Cloning a bootable SSD to HDD (make it bootable) - a good software ?

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natlas

Commendable
Apr 22, 2016
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1,510
Hello,

Here is the context:

I have a SSD Samsung 850 EVO 1TB (SATA) containing my operating system (Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit), applications and personal files. Everything is on one and same partition.

I would like to upgrade to Windows 10 (Home 64-bit full version) and to install it on my SSD, but as I am not certain that W10 is fully compatible with my motherboard, I would like to make a clone of my current SSD to a freshly formatted 2TB MBR HDD (Western Digital Blue - SATA), in order to back up my files, drivers and applications and to make it bootable under Vista (if the installation of W10 on my SSD fails).

    1) Is it possible to clone a bootable SSD to a HDD (in order to make it bootable) ?

If yes:

    2) Which software do you recommend?

    3) Can the SSD and the HDD be connected at the same time during the start-up (boot priority) ? May I have access, by the Windows File Explorer, to the contents of the HDD ?

-> Could I get back my personal files, drivers, applications contained in my HDD after the installation of Windows 10 on my SSD?

Thank you by advance for your help.
 
Solution
USAFRet
1. Purchase Win 10
2. Using Macrium Reflect, make a clone of your Vista in install onto the HDD
3. Disconnect the HDD
4. Install Win 10 on the SSD
5. Use it, like it
6. Reconnect the HDD
7. The OS on the SDD will see that as just another drive. You can retrieve your docs from that Vista install that is living on the HDD
You cannot retrieve or use the applications in that install.
Programs will have to be reinstalled with the new Win 10 OS.
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natlas

Commendable
Apr 22, 2016
4
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1,510
But the main idea is to be able to recover all my personal files and old drivers after the installation of W10. If W10 works and if only I make a disk back up, I won't be able to recover my old drivers, files and others. I don't know if a HDD can contain files and a disk back up in only one partition, in this case I could select each file/folder I want to keep, but it risks to be endless.

You will not be able to upgrade to W10 from Vista for free or any other way.
Click to expand...
I purchase the Windows 10 Home full version (the package includes a bootable USB stick), for a clean install.
But I already know that Windows save our personal files and applications in a folder named Windows.old, but I risk to lose it after a month and in any case, I don't kown if Windows will save what I really want.
 
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CountMike

CountMike

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Oct 31, 2015
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You can recover whatever what was on disk you made backup from. Once you have W10 installed, you can mount the file (.mrimg) MR backup made and retrieve whatever files were on original disk without having to revert to Vista. You will have to install MR on W10 to do that.
 
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natlas

Commendable
Apr 22, 2016
4
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1,510
I take into account your solution. I'll only make the W10 installation this week-end, so maybe someone else could have an alternative.
I don't know that some software can extract whatever we want from a disk backup.

Thanks anyway
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
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1. Purchase Win 10
2. Using Macrium Reflect, make a clone of your Vista in install onto the HDD
3. Disconnect the HDD
4. Install Win 10 on the SSD
5. Use it, like it
6. Reconnect the HDD
7. The OS on the SDD will see that as just another drive. You can retrieve your docs from that Vista install that is living on the HDD
You cannot retrieve or use the applications in that install.
Programs will have to be reinstalled with the new Win 10 OS.
 
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Solution
N

natlas

Commendable
Apr 22, 2016
4
0
1,510
Should I make a clone or a disk backup as CountMike said before ? Or both are equivalent for my case ?

 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Either. A full clone is probably easier. If you made an image, then you'd need some drive to restore that image to, if you want to retrieve your personal files from that Vista install.
 
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CountMike

CountMike

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Oct 31, 2015
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I have done it both ways but like backup way better because with cloning there's more chance of loosing both.
When you do clean install of W10, make sure your HDD is disconnected until finished. It's too easy to spread a boot to 2 disks, specially when one of them already has windows on it.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Yes! That bolded part is critical.
 
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