Cloning single (OS)partition to SSD

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bartNL

bartNL

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Hi,

I'm planning on migrating my Windows8.1 OS to an SSD, i plan to do this with EaseUs Todo backup. The thing is, my HDD is divided in 4 partitions, one which i personally use, OS and files on it, the other three are an EFI, a WINRE(recovery) and another 'recovery drive' partition, all about 300MB in size. I don't know if it's necessary to clone this partitions as well, or if it's possible to leave them on the HDD(since deleting them doesn't seem like a smart option). Anyone having any experience with this?

Thanks in advance for the effort.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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Well that's exactly what i try to avoid, i don't have time to reconfigure all my settings and stuff, and a fresh install isn't needed because my PC is just 4 months old. I'd like to copy as little as possible, so i want to leave those almost unused recovery partitions on my hdd.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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Well that wasn't really helpful was it?
Even if i could pay someone to do it, i don't want a clean install, maybe windows just re-creates those partitions if i'd do that. I just want to clone Windows without those other partitions.
 
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I

IrvSp

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That almost sounds like the way Dell ships.

UEFI BIOS presents some problems for some free S/W I found. Those all wanted me to upgrade to the PRO version.

I got Paragon's Migrate OS to SSD and it worked like a champ for me.

Left the original C: and the other drives in the computer and booted to the SSD which became C:. I hid the original C: using Disk Manager and all is well.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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Took your advice and tried Paragon's(and all other possible options like EaseUS Todo, EZGig) but it doesn't work for me.I think it's because this uefi stuff and mor. If i open disk management, i see my C: drive and a partition called WINRE (recovery), another partition called 'Recovery' and anther one, which doesn't have a letter assigned but is named EFI in Disk Manager.(all partitions about 300/400MB).

And if i use diskpart in CMD i see there is another system reserved partition, 128.00MB in size. I can't assign a letter to this partition. However, each Clone/Migrate software only copies my C: to my SSD and i think windows needs this EFI partition as well. Maybe it's a good thing(or a bad thing) to say i own an HP laptop.
Those are notorious for being 'different' in several things. Any idea where i could find a solution to this? Or, if you are a genius, do you know the answer to those problems..
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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If i'd perform a clean install as my last resort option, i still wouldn't know how to do that since windows came pre installed with my laptop. Maybe it's possible to create one? And then, Robocopy seems a little dangeroud to me, i read you can easily make mistakes or mess things up.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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To all people who own a HP and try to clone Win8.1, but fail: This is an option that does work although it'll probably cost you a hundred bucks. Use Paragon HDD manager 14 (verson no. does really matter, since previous versions do NOT properly support Win8.1)
Luckily, i was able to get my hands on Paragon HDD manager 14 from a relative. Finally, Paragon 14 understood that the EFI partition had to be copied along with the C:\ partition in order to get Win8.1 to boot. Win8.1 with al it's complicated GPT, UEFI and stuff. In combination with HP, it's a really though job to clone Win8.1.

I doubt there's even another way to properly do it. If so, i'm curious. Anyway, didn't even have to repair the bootloader with this method, it all worked fine from the start and it still is. it's a pitty this software is so expensive.
 
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Lee-m

Lee-m

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The dd command under linux will do exactly what you want, you can use that from a nice easy ubuntu live cd. Also clonezilla will do the job just as well, and that comes on a stand alone live cd.
 
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dodger46

dodger46

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Did your laptop ship with 8.1? If so, with a 16Gb Pendrive you could create a Recovery Drive and use it to recover your OS to the SSD.
Simply type 'Create' at your Start Screen and check the box for Copy Recovery Partition.
Once complete, swap drives and boot from USB, progress via troubleshoot to Advanced Options and Reset your PC.
Buy an External SATA Caddy for your HDD and use it as an external storage device.
(Actually most recent HP laptops have a backup facility to achieve what you wish)
edit
Missed the bit about preserving your Apps, won't do that of course, but at least you wouldn't need to worry about Drivers etcetera...
double edit
Just read your other post, curious as to what installation media you tried, as any legal d'load of Windows is doomed to fail with a Product Key from a pre-install, the Key is embedded in BIOS and won't match a Retail installation disk nor an OEM from a Retailer.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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@dodger46 and @Lee-M:
No, initially came with Win8(OEM) but i upgraded.
Tried Clonezilla(and a lot more), didn't work somehow. I've made a 6-set DVD HP recovery, which wasn't able to help me fix it. (as said in last post) This is probably personal, but when i tried to make a recovery disk it says "Files are missing" because i already backed them on those DVD's and you're alowed to make only one recovery.
Now i just plugged in my SSD to usb port(with cable i now use to use hdd as ext.drive) and used Paragon 14 and i effortlessly cloned my entire drive(<200GB used) to SSD in about half an hour. Booted from SSD and everything is fine, exactly the same as it was on HDD. The Bios thing from @dodger46: maybe this is the reason i can't boot whichever drive i use if it's connected otherwise than internal SATA cable.
feel free to ask me more.
 
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SixCoreFiend

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I love how this guy (quite simply) is asking about cloning the hard drive, and basically everyone here simple says "Don't clone, I don't know how".

OP, if you're used to EaseUs's products, and have access to a second PC, use EaseUs Partition Master.

    From the the second PC, connect the original hard drive and your new SSD.

    Use Disk Part to activate the SSD as a GPT partitioned drive. This is an important step that most would miss, as it will only really be relevant for Windows 8 and above.

    EaseUs Partition Master will copy over all partitions, the GPT partition table, and each property you would need to complete the clone successfully.


Let me know if you'd need further details on how to complete this. I execute this as pretty standard practice whenever completing a cline.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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Tried EaseUs(but on the same pc) but it didn't do the trick. I made the SSD already a GPT drive(knew it was really important), and i had assigned a letter to the EFI partition so it was visible in EaseUs but still it failed. Unfortunately i don't have access to two pc's to do it the way you describe, but i'll try it happily if i do and when i need to do this again. At the moment, i'm helping someone who has the same problem as me so i'll ask him, and if he succeeds, i'll mark your answer.;) I can imagine this method is different because you use another pc for copying, i'm curious and i'm sure gonna try. :)

Edit: Using(luckily not buying) $100 cloning software wasn't really a satisfying solution, so i don't see it as the answer for other people. so i'm gonna try the last suggested method.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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I'm not sure.. i think after i upgraded, because i upgraded quite soon after i got my pc. But i don't know, i think there's no way to check that either? This could be the reason i couldn't repair the bootloader and stuff, bacause Win8 bootloader will differ from win8.1's one.
 
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IrvSp

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I had problems with all the 'Disk Manager' s/w I tried. Even my Norton Symantec System Restore 2013 didn't work well on an older machine.

GPT/uEFI and Secure boot seems to cause problem with those. Some I tried even said I had to upgrade to PRO and others just did not work.

I decided to buy the Paragon Solution, Migrate OS to and SSD V4 and like I said, it worked like a charm.

I've got a DELL and I see similar partitions on my original drive. A WINRETOOLS, PBR IMAGE, DIAGS, ESP, and an unnamed 128MB GPT Reserved partition. I did keep the original drive in my computer and I can boot to it if necessary.
 
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bartNL

bartNL

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I have no longer such partitions, only my C: and an EFI partition. I didn't run in any problems so i assume you don't need those other partitions. Paragon works indeed, but (in my case) only if you have the right version and a bunch of money to buy it.
 
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