Solved What software to use with SSD clone and for backup too? Many Choices!!

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Going to install SSD now.

Questions: Do I need to initialize the SSD; format it, align it or install its latest firmware, partition or do anything to it before use? We are going from a 1 TB HD to a 512 GB SSD. The SSD hasn't been used before.

 

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I have the SSD installed. Windows loaded its drivers. But, it doesn't show up when I click on computer. Stumped for now.

 

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Stumped for now.

Device Manager says that the SSD is working properly but it isn't shown when I click on Computer to view drives.

There is a firmware update for the SSD, downloaded it, but Samsung's SSD Magician ver 3.2 software doesn't see it no matter where the download file is placed. I can put the download file on the desktop, anywhere in the C drive, and it either can't see it or it won't open up the folder where it is. Strange!

Macrium Reflect sees SSD, Getting ready to clone C drive to it, if I can.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Did you create partition(s) on SSD? Did you do the clone using macrium reflect free? Macrim displays SSD with no partitions and disk signature 00000000.

Just do the clone! there is no partition yet on SSD... so no volume.... so nothing in computer output from windows explorer.

 

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Of course attach ssd to system. Install macrium reflect free from Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download (scroll down). close all other running applications. Run macrium reflect. Press "clone this disk". select the source and destination disk. Select partitions you want to clone (you only have 1 the OS partition). You can adjust the size of destination partition. Make it as large as possible ... so using whole SSD (I think it's default). Make partition primary and active (think it is same as source by default). ALIGN DESTINATION PARTITION win7/vista!

Partition Alignment



Start the clone process. Of course do nothing else on computer, because clone is the state as it is now. You can display documents and browse internet if you want.

When clone has completed succesfully you can see SSD in windows explorer. SSD has drive letter F for example. I use it in next explanation. We gonna check if all is fine.

Cloned

In http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

diskpart
sel  vol  F
detail part
exit

is it active?

Active, see snip.

diskpart
sel dis 0
uniqueid disk
sel dis 1
uniqueid disk

Disk ID's are different?....that's what you want.

ID's Different, see snip

bcdedit/store F:\boot\bcd

All lines with device, osdevice, ramdisksdidevice, ramdisksdidevice are refering to F: or BOOT? So C: is nowhere in output? All should refere to F... that's nice. If you boot from SSD it all will be called C.

Refers to D, new SSD, see snip

 

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Start disk defragment->schedule->select disks. SSD is not listed there.... then win7 knows it's an SSD instead of normal HDD. Select any disk you want to defragment. Never defragment SSD.

OK

Config system restore settings http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/330-system-protection-turn-off.html
Any ghost disks there? If so disable system protection on that ghost disk. Be sure to enable system protection on C as shown in step 10.

HD on and SSD off, see snip

Should both be on? Confused here.

In elevated command prompt:

fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

Is it 0? If not

fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

This puts TRIM on on SSD.

Post results

Is 0, see snip

 

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All is as expected? Shutdown and change "boot order" in bios, so it boots from SSD. Look in disk management if SSD is called C now.

Having trouble changing boot order. SSD doesn't show up in this section, but it is shown in other parts of BIOS. Can not change boot order for this reason.
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Right now, HD is C and SSD is D. This should be changed.​

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Will be trying to figure this on out. Any ideas?
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PARTITIONS
C: HD, active, boot
D: SSD, active

 

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I got it. I marked the HD as inactive. Then the computer couldn't find the OS. So, I inserted the Win 7 disk and did a clean install. See snip of "Computer" and "Benchmark."

 

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I checked to make sure that the alignment is OK. It is, see snip.

 

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The 100 MB partition is on the HD instead of the SSD. Is this going to be a problem? How can I fix it? See snip.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Config system restore settings System Protection - Turn On or Off
Any ghost disks there? If so disable system protection on that ghost disk. Be sure to enable system protection on C as shown in step 10.

Just turn it on for C.
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You did a clean install afterwards.... pffff. Why? You still can't set SSD as boot device in bios?

So you replaced SSD with standard win7 install. All programs and data are gone?
Partition on other disk still has a fine working win7 with all stuff?

 

[Kaktussoft]

The 100 MB partition is on the HD instead of the SSD. Is this going to be a problem? How can I fix it? See snip.

Why do you have 13.8GB unallocated space at end of SSD? I told you to make partition as large as possible during clone! Did you format SSD partition when performing a clean install?

Anyway.... old C (now called D) was working fine before cloning? So you still want the clone?
you attached SSD drive on the place where DVD was and DVD using another connection. What options do you have in bios where you can modify "boot priority"?

