Change laptop's HDD with a faster one

[askic]

Hello guys,

I have a laptop that is approximately two years old. It contains 1 TB Samsung HDD ST1000LM024, 8 MB, 5400 rpm. The OS is windows 10. Now I have recently got a new WD 500 GB WD5000LPCX laptop drive with 16 MB Cache.
Now I winder if it is maybe a good idea to replace the HDD in my laptop and to put WD inside because it has a bigger cache memory and to put Samsung drive in a case and to use it as external HDD.
I wonder of the performance would be noticeable better with newer WD HDD.

WD HDD is a bit tinner (7 mm) but that is OK since I'd put a bit or rubber in the HDD's case in the laptop.

Before I do this (make image of a system partition and similar) I wonder whether it's worth it.

Thank you.

 

[strollin]

I doubt you would notice any speed difference although it might test faster. If you really want to see a performance difference, swap out that 1TB spinner for a 250 or 500GB SSD. An SSD costs more but will be significantly faster.

If you wish to stick with a spinner, I would look for a 7200rpm drive instead of another 5400rpm.

 

[askic]

Hello strollin,

I also doubt that I would notice big difference. That is why I asked the question here. Some benchmark test program would probably show few numbers of a higher performance, but this wouldn't be noticeable when working on the laptop.

In the future I'll probably invest in SSD drive.

 

[Megahertz07]

You don't need a big SSD. You can use a 120G SSD for Windows and programs and a HDD for data. To install the HDD into the laptop, replace the CD/DVD drive by a HDD holder. Search Newegg and Amazon for it.

 

[askic]

Thank you for that suggestion. I also consider putting ssd drive in addition to hdd. I have found the examples where people used macrium free software to migrate OS to new Ssd drive. One thing that I was not able to find is whether it is possible to migrate recovery partition also. My current lapop has recovery partition and I wonder if it also possible to migrate to new ssd drive.

 

[Layback Bear]

The reason a 5400 rpm hard drive is use in a laptop, is because they produce less heat than a 7200 hard drive. Laptops are very poor at dissipating heat.

A ssd would solve the heat problem and the speed problem.

If you would use Macrium Reflect you can image/clone all partition from your hard drive to your ssd.

You can use the paid for or free edition.
Their are many online videos explaining how to use Macrium Reflect.

Macrium Software | Your image is everything

Jack

 

[askic]

Hello Layback Bear,
I'm afraid but it is not possible to image/clone all partition because HDD is much bigger in capacity than SSD. That is why I want to clone only system and recovery partition

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Thank you for that suggestion. I also consider putting ssd drive in addition to hdd. I have found the examples where people used macrium free software to migrate OS to new Ssd drive. One thing that I was not able to find is whether it is possible to migrate recovery partition also. My current lapop has recovery partition and I wonder if it also possible to migrate to new ssd drive.

I have used Macrium Reflect to migrate the recovery partition in both of the notebooks I have in service.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hello Layback Bear,
I'm afraid but it is not possible to image/clone all partition because HDD is much bigger in capacity than SSD. That is why I want to clone only system and recovery partition

You can select which partitions you want to clone when using Macrium Reflect as long as they will fit on the destination drive. Keep in mind that, when using the default settings, Macrium reflect will only clone the sectors that actually have something in them, sometimes making it possible to clone from a larger partition to a smaller one.

 

[Megahertz07]

As Lady has mentioned, using Macrium Reflect, you can resize the partition on the target disk.
What I have seen so far is that the recovery partition is useless on a disk (HDD or SSD) that is smaller than the original disk. The recovery program will format the C: drive and try to install the image on the formatted space. If the available space is smaller than the original, it will give you an error, regardless of data size on the image. This is also true if you make a Recovery disk and try to install it on a smaller drive.

Is your disk a UEFI -GPT or Legacy-MBR? Did it came with Win 10? Can you give us all the Laptop specs?
If you're able to install a second HDD on the laptop, this is what I would do.

