Can I migrate OS + software from 120GB SSD to 1TB HD w/ 60GB software?

SIW2 said:

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It works, but be prepared for that. I tried it once and after a short time just bit the bullet and did a fresh install on the HDD which ran acceptably after that. Once you go SSD it's really difficult going back because of the hugh performance hit, at least it was for me. Your mileage may vary.

You can always use the 1tb for "user data & backups" and the SSD strictly for OS and programs. That's actually a much smarter was of doing things anyway since you isolate the truly import info, your created data from the OS and program files which are easily replaceable.

Just partition the 1tb into 2 right down the middle and create 2 backups on the 2nd partition, one for the OS & prgm files and the other for User Data located on the 1st 1TB partition. If the system ever goes south on you it's a lot less time consuming simply restoring the OS & prgm files and you lose nothing and two copies of the user data. All of my systems are setup at the very least that way now. I usually do backs on separate spindles for added security, safety & reliability. For me, it was just a nature progression focused on user data vs. OS & prgm files.

SIW2 said:

What made you think the OP is going to do a "restore to ssd".

Did you post on the wrong thread?

Nothing. It sounded like he is talking about restoring an SSD backup to an HDD. That's how I understood his post. Did I misunderstand his verbiage?

"Can I migrate OS + software from 120GB SSD to 1TB HD w/ 60GB software?
When I reinstalled my operating system on a Gateway DX4831-01e, at my son's encouragement, I installed the OS, Win 7 Pro, on a 120 GB SSD (c:\) and attempted to install all of the software on a 1 TB hard drive (p:\)."

SIW2 said:

The OS letter will be C if that is what it was originally.

If nt6repair reported success, it will be fine.

Have a look in disk management and see if the new windows partition on the 1tb is listed as boot.

If the ssd is listed as system, you can remove the active flag from the ssd or change the boot order in bios.

If the ssd is still marked active and first in the bios boot order, then you will continue to boot into the OS on the ssd.

Either remove the active flag from the ssd - tricky to do without 3rd party partitioner or change the bios boot order putting the 1tb hd ahead of the ssd or remove the ssd

Got it... (1) I changed the BIOS boot order putting the 1TB HD P: drive ahead of the 120GB SSD C: drive, (2) Formatted the 120GB SSD C: drive and renamed it F:, (3) Changed the 1TB HD P: drive to C:, but do not remember how I did it.

Thanks!

gfr92y

PreyMantas said:

[SNIP]

... Once you go SSD, it's really difficult going back because of the huge performance hit ...

[SNIP]

I really had no choice to migrate to the 1TB HD since the 120GB SSD filled up with software that did not give me the option where I wanted it to be installed. I had less than 11-12GB of free space on the SSD and was told that the limited free space on the OS drive was the cause of my frequent BSOD. My decision was made easier by the fact that my 12-year old Gateway did not "allow" the speed benefits of the SSD to be realized.

gfr92y


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gfr92y said:

I followed the instruction use shadowcopyview [from nirsoft.net] to copy the entire contents of the shadow you just made onto your 1tb disk and shadowcopyview copied the Restore Point shadow to the 1TB HD folder-by-folder and file-by-file flawlessly. When I booted to the 1TB, I could not notice any difference from when I booted from the 120GB SSD.

Just curious... How did you do the transfer from the SSD to the HD?

I just made an image backup of the SSD drive and restored it to the HDD using Ghost 15.1. I would imagine and good imaging backup software would work.

gfr92y said:

I really had no choice to migrate to the 1TB HD since the 120GB SSD filled up with software that did not give me the option where I wanted it to be installed. I had less than 11-12GB of free space on the SSD and was told that the limited free space on the OS drive was the cause of my frequent BSOD. My decision was made easier by the fact that my 12-year old Gateway did not "allow" the speed benefits of the SSD to be realized.

gfr92y


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You could have simply formatted the 1TB as a Simple drive with 2 equal partitions and moved all your Documents, Music, Videos & Pictures to the 1st partition and added them to your Libraries. Then set them as the default save to folders and moved them to the top of the list.

If you filled up an 120GB SSD with program files, you must have a SHIPLOAD of software installed. It's usually the User Data that fills the drives up in the folder I listed above, not to mention Indexes & Recovery points.

Hmmmm, most of my boxes are old of which the HP DX5150's are the only ones that DON'T have ACHI, but they DO have RAID which utilizes ACHI when drives aren't setup in RAID. Even setting up your BIOS to use simple IDE with an SSD is going to be light years faster than the very fastest elctro/mech HDD's ever made.

I wish I had gotten to you sooner. I'm assuming you can have both drives installed (SSD & HDD) in the Gateway hanging off the mobo. Try my suggestion. Do a fresh Win install on the SSD (with the HDD unconnected) making the SSD the primary boot device, then reconnect your HDD so you can access it. Of course you'll need to reinstall your apps, but a fresh install usually makes all things right again. I've learned, when you're pulling your hair out troubleshooting, you're usually about 5 hours beyond when you should have just bitten the bullet and done a fresh install and reinstalls. :)

Hopefully you have a device you can move all your User Data to that is now on the HDD, then wipe the HDD and recreate a simple drive with at least 2 partitions. Use 1st one for User Data and subsequent partition(s) for Backups of both the SSD and the User Data and other storage. At least you'll have 2 copies of your User Data that way.

PreyMantas said:

You could have simply formatted the 1TB...

...you'll have 2 copies of your User Data that way.

I uninstalled all my software, moved Windows 7 Pro from the 120GB SSD to the 1TB HD, upgraded Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro, did a clean install of Windows 10 Pro, and re-installed all of my software.

Everything works perfectly except for a networking problem between my Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Home, Windows 7 Pro machine, and a 20-year old HP 3390 LaserJet, but I will worry about that next week.

Thanks for all you help.

Joe