Intel 320 160gb disk clone, partition issues, high pitch noise

Hi all,
I am writing to document some issues I had with data/os migration and partitions, mostly resolved, and an unresolved high pitch noise issue, with an intel 320 160gb ssd. Hopefully this will either a) save somebody else some headache or b) help me resolve the noise issue.

Background: migrating from single 500gb 7200 rpm seagate 2.5" drive in an asus n82jq laptop, i7-720qm.
Original 500gb drive: 3 partitions: 1 hidden restore partition 20gb, C: OS partition, 117gb, D: Data partition 320gb.
Goal: I only wanted one OS partition: the restore partition would only take up space and not be useful, and I didn't want a separate data partition.

if you are having Intel 320 issues, this might be useful. If you want to think about the high-pitch noise issue, skip to the end.

Disk clone / data and OS migration issues:
A fresh windows install was not an option, because I don't have install disks, and my windows license is OEM. thus, disk clone was the only option.
I connected the Intel SSD using a s-ata to 2xusb2.0 cable. the 1.0xusb3.0 connection would've also worked.
I started by using the recommended Intel data migration software, basically a chopped down free version of the Acronis software. First, the program wouldn't even boot, even with admin permissions. This might've been caused by corrupt download files, or the original HD size. Intel livechat recommended a third-party clone program, EZ Gig IV, running from both in-OS and bootable live CD, and in both cases, the software didn't recognize the SSD drive. EZGig4 was not useful.

I tried another third-party solution; Ease US or EaseUS toDo backup. This program was able to recognize/detect the ssd drive, and begin the clone process. EaseUS also allows editing of the size of partitions, however, it doesn't allow you to choose only one partition to copy. To acheive my goal of one partition, i had to delete the data partition on the original HDD to reduce the partitons copied to the SSd. The restore partition was still going to be cloned to the ssd.
After I copied/transferred all my HDD data to another external drive, and emptied the data drive down to 0gb, i used built-in windows admin disk partition program, to delete the empty data partition. Now, only 2 partitions, with a combined used volume of less than thee ssd volume of 160gb.

EaseUS Todo backup would initiate, and clone the restore partition to the ssd, but halfway through the OS partition clone, it would say, "failed to write sector", and exit the clone process. Ultimately EaseUS did not help me.
I then tried a manual process, from the command prompt as administrator, recommended by this link: , and then running clone programs, but the command prompt diskparted operations didn't change any results.
I also found "minitool partition wizard" which can also rebuild the mbr, and do partition operations, which is more useful than the built-in windows software. I would recommend it. However, I didn't use it ultimately.

Intel's Acronis software also has a custom mode. Every time I was trying to use the intel software, I would run in custom mode, because the automatic mode allocated 20gb to the hidden restore partition, which I didn't want: I wanted to maximize the OS partition size. Every time I ran in custom mode, the Intel software wouldn't start the clone process, and would exit with no error message.

Final success and work-around:
In a last ditch effort, I used the intel acronis software in automatic mode. None of the third party solutions worked, and all my attempts to specify my own partition sizes failed, but as soon as i clicked automatic, and GO, the clone process succeeded. My ssd was now bootable.

However, my one-partition goal was not acheived. the work-around:
I loaded (burn iso) Gparted open source software to bootable cd. Gparted basically runs a minimal version of linux with parted software. in gparted, I deleted the hidden restore issue, and expanded the OS partition to the maximum size, ~150 gb (out of physical 160). Gparted actually shifts all the data, and the boot files, to a new location, and then extends the end of the partition. Perhaps this program is designed with spinning HDD in mind, because i feel this step should be unneccessary in ssd. Ultimately, however, it worked. I got one OS partition, maximum size, and it booted!

Disapointment: windows boot- times, originally ~1:05, only dropped to ~0:45. perhaps, a 30%-50% increase. Not the 20 second boot times that i read about on newegg reviews.   After installing intel firmware update and ssd optimization toolbox, these times haven't changed much. Perhaps this is just a limitation of the Laptop platform. A fresh windows install was not an option, because I don't have install disks, and my windows license is OEM.

Program launch times are somewhat faster, but not instantanous. I still get the blue spinning wheel. lame! overall, the speed increase is noticible, but not the order of magnitude speed increase i was expecting.
I used a benchmark tool, CrystalDiskMark, and my read/write numbers seem to be up to spec. I'm not sure why my program launches and boot times aren't as fast as others are getting. Do i regret the purchase? no. Am I amazed by the performance increase, and migration hassle? No.


High pitch noise issue:
A definite, audible high pitch noise comes from the laptop, kind of near the center, whenever i run on battery. The noise is only when I run on Battery, and when I run on AC power, the noise disappears.
It doesn't make sense for the processor or the SSD drive to make noise, as they're both solid-state devices. The only possible culprit is probably a cooling fan. I had no problems physically installing the ssd in the 2.5" mount, but it does occupy a somewhat diference size, because it has a plastic spacer on the top (LxW) side of the drive.
The high pitch noise is super irritating, when i run on battery in a quiet (library) environment, which i do frequently.
If anyone else has experienced a high pitch noise with an ssd transfer, and has figured out how to resolve it, whether via bios change or something else, I would greatly appreciate it.


Anyway,
this just documents my laptop HDD to SSD migration. I hope someone finds it useful, especially the issues with partition management.
and definitlely, i would like some help on the noise issue.
Thanks,
hyongx