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Moving OS and data to a different drive

Tags:
  • SSD
  • Storage
  • Hard Drives
  • Operating Systems
  • Windows 7
Last response: in Storage
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September 30, 2014 12:00:29 AM

So I built my first PC few months ago, and I made a lot of beginner mistakes. One of them was getting a 60GB SSD for Windows 7. I didn't expect Windows to take up like 45 gigs. The rest was quickly taken up by necessary software I needed on the SSD and important data from programs on my main 1TB drive (all in AppData).

I could buy a bigger SSD, but not right now. I'd have to temporarily move that 60GB to a regular HDD. Would it be possible to move it to a drive that is already in use, and keep using data from both? No formatting or reinstalling? I also have the HDD from my old PC. I could format that if it was needed.

More about : moving data drive

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a b G Storage
September 30, 2014 12:13:15 AM

Hey Kogure. It is possible to do that, but you should back up all the important data you need from the destination drive, because when you clone your OS from the source drive, it will modify the destination drive the same way and reformat it and you'll lose all your data. You could use Acronis True Image WD edition for cloning. Here's a link for the software (it's free) and instructions on how to do that: http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3682/

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Boogieman_WD
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September 30, 2014 3:19:50 AM

Oh, one more thing. Isn't changing the drive letter going to cause massive amounts of trouble? I will be moving my Windows from C to unused F. Aren't all programs on E, my main storage, going to freak out if Windows and some of their files are going to disappear from C?
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a b G Storage
September 30, 2014 4:01:29 AM

Well you're probably right. Disconnect the drive you wish to clone the OS to and connected it with an external SATA to USB cable, because you shouldn't let the computer boot with two Windows OS on it (unless set as a dual-boot system). Clone your OS afterwards, switch the HDD with the SSD, boot up, connect the SSD with the SATA to USB cable and wipe the data so that you can connect it to the mobo again and use it as a normal drive.
But note that you'll lose everything on the destination drive (the drive you are cloning your OS to) so remember to back up before starting with everything.
Also I'd always recommend a fresh install of Windows towards cloning.

Hope that helps.
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September 30, 2014 5:28:43 AM

I actually went ahead with it, and after cloning also changed the boot drive in BIOS. Looks like everything worked. http://puu.sh/bTSYr/286d3f0624.png
The software must have changed the letters on the drives. It also moved the hidden "System, Reserved" partition. Though everything IS much slower since it's not an SSD ;-;

Also, a big fan ;)  http://puu.sh/bTT0s/89b2008759.jpg
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a b G Storage
September 30, 2014 6:00:56 AM

Awesome! I'm glad everything worked out fine for you and obviously a lot easier than I thought. :) 
And about the speed, well it's an obvious downside, but hopefully you'll get a new SSD soon and everything will be back to normal.

Cheers mate
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