Moving Windows 7 to another drive

[shinysuitman]

Tomorrow I'm gonna pick up a new SSD and I want to transfer my Windows 7 installation and my FSX installation onto the SSD. My FSX folder is 60 GB so it should fit. Is there a way to move just the operating system files over? I installed in October so a reinstall wouldnt kill me, but I feel I was just getting settled in this new system.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Minotar]

Tomorrow I'm gonna pick up a new SSD and I want to transfer my Windows 7 installation and my FSX installation onto the SSD. My FSX folder is 60 GB so it should fit. Is there a way to move just the operating system files over? I installed in October so a reinstall wouldnt kill me, but I feel I was just getting settled in this new system.
Thanks for your help.

A back up disc,the likes of paragon would suit i think.
Then boot using the boot disc and "restore" your files to your new hard drive.
Essentially its the same system,so i cant see why it wouldnt work.

But id advise waiting until someone else confrims it.

Dan

 

[gregrocker]

Save a WIndows 7 backup image of your HD to primary partition or external, then boot into WIn7 DVD Repair console>Recover Using an Image to the plugged SSD.

If it won't work, Acronis True Image is worth a try. You can clone or backup image.

 

[shinysuitman]

But I've used 356 GB on my main drive and the SSD is only 80 GB. Will Paragon backup only the Windows files?

Thanks

 

[gregrocker]

If you only want to back up your Win7 partition, then you'll need to use Acronis or free Macrium Reflect which allow selection off single partition, or use bootable Partition Wizard CD and copy just the Win7 partition over.

 

[shinysuitman]

Windows 7 is on the same partition as the rest of the operating system though. Should I copy C:/Windows over?

 

[Minotar]

Save a WIndows 7 backup image of your HD to primary partition or external, then boot into WIn7 DVD Repair console>Recover Using an Image to the plugged SSD.

If it won't work, Acronis True Image is worth a try. You can clone or backup image.

Just to be a bit clearer as i had to read it a few times,(hope im right) **HD1-original HardDrive, HD2- Second New HardDrive
Save a back up image of your entire OS partiton on the HD1 (and any other partitions if you need them) and place it in a partiton on HD2.
Make sure the partiton on the new HD is Formated as NTFS-Primary and Active

Turn off PC,then remove the HD1 leaving HD2 the only hard drive on your pc.Boot up using the Windows 7 disc and enter the Repair Console>Recover Using an Image>select the Image that you just saved onto your new HD.

 

[SIW2]

You can't copy a partition with 356gb of used space onto an 80gb SSD - neither can you clone it , or restore an image.

You are going to have to reinstall.

Copying across C:\windows won't do it , I'm afraid.

Another reason why it is good idea to have separate partitions for o/s and data.

 

[Minotar]

Windows 7 is on the same partition as the rest of the operating system though. Should I copy C:/Windows over?

You could move files out of C: partiton (programs etc) and place them in another partiton,then shrink C: to fit onto the SSID

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management drive map. Use Snipping Tool in Start menu attaching file using paper clip in reply box.

It might be able to be done by transferring data out so that only programs remain on your two OS partitions. It is better to have data on a separate drive anyway.

We need to know what size the two OS would be then. How much data is in those two OS partitions, or is it on a separate data partition on same HD?

 

[shinysuitman]

Here is my disk map.
I have a secondary 1 TB drive if it helps.

 

[gregrocker]

If you remove the User files to the 1 tb drive to make it a data drive, then how much is left with Windows, Program Files & Data and the flight simulator?

100mb System Reserved partition can also be recovered into Win7 unless you have Bitlocker or want the Repair console available by tapping F8 at bootup.

 

[shinysuitman]

That leaves me with 158 GB on my drive.

 

[gregrocker]

What is the rough breakdown of that? Is it mostly Programs or the Flight Simulator?

Win7 install size with paging file and hibernation is around 7 gb.

Looks like you need to move data to a new data drive formatted NTFS logical in Disk Management.

Then reinstall Win7 to SSD. If you have that many gigs of programs, they also may need to be placed on data drive to also fit the flight simulator - I understand why you want it on there.

Here is a guide for moving User Files to another HD: http://www.starkeith.net/coredump/2009/05/18/how-to-move-your-windows-user-profile-to-another-drive/