Best strategy for migration from existing boot mechanical HDD to SSD??

OK... here's the situation: Like many of us, my old Q9550 is starting to show its age. I'd love to build a new 6 or 8 (soon)core system with all the goodies, but frankly with this economy, I just cant pull the trigger! I defrag regularly, perform system maintenence on a regular basis, keep tabs on what apps and services are in startup, and I delete apps I no longer use. However, as a teacher and consultant I need to install, use, and test many apps... sometimes using my "production" system, sometimes using a VM. The problem is that my machine is getting slower... its in need of some new life! I have 4GB of RAM and my MB will take up to 16GB, but 4GB DDR2 sticks are difficult to find and I will spend about the same on an SSD. I know what huge performance advantages can be realized by an SSD, and it looks to be "the best bang for the buck" upgrade.

I've read through whs's tutorial on SSD Install and OS transfer, SSD - Install and Transfer the Operating System it sure looks like the easy way out is by using Paragons Migrate OS to SSD software, and that's what I'm probably going to do. More info on Paragons Software here: http://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/ It appears that the Paragon SW will let me pick and choose what I want to transfer from my existing 640GB SATA boot drive to a smaller 256GB SSD.

My thinking ie that I will use this sw, and transfer only the OS, excluding the user folders, and app data, etc. This will give me two benefits as I see it... I can still boot off of my old HDD to see what else I need to reinstall, and I keep the data on the SSD to a minimum. I'm considering installing office on the SSD, along with a few other often used apps. Should I place COD on the SSD or leave it on HDD? I know I will need to point to my existing user folders on the former boot drive. I also realize I will have to reinstall most apps and I will place these into their existing directories on the old HDD... e.g. Program Files and PF(x86). I'm figuring a week or so for total migration as this is my everyday work machine.

For those of you familiar with this process using Paragone SW and migrating to a smaller SSD.... What tips can you give me, and others, to speed and streamline this migration?

Darryl Licht said:

Like many of us, my old Q9550 is starting to show its age. I'd love to build a new 6 or 8 (soon)core system with all the goodies, but frankly with this economy, I just cant pull the trigger!

I've got the same CPU in my rig and it still flat out flies. But I "ONLY" install what I need. Everything else goes into a VM. Keep it clean up front and they keep right on flying.

Darryl Licht said:

I know what huge performance advantages can be realized by an SSD, and it looks to be "the best bang for the buck" upgrade.

I would agree.

My suggestion is a clean install, no sense in bringing over a bunch of old crap as far as I am concerned. When I replaced my HDD with an SSD in my desktop, I started over. When I replaced my work laptops HDD for an SSD, I started over. I wouldn't have it any other way.

pparks1 said:

I've got the same CPU in my rig and it still flat out flies. But I "ONLY" install what I need. Everything else goes into a VM. Keep it clean up front and they keep right on flying.

CPU operation and response is fine, its boot time that has continually slowed... I have no issues with the systems performance other than that! And I know that a SSD will cure that.

I also agree with you that starting over is the best idea, and I have been know to do so every year in the past. I'm going on 2 years now on this install. However, it will literally take me weeks as I have mega quantities of software for work, fun, testing, etc. So Paragon looks to be the easiest way. Either way I still must reinstall all SW apps onto the SSD install and simply point the least used to the former HDD's appropriate program files subfolder. So I guess either way I have to do alot of work! Unless... and here's where I'm coming from with paragon's sw...

If I can copy HDD image over to SSD using Paragon's SW and exclude user folder, then point all SSD items to existing users folder on former boot drive it should work. Right?

Here's my logic... I currently have 540GB worth of data on my current boot HDD, with 374GB in users folder. Subtract and you have 164GB of OS and Apps. So I'm thinking a 240-256GB SSD. Can I do this easily by using paragon and copy image over to SSD without users folder, and then remap all user folder inquiries to the exisiting user folder on my former boot drive?

Paragon users... your thoughts, tips, etc?