restoring system image to a new SSD

ozzysworld said:

Bare Foot Kid said:

If you can find an exact Windows version that the PC shipped with you can do a clean install using the activation key on the COA sticker attached to the PC though it may require a robo-call to MS to sort the OEM batch-key.

How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone


If you can't find an exact same version, you could use the info in this tutorial to create an "all versions" installer of any version Windows installer, to install using the same method I posted above.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create

Interesting idea. I think I'll look into that option.

Google is your friend.

Do you get a cloning tool with new HD?
or
You may be download from the OEM manufacturer website.
or
SSD - Install and Transfer the Operating System

Windows Restore may be having issues restoring a larger Image to a smaller drive.

As mentioned, cloning would be a option.
There are a few ways to accomplish this, other than the method in the link theog posted, but the only one I am familiar with is Acronis which is a paid program.

You may try the trial, and Image the HD to a external, then re-image to the SSD. Acronis will resize the Image, so long as "Used Space" does not exceed the total of the SSD.

Another alternative would be the free version of Acronis. I know some HDs offer this free "stripped" version with thier drives. Western Digital for example does.

There may be other options here, but as I said .. Acronis is the only one I really have experience with doing this.



IMHO, the best bet when moving to a new SSD, would be just bite the bullet and do a Clean Installation.
This way you are absolutely certain everything gets setup properly (alignments and such)
Although I do undersdtand some would prefer to avoid this if they can, its still the best way I think.

ozzysworld said:

theog said:

What size was the old HD?

The hard drive was 300gig. But I removed everything and just left windows bare-bones.... left it at about 50gb

I think I see what you're about to say though...

Could my restore image be a 'clone' of the old drive? nearly 300gb, while my new SSD is only 120?

This is not good enough if you work with an image. The partition you image (total size) has to be equal or smaller than the SSD to where you want to restore the image - regardless of the amount of data in the partition. So you have to first shrink to whole partition to less than 120GBs.

You can mount the VHD of the image and shrink that virtual volume. Then you can reimage the virtual volume (suggest you use Macrium for that) and then dump the Macrium image on the SSD.

Alternatively you can transfer the 300GB partition directly to the SSD (attached in an external enclosure) with this program provided the amount of data in the 300GB partition fits into 120GBs. But the transfer program lets you manage that.

Hello again mate.


It would be best to do a complete wipe of the Hard Disk Drive / Solid State Drive and then start the installation process again, have a look at Step One of the Optimize tutorial below; after you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media, then boot the Windows 7 installation media to do the wipe secure erase to the HDD / SSD and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.


SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation