Cloning System Reserved Partition to Samsung SSD - Migration Software

[Tofik]

Greetings,

Has anyone got a Samsung SSD contact email or help forum?
I am about to clone my Windows 7 HDD to Samsung SDD EVO 850.
I cannot find any info how to cope woth two Windows existing partitions - System Reserved and the main one - C:.
Does Samsung Migration software clone automatically both partitions or it arranges the process according to its needs to make an SSD drive fully functional?

Is there any possibility to clone all current partitions using Samsung Migration Software?
Would Acronis True Image cloning software be preferred (Acronis Boot Disk with cloning tools)?
Do I need a System Reserved Partition on SSD drive?

Many thanks.

PS
On my other computer I have 3 partitions:

1. (no name) 39 Mb - Healthy (OEM Partition)
2. (no name) RECOVERY 750 MB NTFS (Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)
3. HD (C 930.74 GB NTFS (Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

Shall I clone all of them to SSD or... ?

How to cope of all those Windows partitions while upgrading to SSD drives?
Does Samsung Migration Software do the job in truly satisfying manner?

I will deeply appreciate any helpful suggestions, recommendations and best advices.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[RolandJS]

Acronis True Image, properly booted, definitely will clone the entire source Drive A onto the entire target Drive B [as long as target is same size or larger than source]. I know nothing about Samsung Migration software.

 

[Tofik]

Thank you very much.
So the best way should be getting the exact mirror copy/clone of existing HDD to have a new SSD work properly.

I would like to ensure myself not to mess something up.
I have already done a couple of cloning with Acronis with good results (as far my level is concerned .

It seems to me a bit bizarre than the Samsung (Migration) software coming with a disk aimed to clone the disk does not clone it in fact.

Quote from its user guide - http://www.samsung.com/semiconducto...ng_SSD_Data_Migration_User_Manual_v30_ENG.pdf :

The OEM Recovery partition created by the computer manufacturer as a factory setting will not be cloned. However, it will be automatically cloned if the manufacturer is Samsung and SRS (Samsung Recovery Solution) 5, SRS 6, or SRS 7 is installed. (Versions lower than SRS 5 are not supported.)

​

 

[Brds7t7]

Last time I used Samsung magician, which was around 12 months ago it did clone both my C: Drive and System Reserved.
Not sure about recovery partitions though as I've never had one.
Minitool Partition Wizard has a migrate OS to SSD feature which should clone all partitions.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

 

[Tofik]

Hullo,

Even more bizarre... Do you mean Samsung Migration Software has automatically/by default cloned two partitions - System Reserved (no letter) and the main one (C?

What could be then a chance to get cloned theses three:

1. (no name) 39 Mb - Healthy (OEM Partition)
2. (no name) RECOVERY 750 MB NTFS (Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)
3. HD (C 930.74 GB NTFS (Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

PS
Many thanks for a link.

 

[Brds7t7]

Hullo,

Even more bizarre... Do you mean Samsung Migration Software has automatically/by default cloned two partitions - System Reserved (no letter) and the main one (C?

What could be then a chance to get cloned theses three:

1. (no name) 39 Mb - Healthy (OEM Partition)
2. (no name) RECOVERY 750 MB NTFS (Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)
3. HD (C 930.74 GB NTFS (Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

PS
Many thanks for a link.

Sorry, I meant the migration software (brain-fart time! )
I'm pretty sure Partition Wizard would clone them all, you can always give it a try and if it doesn't work use Samsung Magician to Secure Erase the SSD and start over. It doesn't wipe anything from your original HDD. Although I would always backup before messing around with partitions.

 

[Tofik]

Thanks for your advise.
It is heartening that I can repair any possible fault by starting over.

 

[Brds7t7]

Thanks for your advise.
It is heartening that I can repair any possible fault by starting over.

Yes, I wouldn't worry too much. Those cloning/migrating solutions won't wipe anything from your original HDD so you won't lose any data from your original drive.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I had problems trying to clone HDDs to SSDs using Samsung's software. I had no problems at all using Macrium Reflect (this is the free version: Macrium Reflect Free).

 

[rvcjew]

+1 for Reflect, i'v cloned HFS+ (apple) partitions with it without issue.

 

[Layback Bear]

I have tried Samsung Migration Software on a 500 GB EVO and finally gave up.
I don't use Samsung Migration Software any more and I also gave the Samsung SSD away. I spent to many hours messing with the damn thing.

Couple things I tried like using Macrium after trying to use Samsung Migration Software.
Samsung Migration Software leaves a a little garbage on the ssd which stops even imaging or cloning with Macrium. I had to wipe the EVO and clean all the little left overs off the SSD before I could use the EVO for even a back up or image.
A format didn't work.
After doing anything on the EVO, like using a Linux a format wouldn't work. Their was always a few KB. left that wouldn't let me use the Samsung SSD. I would always have to do a complete wipe (0) in order to use the Samsung SSD for anything else. I don't know if Samsung Migration Software screwed up the SSD or it was bad from the get go.

Solved the problem by getting more Intel SSD's and using Macrium. The world is good again.

 

[Brds7t7]

LB, sounds like you may have had a faulty SSD there. I've had 3 Samsung's now and never had a problem with any of them. Both performance wise and cloning/imaging, it's always been okay for me.
The Samsung software definitely isn't needed though as there are much better free alternatives out there.
I've never used any of the features like Rapid mode etc as the drives run fast enough for me without all that.
Haven't tried any Intel SSD's but heard they're good and reliable.

 

[Layback Bear]

You might be right Lee.
All I know is I'm not going to spend and more days trying to figure out a damn SSD.

The damn thing cost me $300.00 plus many days of headaches.
I will never have another one in my house.

 

[Brds7t7]

I know what you mean LB. I'm the same with Seagate drives, I know a lot of people are very happy with them, but I've had 3 die on me in a short space of time. So, I've never gone back to them again. Probably just really bad luck, but it's put me off the brand completely.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

LB, sounds like you may have had a faulty SSD there. I've had 3 Samsung's now and never had a problem with any of them. Both performance wise and cloning/imaging, it's always been okay for me.
The Samsung software definitely isn't needed though as there are much better free alternatives out there.
I've never used any of the features like Rapid mode etc as the drives run fast enough for me without all that.
Haven't tried any Intel SSD's but heard they're good and reliable.

Same here. I also have three Samsung SSDs—128GB 840 Pro and two 500GB 840 EVOs—and they are working just fine. Samsung's migration software could handle only two partitions; Macrium Reflect was able to handle as many as four.

 

[mjf]

PS
On my other computer I have 3 partitions:

1. (no name) 39 Mb - Healthy (OEM Partition)
2. (no name) RECOVERY 750 MB NTFS (Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)
3. HD (C 930.74 GB NTFS (Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

Shall I clone all of them to SSD or... ?

You mention system reserved but describe the partition structure above. In the structure above Dell is using the "Recovery" partition to contain key boot files (it is Active). In your specs all your systems are Dells. Also you need to make your OS partition fits the SSD ie the HDD OS partition isn't full of too much data.