[SOLVED] Replacing HDD - How should I copy the data?

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neffian

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Feb 28, 2012
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Hey guys.

Really simple one here, I'm just unsure which way is best to do it. My current setup is as follows:

C: - 120gb SSD - Essential windows files
E: - 1tb HDD - Majority of program files (This is the drive I want to replace)
F: - 250gb SSD - important games/programs
G: - 2tb HDD - Storage drive for pictures, videos etc.

I want to replace the 1tb E: with a new 2tb HDD, but ideally keep the drive name as E: so not to confuse any programs. (I really can't be bothered with "XXX" can't find "YYY", would you like to specify a location?) Is there an easy way to do this?

I could connect my new HDD and initialise it, then copy all the files over via windows explorer, but to do this I'd have to assign a different letter to my new drive. Would it be sensible to change my current E: to a different letter before initialising my new drive, then setting the new drive to E: and copying over?

Thanks in advance for any responses.
 
Solution
rchris
You can easily do it either way that you described. The drive names (letters) can easily be changed in "Computer Management > Disk Management."
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Oct 30, 2004
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Some ways are easier than others.

1. This is a one time cost but makes life very easy in the long run.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=blacx&ignorear=1&N=100+50001379&isNodeId=1

2, Put the new drive in the HD dock, connect USB and power, turn on.

3. Open Explorer and copy the data from old drive to another. If ya have speed preferences, copy the stuff ya want to be faster 1st. If its really important consider extra partitions as outer edge of platters are about twice as fast as inner.

4. Shut down and Unplug the E:\ F:\ and G:\ drive data cables ... connect the new drive to where E:\ was. This **should** be the 2nd lowest SATA port with C:\ being the lowest. Do not connect F:\ and G:\ yet

5. Boot and open Disk manager ... make sure that the new drive is shown as E:\. If it is, change it to say X:\ and give it a unique Volume name appropriate for the drive say "Programs" .... now chnage it back to E:\ ... the reason you do this is that windows assigns drive letters in the order it sees them from lowest numbered SATA port to the highest. By changing it to another letter and then back again., this over rides the default behavior and now that drive will forever be known as E:\

6. You now can repeat those steps with F:\ and G:\ ordering the ports and renaming them to make sure they rename fixed.

7. Of course you can do this w/o the HD dock but its a little bit more work installing inside the PC. You can also do it by taking out the old HD installing the new but prefer to format the drive in the Dock.

8. The other benefit .... ya can use the HD in the dock for offsite data backup storage

 
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Snipergod87

Snipergod87

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May 26, 2009
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So what I would do, is leave E alone as the drive letter, assign the new 2TB drive as H. Use FreeFileSync to sync the files from E to H. (You can fun FFS a second time after the first copy to get any changes since the copy started.)
Change E: to I: and change H: to E:. Make sure when you do that change none of the programs installed on E: are running.
 
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ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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Actually the simplest & most straightforward way to achieve your objective is as follows...

1. Install the new 2 TB HDD. It need not be initialized, nor partitioned, nor formatted. If it's a "virgin" drive install it "as is".

2. I'm assuming you have a vacant SATA data connector available on your motherboard. If you don't, then just disconnect the current 2 TB secondary HDD from the system and connect the new 2 TB HDD in its place.

3. Using a disk-cloning program, for example, Macrium Reflect or Easeus Todo, or AOMEI Backupper (and there are a slew of others) or a disk-cloning program of your choice, simply clone the contents of your 1 TB HDD to the "new' 2 TB HDD.

4. Following the d-c operation access Disk Management and assign E: as the drive letter to the newly-cloned 2 TB HDD.

5. Then (after shutting down the PC) reconnect the other 2 TB secondary HDD (G:) (assuming you had previously uninstalled that HDD) to the system and ensure it bears the drive assignment letter of G:.

6. Do what you will re the 1 TB HDD.
 
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drtweak

drtweak

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Sep 17, 2012
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Just install it. It will give its own drive letter. You can use a program like Macrium Reflect to clone it, or the many many file coping programs or just simply copy and paste in windows.

Then once done, remove the old drive, turn windows back up, and reassign the drive letter in Disk Management as rchris said. their is NO need to buy ANY other equipment or software for what you are doing (Except a SATA cables if you don't have an extra one)
 
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