Easiest way to fully backup and migrate to a new ssd

themadhatta

Distinguished
Jul 18, 2011
256
0
18,780
Sorry for asking such a dumb and generic questions, but as i suck at using forum searches and my google digging hasnt really given me my answer i figured itd be okay to post it here since its a bit specific.

So ive got windows 8 on this dell xps 12ultrabook that i purchased a year or so back. Under the PC properties it just says the edition is windows 8 2012 so im guessing it win8 basic(x86)?

I want to transfer my current windows instillation and everything on this drive to this new drive i purchased. I have never successfully been able to fully backup an installation of mine and recover it on a new build or drive before.

From what i understand i need to clone the drive, but i dont know how to do that legally with a legit copy of wndows... especially on a laptop like this.

Anyways i have esata/usb3.0 HDD docks would you call them? I just stuck a bare drive in it and it clips in then i press the on switch and plug it into whatever.

Ive got legit usb 3.0 external enclosures, and ive got working desktops, so i should have all the options available to do this easily if im not mistaken?

Does anyone have a retard proof and i mean seriously retarded retard proof *drool* guide they can link me.
Or even better yet could someone pweez hold my hand through the steps lol.

Im just terrified of messing this up and have no idea where any of the stuff is that came with this computer besides the power adapter.

- Thanks for your time.
 
Solution
Assuming that your new drive is larger than the total amount of data you have on your old drive, then you can clone the existing drive to the new drive in an external enclosure. If you go into "Disk Management" now, you can see that there is a 100 MB boot partition and then a C drive and possibly more partitions. It would be nice to know if Dell has another hidden partition that some manufacturers use for system restore. Once you know exactly what you have then you can use Cloning software and create an exact duplicate of everything you have. A perfect clone will go in and work perfectly like it was the original drive. The OS will recognize it is a different drive, but once it registers it for Windows Validation everything will be...

avjguy2362

Honorable
Jun 21, 2012
732
0
11,360
Assuming that your new drive is larger than the total amount of data you have on your old drive, then you can clone the existing drive to the new drive in an external enclosure. If you go into "Disk Management" now, you can see that there is a 100 MB boot partition and then a C drive and possibly more partitions. It would be nice to know if Dell has another hidden partition that some manufacturers use for system restore. Once you know exactly what you have then you can use Cloning software and create an exact duplicate of everything you have. A perfect clone will go in and work perfectly like it was the original drive. The OS will recognize it is a different drive, but once it registers it for Windows Validation everything will be fine. It is very unlikely Windows won't validate the drive. You should be good to go.
I use Macrium Reflect free software to clone drives. I have cloned several OS HD's with this software and it is pretty easy. Run the program, On the existing drive check the box, "clone this drive" and then it asks you which drive is the destination drive. Choose the external HD. Then you simply click start and watch the bars as it makes a duplicate. You now have 2 identical drives. Shut down, switch the drives and you should be good to go. Since the old drive is still untouched, if there is any problem with the new drive, it is a good idea to leave the old drive alone for a week or two until you are absolutely sure everything is perfect, since you can always put it back in if you have an unlucky drive failure!
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
 
Solution

themadhatta

Distinguished
Jul 18, 2011
256
0
18,780
Awesome thanks, the original drive and new drive are msata which the only thing i have that uses msata ssds is this laptop so the old ssd is gonna be another pc related paperweight of mine lol
But yeah all your assumptions were correct, now using this software and doing everything properly, you mention windows will need to validate the drive, you dont mean i have to re-enter my windows key do you? I dont have any of the original paperwork or cds or anything just the laptop and its power adapter(s).
I also dont see any of the usual product key on a sticker on the laptop, just a single intel i7 badge/sticker is all.