- With the existing HDD, make a Factory Recover disk on a USB flash disk (16G?). Remember that you can always do a clean install on a computer that once had Win 10. You won't need a key.
- Clone the existing HDD (1T) to the new one (500G), without the Recovery partition and Tools partition, leaving on the UEFi and/or System partition and C:. Put the original HDD in a safe place.
- Boot from the new HDD. Delete all your data on it.
- Clone the HDD (without data) to the 120G SSD.
- Boot from the SSD and format the HDD drive and assign to it D:.
- Use Kari tutorial to move C:\Users (SSD) to D:\Users. User Profiles - Relocate to another Partition or Disk
- Put the original disk into a USB case and copy all your data to D:\Users"Name"
- Use the free space of the original disk on the USB case to make backups.

You will have:
- A 120G SSD with windows and programs (very fast and cheap).
- A 500G HDD for data.
- The original disk, totally functional, on the USB case to make backups.
- A Recover USB flash disk.

I have already done this procedure on a friend's laptop and can guide you if you decide to go with this option.

 

[askic]

Thank you all for your suggestions and especially thank you, Megahertz for your will to help me.
The laptop I want to make a bit faster is bought in Best Buy and it has the following spec:
Intel i3-5015 2.1 GHz, 6 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, Win 10 64 bit Home
The HDD is ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB and it scores low in PerfromanceTest.
The question about recovery is really important to me since I want to be able to revert back to original settings in case something goes wrong.
The laptop (Dell) came with preinstalled Win10 and the disk management is really strange:
Disk 0 Partition1, 500 MB, EFI System Partition
Disk 0 Partition 5, 852 MB, Recovery Partition
Disk 0 Partition 6, 12.7 GB, Recovery Partition
The rest was partition C with approx size around 900 GB which I was later divided to C 557 GB and D 359 GB.

The space occupied on C partition is approx 100 GB and the D is almost full of different data, movies, etc.
So, I was wondering how to migrate recovery partition also since the problem would probably arise only when I try to use this option since recovery is made for 1 TB drive. One more strange thing is that I actually have two recovery partitions and one system partition. I'm not sure what that means.
Right now I don't have a SSD drive, but will buy one in a future. I originally planned to migrate only system partition and C: to a new drive. Now I could use the following strategy:
- migrate only system partition and C: to SSD
- if satisfied with performance, I would make another image of SSD and that performed on a safe place in order to be able to restore when needed. Perhaps the recovery partition is not necessary since it can make some problems when recovery procedure is started.

What would you do if you were me? What can you suggest me? Since I don't have SSD right now I guess there is no need to guide me step by step. General steps would be just fine at the moment.

Thank again, I really appreciate it.

P.S: regarding the clean install of win 10, the computer came with already installed win 10 and there is no installation DVD (I guess this is called OEM). And since there is no installation disk, there is no win key etc, so the only option is to migrate already installed OS.

There is also one step that I didn't understand, and that is the necessity to copy to D:\user*name, since this step is already done because the complete c:\user folder is moved to the d drive (500gb)

 

[Megahertz07]

The good news is that you have a UEFI BIOS. It makes it easy to clone partitions.

"P.S: regarding the clean install of win 10, the computer came with already installed win 10 and there is no installation DVD (I guess this is called OEM). And since there is no installation disk, there is no win key etc, so the only option is to migrate already installed OS."
- I'm not sure that the Laptop came with Win 10. It can be that it came with win 8.1 and then the fist owner installed Win 10 as the free upgrade. Look under the laptop and under the battery if there is a M$ COA sticker.
Anyway, you can always do a clean install on a computer that once had Win 10. You won't need a key. And you can download the installation disk from M$ for free. Download Windows 10

- It is also strange that \Users is on D: . This hasn't been done By Dell. Please give us the model of your Dell laptop.

