SSD Choice Recommendation and Cloning to New SSD

1. Before we get to the "how-to" segment re a disk-cloning ("data migration") process and the selection of this or that new SSD, I'd be interested in understanding your basic objective(s) in terms of why you're contemplating these changes since it might impact on a specific response.

2. Since you're already utilizing a SSD presumably as your boot drive, is the current 111 GB of disk-space insufficient for your needs and that triggers your desire for a larger (500 GB) SSD to replace it? Or are you generally unhappy with the performance of the Micron SSD? Or both?

3. The other 500 GB SSD you would plan to purchase would simply be another drive addition to your system? It won't be replacing some other drive?

4. I've never worked with that Micron drive but have worked with a multitude of SSDs. Truth to be told there's precious little (if any real-life) performance difference between them. Having said that, we generally lean toward the Samsungs in our own PCs but it's probably because we're just "going along with the flow". No doubt either the Silicon Power or WD Blue SSDs would be satisfactory.

5. I guess what puzzles me is why you have a need for a multitude of drives along the lines of the disk-space capacities you already have and plan to add drives with the specific disk-space capacities you've indicated. Of course I can understand why you might want to replace your present small-capacity SSD boot drive with a larger 500 GB one.

6. As to the disk-cloning program I suppose the referenced video is accurate with respect to the Macrium program. We've found that program quite reliable although it's not the d-c program we generally work with. We nearly always use the Casper program which we prefer for its ease of use and operational speed. While we use it, of course, in situations similar to yours our chief use is using it for comprehensive backups of our systems on a frequent basis.

7. Casper is a commercial program costing $49.99, however there's a 30-day trial version you may wish to use to clone the contents of your present boot drive to one of the new 500 GB SSDs. I assume that's what you have in mind re a d-c operation, is it not?

8. I'll provide you with some instructions if you're so interested. You can download this version from https://www.fssdev.com/products/casper/trial/

1. After installing the program and before undertaking the disk-cloning operation close all open programs. (Generally you need not disable your anti-virus program). Ensure your destination drive - the proposed recipient of the clone, your SSD - is properly connected in the system.

2. The opening screen of the program will highlight "Create a Bootable Backup". Click on "Add drive" and a listing of the appropriate destination drive(s) will appear, i. e., your 500 GB SSD as well as all the other installed drives.

3. Click on your destination drive's listing, i.e., the SSD, and then the "Back up now" button.

4. Casper will run in the background and alert you when the disk-cloning operation is completed. (You can view the actual progress chart by clicking on the Casper icon in the Notification Area on the Taskbar.)

5. Following the (hopefully!) successful disk-cloning operation disconnect (when practicable) the source 120 GB SSD from the system and boot the system. While not usually critical, as a general proposition it's a good idea (whenever practicable) for the newly-cloned drive to be connected to the motherboard's first SATA data connector, usually designated SATA 0 or SATA 1. In your situation is you disconnect the source 120 GB SSD boot drive, you can connect the newly-cloned 500 GB SSD to that SATA connector (if practicable).
Also, check the system's BIOS/UEFI to ensure the cloned drive is now first in boot priority order.

7. Ordinarily Casper will utilize the entire disk-space of the 500 GB SSD destination drive to contain the data contents from the source drive. Unlike the commercial version of Casper the Trial Version does not permit manipulating the size of the partitions during the d-c operation. However, it's a simple Disk Management operation as you probably know to shrink the size of the created partition following the d-c operation to whatever size you desire as long as the partition size can accommodate the cloned contents of the source disk.

6. Work with the newly-cloned SSD for a while to determine it boots & properly functions before reinstalling the old boot drive (assuming you're planning to reinstall that 120 GB SSD to be used for some purpose or other). Don't rush it. Work with the newly-cloned SSD for a day or so to ensure it's properly booting & functioning.

Let us know how it goes, OK?