Windows 7: What software to use with SSD clone and for backup too? Many Choices!!

Hi


If I decide to take the easy route and just clone/migrate my computer “as it is now” onto the SSD. Which software should I use? I've read so much, but I haven’t read hardly anything about Samsung’s software. I see that whs recommends Paragon’s migration software in his “SSD – Install and transfer the Operating System” tutorial which I have. My Crucial version of EZ Gig IV seems easy enough. I see that Paragon’s product properly aligns the SSD. What about the others? We might think that Samsung’s software would, but I really don’t know. Does it align the SSD’s? What about the others? I guess that I could align it afterwards.

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
Imaging with free Macrium
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean Windows 7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

I use and believe strongly in Paragon Migrate. I've used it in excess of 50 times and it has never failed. I know it is supposed to work, but there are several cases where Apricorn didn't work. Samsungs migration tool is Norton Ghost, I believe, and I'm not sure about that. The best is always a clean install. You can download all of the newest drivers from Dell. The only issue I can see with Paragon is it will install the OS, but I'm not sure about the recovery partition. You can try it. It should tell you what it is transfering before it actually does the transfer. The only issue with imaging programs is alignment. That's not the case with Paragon. And, trust me, you do not want to align it after the install. Most people I know prefer a clean install of windows without all of the Factory bloatware. You may find this helpful. Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
Also, Macrium is an excellent imaging program, and you can either use it to image your data partition or I like Microsoft's SyncToy (Free). It's easy to use and the data is backed up on a 1 for 1 basis. It will take a while for the first backup as it has to copy it all. After that it only does the changes, so is really quick.

I've read a little bit about Macrium Reflect Free, but I haven't used it. It was my main "free" backup software choice to try. I'm a little confused about the differences between an "image" and a "copy."

Will you tell me more about the hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces?

An "image" is just a copy of a volume (for example C) or multiple volumes or even a whole physical disk. The image is one big file that you make with backup software. You can restore it using same software to recreate (restore) the volume(s). It has everything in it, partition type, files, permissions, partition size, label.

A copy is.... just a copy.

Actually it's not a hotkey. It's built in in windows recovery environment, which DELL customized.

Windows 7 PC Restore | Dell

Clear?

I've read good things about the Paragon software. The reinstallition of the partitions is a concern. Samsung doesn't use Norton's Ghost anymore. They have their own Data Migration software now. There is very little info about its use other than it exists. Here is their pdf about it. It jshows the opening page and lists the limitations. The limitation of concern is the following because I have three drives: "5. On systems with three (3) drives or more (e.g. “C:”, “D:”, and “E:” drives) with the operating system installed on the “C:” drive, only the first two consecutive drives will be cloned (“C:” and “D:” drives). The “System” partition that is created during Windows installation is automatically replicated." This might be a problem. How would I work around this?

I will read the Win 7 clean install tutorial. Thank you for the SyncToy link. I have never head of it.

An option that I haven't considered is to do a clean install of Win 7 on the SSD after installing it in the optical drive with the NewModeUS.com kit which just came in. And, just leave the present hard drive as it is right now. I'm not sure if this will work though. I think that I read something about Win 7 installing the boot info in the wrong place when more than one drive is hooked up. Is there a possibility that with a fresh install of Win 7 that it might not even install the boot info on the SSD?

You want to install fresh to ssd? You know your Windows 7 activation key? You know how to detach old drive from system (at least temporary)? You have now Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit accoording to system specs. You have an Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit installation DVD?

Thank you very much for the clarifcation.

Got it. This is another new one.