 

[Kaktussoft]

You use a eSATA-USB kit to attach dvd drive. Are you booting from "USB CD/DVD" or something like that in "boot priority"? Is normal "DVD" drive still listed in boot priority? If so select that as first boot device. Maybe it (tries) boots from SSD then. It can't because it doesn't have an active partition and no bootmanager yet.... but I want to know if it tries to. If possible disable all other entries (temporary) in boot device priority (or called boot device order)

 

[LeftC]

What happened was ... The computer only booted up using the HD and not the SSD after cloning. I even cloned it again trying the Paragon Migrate OS to SSD software. No change.

There was no option showing in BIOS to change the boot from the HD to the SSD, so I marked the HD as inactive because both drives were active. When I did this, the computer couldn't find the OS for it to start up. The computer was basically dead then. All I had was the blue screen. The only option that I knew of to get it going again was to do a clean install with Win 7 disk.

That got me going again. After I marked the partition as inactive, the computer was basically dead. I am still at a nursing home recovering from surgery. I have no access to another computer here. I had no way to get back on the internet that I knew of to get to this site to ask what to do. I was dead in the water, so to speak.

I even looked for ghost drives and didn't see any that I could tell.

I have an appointment. When I get back, I'll work on the last sets of things to do.

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Kaktussoft]

There was no option showing in BIOS to change the boot from the HD to the SSD, so I marked the HD as inactive because both drives were active. When I did this, the computer couldn't find the OS for it to start up. The computer was basically dead then. All I had was the blue screen. The only option that I knew of to get it going again was to do a clean install with Win 7 disk.

What was on the blue screen?

If you boot from win7 install disk press shift-f10 to enter command prompt as described here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html

From there you can do

diskpart
list vol
exit

You see drive letters (can be different as in win7!) . Look at their sizes. Now you know what drive letter is "system reserved", old OS and SSD. Select any volume you want and make it active or inactive. Only one volume can be active on each physical disk.

diskpart
sel vol  C
active (or inactive)

Mark old C active. Now reboot. It reboots in old C, correct? Check disk management to prove harddisk partition is called C. Delete system reserved if all went fine so far. Delete partition on SSD as well. Do all clone steps again afterwards. Be sure to make partition on SSD as large as possible (you didn't on first try). Be sure SSD is mark active. Mark old C inactive using diskpart as described above.

So actually do all things again. Now boot system. What error message? If error message ... just mark old C active again and reboot.

What options do you have in "boot device order" ... please explain clearly all options you can select there

 

[Kaktussoft]

You can also do this

At the Dell logo screeen, tap the F12 key repeatedly until the Please Select Boot Device: menu appears.
What can be selected in that menu. Answer that first prior to cloning.

 

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Config system restore settings System Protection - Turn On or Off
Any ghost disks there? If so disable system protection on that ghost disk. Be sure to enable system protection on C as shown in step 10.

Just turn it on for C.

This is how system protection is set up:
C drive (SSD) On 39%
D drive (HD) Off 20%
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You did a clean install afterwards.... pffff. Why? You still can't set SSD as boot device in bios?

Yes. Computer couldn't find operating system after I marked the HD as inactive which used to be the boot drive. Just blue screen. Nothing else. Computer sent a message that it couldn't find the OS in the blue screen.

SSD doesn't show up in BIOS. It only shows the following (not necessarily in this order):
- Removeable Drive
- Hard Drive
--- ST1000
- USB
- CD/DVD
- eSATA
- Network

So you replaced SSD with standard win7 install. All programs and data are gone?

Yes, but the clone was saved in the "Windows.old" folder. So, it isn't gone.

Partition on other disk still has a fine working win7 with all stuff?

Everything is still on the origional hard drive. It hasn't been deleted.

 

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The 100 MB partition is on the HD instead of the SSD. Is this going to be a problem? How can I fix it? See snip.

Why do you have 13.8GB unallocated space at end of SSD? I told you to make partition as large as possible during clone!

Samsung's Magician software made the 13.8GB of space for garbage collection (over provisioning). See snip below.

Did you format SSD partition when performing a clean install?

I sure didn't. Did Win 7 format it?

Anyway.... old C (now called D) was working fine before cloning?

Yes

So you still want the clone?

Good question.

you attached SSD drive on the place where DVD was and DVD using another connection. What options do you have in bios where you can modify "boot priority"?

SSD is inside the computer when old DVD was. Now DVD is external. These are nicely made kits by NewModeUS.com .

Shows the following (not necessarily in this order):
- Removeable Drive
- Hard Drive
--- ST1000
- USB
- CD/DVD
- eSATA
- Network

 

[Kaktussoft]

SSD doesn't show up in BIOS. It only shows the following (not necessarily in this order):
- Removeable Drive
- Hard Drive
--- ST1000
- USB
- CD/DVD
- eSATA
- Network

What do you use when booting from dvd? Is that option DVD or USB (you attached DVD drive on usb port?)