New SSD - Cloning

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shakinbacon34

Aug 15, 2018
2
0
10
Hey all!

So I currently have 2 storage disks installed. Listed below

1tb SSD - about 700gb being used (450gb in steam games)

4tb HDD - lotsa space free

I just got a 256gb nvme m.2 SSD and I would like to clone my OS and some other stuff that is currently on my 1tb SSD over to my new drive. However, I have read that you can't really pick and choose what gets cloned, so I have to get my 1tb SSD below 256gb.

My question is, can I simply drag my steam folder in file explorer from my 1tb SSD to my 4tb HDD. Then clone my SSD to the m.2 drive. After that's complete, drag my steam folder back onto my 1tb SSD?

Thanks for the help!
 
Solution
USAFRet
Steam locations. Yes, you can (mostly) just move your Steam folder to a different drive.

To clone into that 256GB drive, you need the actual consumed space to be below 200GB, (not 256GB)

So...
You move the SteamApps off to the 4TB drive.
Do the clone operation.
Then move the SteamApps folder back to the 1TB.
You will have to tell the Steam client on the new SSD where that Steam Apps folder is. That drive will have a different drive letter than what the cloned Steam client thinks.

Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder
q24sFfe.png




For the actual cloning operation:
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:...
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Steam locations. Yes, you can (mostly) just move your Steam folder to a different drive.

To clone into that 256GB drive, you need the actual consumed space to be below 200GB, (not 256GB)

So...
You move the SteamApps off to the 4TB drive.
Do the clone operation.
Then move the SteamApps folder back to the 1TB.
You will have to tell the Steam client on the new SSD where that Steam Apps folder is. That drive will have a different drive letter than what the cloned Steam client thinks.

Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder
q24sFfe.png




For the actual cloning operation:
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------
 
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Solution
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shakinbacon34

Aug 15, 2018
2
0
10
Thanks for the quick response! I'll try that in a bit

I also have a large external drive. Would it be a good idea to copy everything on my current SSD to it as a backup in case anything goes wrong? Or is that not necessary?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
171,456
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184,590


Anything you can't bear to lose should exist on a different drive and offline while you do this.
Just in case.
 
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