To understand your system a little more, could you please take a snapshot of Explorer showing C: and D: with the sub folders? Use the sniping tool and upload using the paper clip on the reply window.
Don't understand why you have so many partitions. Could you please also take a snapshot of disk manger?

 

[strollin]

If you use imaging software such as Macrium Reflect, it pretty much negates the need for a recovery partition anyway. I personally never use the mfr's provided recovery partition since it will recover the machine back to the way it was when it left the factory. Using software like Macrium, you can save an image that will restore your machine back to the way it was the day you made the image which is far more useful.

 

[RoasterMen]

If you wish to stick with a spinner, I would look for a 7200rpm drive instead of another 5400rpm.

A 7200RPM drive can be sometimes slower than a 5400RPM drive.

 

[askic]

- I'm not sure that the Laptop came with Win 10. It can be that it came with win 8.1 and then the fist owner installed Win 10 as the free upgrade. Look under the laptop and under the battery if there is a M$ COA sticker.
Anyway, you can always do a clean install on a computer that once had Win 10. You won't need a key. And you can download the installation disk from M$ for free. Download Windows 10

- It is also strange that \Users is on D: . This hasn't been done By Dell. Please give us the model of your Dell laptop.

To understand your system a little more, could you please take a snapshot of Explorer showing C: and D: with the sub folders? Use the sniping tool and upload using the paper clip on the reply window.
Don't understand why you have so many partitions. Could you please also take a snapshot of disk manger?

Ok, the laptop came without any installation disk and without sticker. It was bought legally in Bestbuy store with installed win 10. It is very same like this one:

Regarding te partition D, I'm sorry because of the confusion I caused. I was commenting your steps:
- Use Kari tutorial to move C:\Users (SSD) to D:\Users. User Profiles - Relocate to another Partition or Disk
- Put the original disk into a USB case and copy all your data to D:\Users"Name"
- Use the free space of the original disk on the USB case to make backups.

The second step seemd unnecessary to me, couldn't understand why.

Regarding partitions of HDD please have a look in the attachment (the only difference from original setup is that I have created D: by splitting original C: drive)
Thanks!

 

[slam5]

Hello Layback Bear,
I'm afraid but it is not possible to image/clone all partition because HDD is much bigger in capacity than SSD. That is why I want to clone only system and recovery partition

No you can clone from a bigger drive to a smaller one. You just need a program that can do it. One program that can do it and free is Clonezilla. A bit technical but there are a few tutorial online that show you how to do it.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

No you can clone from a bigger drive to a smaller one. You just need a program that can do it. One program that can do it and free is Clonezilla. A bit technical but there are a few tutorial online that show you how to do it.

As I mentioned earlier, Macrium Reflect will also do the same. The only caveat is the destination partition has to be large enough to hold the content of the source partition and you have precreate the partitions, then clone one partition at a time.

 

[Megahertz07]

- Yes, your computer came with Win 10.
- Win 10 doesn't come with a COA sticker with a key. As I mentioned, you can always reinstall Win 10 (clean install or recover) and it will activate because it once had a Win 10 on it.

As you haven't decided if you're going to buy and install a SSD (that I highly recommend):
- Replace the original HDD (1T) with the new one (500G).
- Download Win 10 from M$. Download Windows 10
- Create a Win 10 installation DVD or USB flash disk.
- Boot it as UEFI and do a clean install. Skip entering the key.
- When done, create a new D: partition shrinking C: (C: should remain with 85G)
- Buy a USB case and install the original HDD. Use it to copy your data files to the new installation.
hdd case, Orico - Newegg.com
Use it to do backups.

 

[askic]

Thank you for your advices. Can you explain me one more thing? I do not understand how it is possible to activate win 10 on the same machine after it is formated? How win 10 knows that before it was installed on the same hardware? Where is this information stored? Really strange to learn that!

 

[strollin]

Microsoft maintains that info on their servers so you can re-install Win 10 at anytime. However, you need to install the same version that was on it originally. For instance, if the computer came with basic Win 10, you can't install Win 10 Pro.