How do i transfer w7 from small ssd drive to secondary hdd to big ssd?

[Daveguy]

Hello,

I have windows 7 installed on a 64gig ssd. I have a new 256gig ssd drive that I'd like to install it on. I do not have a an external hdd. I do not have my backup windows 7 dvd. Can I use the windows 7 backup and restore to my secondary local disk that is 1tb, and then boot from this disk, and then install windows on my new 256gig ssd drive? I have about 700gigs of random things on the 1tb drive and when I try to backup and restore I get a "A system image cannot be saved on a drive that your computer boots from or that windows is installed on." message. Windows is not installed on the 1tb drive though? Is there a way to clear this message without deleting the 700gigs of data? If i do all of this am I going to be able to boot from the 1tb and install windows on the 256gig ssd?

or should I suck it up and buy an external hdd.

Thanks all!

 

[derekimo]

Welcome to the forum,

It sounds like there may be an active or system flag on your other drive, can you post a screenshot of your disk management,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

A lot of folks here would also suggest using Macrium instead of Windows backup facility to do what you want.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[Daveguy]

Hello! Thank you for the quick reply. Here is a pic:

 

[derekimo]

You're welcome, did you move the page file to your other drive?

That's why you're getting that message.

Virtual Memory Paging File - Change

 

[Daveguy]

I have not moved the file to the other drive yet. I was planning on it, but not sure if i'll be able to boot from that drive. I also don't know why i'm getting that message.

 

[derekimo]

It already shows it on that drive, so somebody did. That is the reason you are getting that error message,



It is a system file so it thinks it's part of your current installation.

 

[Daveguy]

Hmm, I guess my computer came that way? I got it from ibuypower.com. Why would they install windows on my C drive and also my D drive? Can i just remove it from the D drive? Will bad things happen?

 

[derekimo]

I guess they were trying to save you space. It normally resides on C so it won't cause any problems moving it back there.

The tutorial I posted above,

Virtual Memory Paging File - Change

I think the easiest way would be to turn it on on C and turn it off on D, unfortunately that can't be done in your case, you show 1MB free space on C.

You can't even install a third party tool like Macrium.

Can you get rid of anything on your current SSD?

 

[DavidE]

Some things you could try:

Turn off the paging file on the [D] drive so you temporarily don't have any paging file.
See if you can create the image with no paging file.

If you have hibernate turned on, turn it off temporarily to get some free space to work with.

If you have access to another PC, create a bootable Macrium Rescue disc (or flash stick) on that PC.
See if you can boot your PC with the Macrium Rescue disc and create a Macrium Backup Image.
If you can boot with a Macrium Rescue disc, you should be able to create a Backup Image of your drive on your [D] drive.

 

[strollin]

I would move the paging file back to the C: drive and then clone the C: drive directly to the new 256G ssd. You will need an adapter, something like this: Fosmon High Quality USB 2.0 to External IDE SATA Converter Cable HDD Kit with AC Power Adapter - Walmart.com to connect the 256G ssd to your computer via USB and use software like Macrium Reflect to do the cloning.

 

[DavidE]

The problem is the OP can't move the pagefile back to C right now because there is only 1 MB of free space on C.
If hibernate can be turned off, that should free up enough space.

 

[Daveguy]

Hey all, I have an update. I was able to free up 3.5gig of free space on the c drive. I moved the paging file to c by setting a low amount of memory on the page file.

although, I was able to borrow a large external usb hdd drive from my buddy. Now, I don't want to screw up his drive or delete any of his files. I'm going to back them all up to my large 1tb drive before I do anything. Then I plan to clone my c drive on to the external drive. Take the 64gig ssd out of my comp. Replace with my new 256gig. boot from the external drive and install windows on the 256gig ssd. Am I on the right track? Anything I should know?

Thanks!

 

[DavidE]

I don't know if you will be able to boot from an external drive.
Someone else may know for sure about that.

Can you connect your 256 GB SSD to your PC, and clone directly to that ?
I use Images, i don't use cloning.

 

[Daveguy]

Hah, thanks DavidE. I just unplugged my 1tb drive, pluged in the new 256 ssd, ran sumsung data migration tool to the new drive from the 64gig, and it worked! I was thinking the hard drive and ssd used different connections to the motherboard. I didn't actually look at it though. :drool:

Thanks all.

 

[DavidE]

You're welcome and glad to hear you got it working !
Check Disk Management to make sure everything looks ok, and your C drive on the new SSD is using the full capacity.
If you have any questions, post a screen print of your new Disk Management window.

 

[strollin]

That was the easiest way to do it, clone directly to the new ssd. Glad you got it working. Get everything setup how you want it and then make a system image of your new ssd on an external drive (best) or at least on the internal 1TB drive.

 

[bruakerche]

I have not moved the file to the other drive yet. I was planning on it, but not sure if i'll be able to boot from that drive. I also don't know why i'm getting that message.

I remembered Samsung has an official migration app for transfer data from one drive to its own SSD products. What the brand of you SSD?