How to move Windows from HDD to a new SSD

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ShayyDog

ShayyDog

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Feb 13, 2015
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Hey Guys,

I am currently using a single 1TB HDD in my system and am interested in investing in an SSD to use as a boot drive. As I've discovered in other threads, there is no way to simply move windows from my HDD to my SSD without doing a clean reinstall of Windows. However, will this not wipe all of my files from my HDD since I have to uninstall windows to put it on my SSD? I would very much like to keep all of the files on my Hard drive besides windows haha. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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drtweak
Yea I have not used that feature of the Samsung Migration, yet I have not used the Samsung Migration period actually as I have always either 1) Fit all the data or 2) Moved the data Manually (I work at a IT company so we have plenty of drive space to move off clients files. I actually make a full image of the drive and then recovery files off of that image) 3) just start from scratch, but the migration tool does have the ability to select what files get moved and which ones do not. Either way once you move windows it would be BEST to move all the data off, and wipe your old drive, and then copy it back so that is just a data drive and not an old drive with windows, boot sectors, etc.
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drtweak

drtweak

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Their is no uninstalling of windows and all your files will be fine if you were to a clean install to the SSD as the 1TB will not be touched.

Now where did you see that you can't move windows over? Their are a lot of programs that will let you clone your current hard drive to a SSD so long as 1) Both drives are connected either internally or though a USB adapter and 2) The SSD you are cloning to can fit all the data on the drive you use to have. So if you get a 250GB SSD and have 500GB of data using a cloning program will fail. Now the Samsung cloning software will allow you to select what you want to move over.

Some people say to always do a clean install. Not everyone can though. If you have a simple programs that can easily be reinstalled without issue and don't care about redoing all your customizations then yes do a clean install otherwise their ware ways to move you existing windows to the SSD.
 
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Ecolouge

Ecolouge

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Jan 11, 2016
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I had to do this once and too wanted to keep my files. What I did was just backup all of my files on an external drive and then unplug the old HDD. I then plugged in my SSD and did a clean install of windows...it is nice to start clean again. Then plug your HDD back in using the SATA-1 port so your computer will still boot to your SSD and format the HDD. You can then transfer your files over to the HDD. I personally looked at my app list and shaved it down and then installed them on the SSD.

You now have a shiny clean install of windows!!!
 
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SBMfromLA

SBMfromLA

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Nov 11, 2011
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All you have to do is copy your data files to a safe location... then proceed with the new install... you could clone your HDD to your SSD but it's not recommended... because it may not be optimized for the SSD... and also...

If your new SSD is large enough... install it... then unplug your HDD... install Windows... then plug your HDD back in and copy over any data from your old drive... once that's done... just format the old hard drive.
 
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ShayyDog

ShayyDog

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Feb 13, 2015
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I saw it on another thread on this site. So if I get a Samsung ssd I can clone windows over to my ssd without it touching any of my files on my 1 tb? I'd like to just move windows over and keep everything else on 1 tb. I also have about 500 gb currently on the hdd so cloning everything isn't an option. Thanks for the reply.
 
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drtweak

drtweak

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Sep 17, 2012
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Yea I have not used that feature of the Samsung Migration, yet I have not used the Samsung Migration period actually as I have always either 1) Fit all the data or 2) Moved the data Manually (I work at a IT company so we have plenty of drive space to move off clients files. I actually make a full image of the drive and then recovery files off of that image) 3) just start from scratch, but the migration tool does have the ability to select what files get moved and which ones do not. Either way once you move windows it would be BEST to move all the data off, and wipe your old drive, and then copy it back so that is just a data drive and not an old drive with windows, boot sectors, etc.
 
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