Solved What software to use with SSD clone and for backup too? Many Choices!!

[LeftC]

Hi

I have few questions. Let me explain my situation. I picked up the 512 GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD to install in my Dell 17R N7110 laptop with the 64 bit Windows 7 Ultimate OS. To replace the stock 1 TB hard drive requires removing the keyboard, palm rest, optical drive and some more items. It is a little more than I want to get into for now. So, I am taking an easier route. I ordered a hard drive caddy from NewModeUS.com. This is a kit to install my SSD where the optical drive is. I can then use the optical drive with NewModeUS.com’s eSATA-USB kit. These kits look to be very simple and straight forward modifications.

My questions are software related. I have several cloning/migration programs that I can use. I have Samsung’s Data Migration and SSD Magician software, Paragon’s Migrate OS to SSD 3.0, Apricorn's EZ Gig IV from Clippard and a couple of other free programs. I also have my Windows 7 Ultimate discs to do a fresh install if I choose to go this route instead. One of my problems is that I don’t know how to proceed with this: I like Dell’s programs that came installed on my laptop. I would also like to have a fresh install of Windows’s 7 too. How can I have both?
​

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.

If I want to do a fresh install of Windows 7 plus include all the Dell programs that came with the laptop. How would I go about doing this? These preinstalled Dell programs aren’t all available online. My other installed programs would be no problem.

I want to copy my computer before I begin. I have Window’s imaging and recovery software, Dell's Data Safe backup program, Norton's backup program and some other free programs. Which would work the best? I have 852 GB left on the original 1TB hard drive ( Disk 0 ). I have a 102 MB partition, a 19.53 GB partition (Recovery) and then the last partition ( C: ) that has 60.29 GB used of the 911.88 GB capacity for the 1 TB hard drive. That leaves 851.59 GB left. See below. I'm confused a bit. It says that the capacity of my 1 TB HD is 911.88 GB. Isn't that a bit too much to lose[FONT=&quot]?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I apologize for this wordy post. I’m just a bit apprehensive about doing this project.


[/FONT]​

 

[Kaktussoft]

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean win7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

 

[essenbe]

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. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html
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.

 

[LeftC]

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean win7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

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?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean win7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

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.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean win7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

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?

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

Windows 7 PC Restore | Dell

Clear?

 

[LeftC]

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. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html
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 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?

 

[Kaktussoft]

You want to install fresh to ssd? You know your win7 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?

 

[LeftC]

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean win7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

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.

Thank you very much for the clarifcation.

 

[LeftC]

Backup is a good thing to do! Use Macrium Reflect Free, very flexible and easy to use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Do you really want a fresh so clean win7 with all th HP bloatware? There is a hot-key which activates booting from RECOVERY paritition and start the fresh reinstall proces.

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?

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

Windows 7 PC Restore | Dell

Clear?

Got it. This is another new one.

 

[Kaktussoft]

You want to install fresh to ssd? You know your win7 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?

Please answer

 

[LeftC]

You want to install fresh to ssd?

If I can.

You know your win7 activation key?

Yes.

You know how to detach old drive from system (at least temporary)?

I can't get to the stock HD easily with this laptop. I'd have to remove the keyboard, palm rest, etc.

Without disabling the stock HD I can't do the clean install, I believe.

You have now Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit accoording to system specs.

Oops! It is actually 64bit. The specs that you saw was for an old computer that I used to use. I have changed the specs for the laptop that I would like to modify.

You have an Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit installation DVD?

Got the 64bit installation DVD as well as the 32bit. I am using the 64bit version.

 

[indianacarnie]

I would go for the clean install myself. Heck..... I just did! No problems at all, simple and easy.....just the way I like it. Only had to install..... 3? maybe 4 drivers total.

 

[Kaktussoft]

You want to install fresh to ssd?

If I can.

You know your win7 activation key?

Yes.

I can't get to the stock HD easily with this laptop. I'd have to remove the keyboard, palm rest, etc.

Without disabling the stock HD I can't do the clean install, I believe.

You have now Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit accoording to system specs.

Oops! It is actually 64bit. The specs that you saw was for an old computer that I used to use. I have changed the specs for the laptop that I would like to modify.

You have an Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit installation DVD?

Got the 64bit installation DVD as well as the 32bit. I am using the 64bit version.

So you have all the stuff needed!
Don't detach old HDD in your case, it's too difficult and not really neccesary. Boot from win7 install dvd and press shift_F10 on first window as shown here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html

Now mark the partition that's current active inactive http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html
(you can mark it active if all fails)

Reboot again normally. It should fail because boot partition went inactive. That's just what you want. Boot again form win7 install DVD and install win7 on SSD

Report back when done. Check for windows updates and install them (most likely you have to connect wired instead of wireless). Reboot and check for updates again and again. Now check "device manager" for devices without drivers and post results.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Here are the drivers Drivers & Downloads | Dell United States (assuming it's the type you have)
You can also use Analyze System for Updates from there

 

[LeftC]

I would go for the clean install myself. Heck..... I just did! No problems at all, simple and easy.....just the way I like it. Only had to install..... 3? maybe 4 drivers total.

Thanks! Simple and easy ... terrific!

 

[Kaktussoft]

I would go for the clean install myself. Heck..... I just did! No problems at all, simple and easy.....just the way I like it. Only had to install..... 3? maybe 4 drivers total.

Thanks! Simple and easy ... terrific!

Did you install succesfully? Post screenshot of "disk management" please

 

[LeftC]

... 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.

With SyncToy, there are left and right folders. Can one be on one drive and the other folder on a different drive? What is SyncToy's true value? I'm a bit confused.

 

[Golden]

With SyncToy, there are left and right folders. Can one be on one drive and the other folder on a different drive? What is SyncToy's true value? I'm a bit confused.

Yes, folders can be on different drives. What do you mean by "value"? Its an excellent program.

 

[LeftC]

I would go for the clean install myself. Heck..... I just did! No problems at all, simple and easy.....just the way I like it. Only had to install..... 3? maybe 4 drivers total.

Thanks! Simple and easy ... terrific!

Did you install succesfully? Post screenshot of "disk management" please

Sorry ... Gosh, I haven't installed it yet. I'm still reading up. I'm sorry for the confusion. indianacarnie said that it was simple and easy and that sounded good to me. I saw where you, Kaktussoft, kindly gave me directions as how to do this in post #14. Thanks!