Question Cloning software

[BobbyB99]

I have a new Samsung SSD in my laptop and I want to clone my hard drive to it. Unfortunately Samsung's software won't work because it has issues with OEM partitions. So I am looking for recommendations for a free cloning program.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Colif]

These are instructions I offer elsewhere

Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.co...thy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall

 

[BobbyB99]

I will try it. Thank you!

 

[alexBG]

I do reccomend
Acronis True Image
Goodluck!

 

[6BQ5]

Another vote for the free version of Macrium Reflect. It has enough enabled features to get the job done.

 

[PCG Jarred]

I wish I could give a wholehearted recommendation to Clonezilla, but it has plenty of quirks -- the worst being there's no good way to clone from a larger drive to a smaller SSD. Macrium Reflect however is available for free, and has worked great for me.

 

[BobbyB99]

Thank you all!

 

[Volley]

Macrium Reflect - for Free.

Acronis True Image - for Paid.

I also tend to use Symantec Ghost (also paid) on my older machines, that old pre-2010 software has served me well, lol.

 

[JR88]

Yeah theres a handful of Programs that will work. My PNY cs2030 nvme is getting old...has a lot of Host writes....But Toshiba is right up there with Samsung. I seen some Samsung and a WD drive at Office Depot, expensive tho....

 

[arinamichel]

yeah you can try macrium reflect or can use Acronis true image

 

[Colif]

Newer updated version of my previous post
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:

-----------------------------

Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD

Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)

If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.

Power off

Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD

Power up

Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)

Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive



(Ignore this section if using SDM)

If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that

You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive

Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing



Click the 'Clone' button

Wait until it is done

When it finishes, power off

Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD

This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD

Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive

Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order

If good, continue the power up



It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.

Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.



If it works, and it should, all is good.



Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.

This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.



Ask questions if anything is unclear.