which is what SSD's need to boot up in to run at its max potential) rather than IDE mode because windows will throw boot errors if you try to load it up in the incorrect mode

best way to reinstall is unplug your old HDD and leave the SSD in, set BIOS to ACHI mode and boot up with the disc. install as normal (will literally take 5-10 minutes). once its done plug the HDD back in making sure the boot order is set to your SSD, and then either just format the HDD or transfer over your steam games to an external HDD before formatting it

make sure to read guides on what window features to disable when you have an SSD, you can save a chunk of space as well as disabling SSD destructive Defragmenting programs

I was told running the windows index score again will auto-disable the defrag stuff

[AFQ]

OCZ SSDs come with data migration tools. If yours came with one, use that as with those softwares you dont need to backup anything. It'll automatically mirror your C drive to the SSD.