I created this for doing what you want to a Laptop, but much applies to a desktop, though if you wish you could create your System Image on your HDD once you have the extra partition instead of using an external drive/set of disks
Migrate Windows 8 from Laptop HDD to SSD without using an Installation Disk
A little tricky as you have to replace your HDD with the SSD unless you have the luxury of two Drive Bays as found on some 17" models.
The method involves creating a System Image and a Repair Disk/Drive which everyone should do anyway in case Windows is corrupted or you suffer a drive failure.
Ideally you will require two drives, a small USB Flash Drive/Blank CD for the Repair Drive, and a means of storing a System Image of your C drive, either a large capacity USB External Drive, large capacity Flash Drive, or large capacity SD Card. System Image can also be stored on DVDs. Also with a few tweaks you can reduce your System Image to less than 16Gb, ideal for utilising an SD card or USB Flash to achieve the shift. In fact I often use a 32 Gb SD card, a Kingston can be obtained for around £13/$20
First create a Repair/Recovery Drive/Disk
1. Drive
Insert your USB drive/SD Card
At your 'Start Screen', type Recovery. From Settings choose 'Create a Recovery Drive'
Here you can choose your preferred Media. You'll be creating your own 'Recovery' so not much point in copying the Recovery Partition...
2. Disk
At 'Start Screen' type Recovery. From Settings choose 'Windows 7 File Recovery' and select 'Create a Windows Repair Disk'
Step 1 - Reducing 'C' Drive to less than the capacity of your SSD.
Where System Images are concerned, small is good. The more you can reduce C the better, you can easily run Windows 8 on a 60Gb SSD, and the following will show how you can reduce C without expensive external drives etc. and is good practice anyway if problems occur in the future. If you can afford a massive SSD you can skip some of these moves!
To manipulate the HDD I tend to prefer EaseUs Partition Manager as its easy to use and reliable, you can use Windows Disk Management if you prefer.
http://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html
First create an additional Partition to store Data (If you don't already have one)
To accomplish this C must be reduced to make room.
Run Partition Manager
At the Main Screen simply click on your C drive to highlight it and move the slider from Right to Left to reduce C and create enough Unallocated Space to store your Data files
Create your new Partition to use all the Unallocated Space.
Click Apply to make the changes, these will take place when Windows restarts and before it boots.
Now to move your User Folders to the new Partition.
Personally I re-locate each folder manually. I create 5 'New Folders' on the target drive, (New Partition) navigate to each folder in turn in 'Users' (My Name). e.g. 'Desktop', Rt Click, 'Properties' and open 'Location' tab. Choose 'Move' and navigate to New Folder on the target drive and choose that folder. Click OK and continue until contents are moved. Repeat the process with next Folder e.g. 'Downloads' and move to 'New Folder(1) and so on until you have moved all folders.
At this point it would be wise to employ some of the space saving tips in SSD Review to further reduce C as contained in this article
http://thessdreview.com/ssd-guides/optimization-guides/the-ssd-optimization-guide-ultimate-windows-8-edition/
By now C will have been reduced to manageable proportions, time to re-employ Partition Manager to further reduce it by as much as possible in order to create the System Image. Use Partition Manager to reduce C to a little over the 'Used Space'
Check size of C is now less than the size of your SSD (Should be less than 35Gb by now!) You may have to uninstall software...
Create System Image
Again, at your Start Screen, type Recovery. From Settings choose 'Windows 7 File Recovery' and select 'Create a System Image' Choose your Media from the drop-down lists, select C and Next.
Migrate OS to SSD
Exchange your HDD for the SSD, enable boot from USB device/Optical Drive and with USB Recovery Drive/CD installed hit the Pwr Sw.
Choose your Keyboard, then 'Troubleshoot your PC'
'Advanced Options'
'System Image recovery'
Plug in System Image drive when prompted
Should work! Remember to remove all USB drives before attempting to boot from your SSD.
Exchange your HDD for an SSD, enable boot from USB device and with External Recovery Drive installed hit the Pwr Sw.
Choose your Keyboard, then Troubleshoot your PC
Advanced Options
System Image recovery
Plug in System Image drive when prompted
Should work! Remember to remove all USB drives before attempting to boot from your SSD.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram