Clone Windows from old drive or reinstall with disc?

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Proskub

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Apr 13, 2013
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I just got my new SSD that I'm going to be using as my OS drive, and I'm planning to use current OS drive as storage. I'd like to simply clone windows over, but there's a problem.
When I installed windows on my current drive a year or two ago, from what I can tell I only made one partition. EVERYTHING on the drive is in C: e.g. games, pictures etc. I wanted to clone the OS over and format the drive to get all the unused stuff of it and start fresh, but I don't think that will be possible when I have all my data on the one partition. Am I right?
 
Solution
USAFRet
99% of the time, a full reinstall is best. Especially when the previous install has 'issues'. And especially moving to an SSD.

Cloning simply brings the old problems onto the new drive.
You have a year or two of cruft built up on the old install. Stuff you installed, uninstalled (but not all of it left)

Reinstall on the SSD, and then you can install what you want on the now secondary spinning disk.
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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99% of the time, a full reinstall is best. Especially when the previous install has 'issues'. And especially moving to an SSD.

Cloning simply brings the old problems onto the new drive.
You have a year or two of cruft built up on the old install. Stuff you installed, uninstalled (but not all of it left)

Reinstall on the SSD, and then you can install what you want on the now secondary spinning disk.
 
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Solution
RetiredChief

RetiredChief

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Feb 22, 2007
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First off, Not a lover of Migrating a OS from a HDD -> SSD and concur with USAFRet that the BEST option is a Clean Install. DON'T forget to Disconnect your HDD and Set the BIOS to AHCI for a clean Install.

Older Migration tools (often referred to incorrectly as Cloning) did NOT:
. Enable trim
.. Properly align the partition
.. Did NOT disable defrag.
.. Will not convert a HDD installation that was done in IDE mode to the "Proper" AHCI Mode.

NEWER Programs DO when Migrating (except for converting to AHCI if HDD was se to IDE).

Cloning is not the proper term, but is often used to discribe the process even by manuf. The correct term is Migrate. Difference is that TRUE cloning is a one-for-one direct copy sector-by-sector. You can NOT clone a larger drive to a smaller drive.
Migration will work as it re-sizes partitions, Properly aligns Partition if migrating to an SSD, and can even exclude all of your data and selected programs id OS + Programs will not fit on target drive.

My Favorite is Ez Gig IV, But cost about $19 at newegg (Software is FREE but must buy the special Sata -> USB cable. Alternate Program that is Free is EayUS.

Ez Gig (Apricorn) Adaptor :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812161004

For Easy Gig IV ( if cable comes with Ver II) and a discription of the program.
http://www.apricorn.com/products/software/ezgig.html

EasyUS Just select the "Free Download for HOME use"
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm
 
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