HDD to SSD clone via SATA?

[mrbothered]

Hi all,
I am about to get a samsung 840 pro 250Gb SSD, it's in the post. My current C drive is an 'old' mechanical 250Gb on SATA2. When I come to use Samsungs software to 'clone' my C drive to the SSD, do I have to do it via USB? I have 2 SATA3 ports free, why can I not just plug the SSD in there? I ask because I cannot find the answer anywhere and the few things I've read say plug it into USB. I don't want to spend £15 for a converter I will use once when I have SATA3 free.
Thank you.

 

[_Cosmin_]

First of all... do not clone windows installed onto SSD. It is better to do a fresh install on it.
Second if samsungs software wont recognize the drive unless conected to USB... try Acronis or Norton Ghost or Clonezilla for cloning directly with S-ata ports.

 

[mrbothered]

My windows install is only a couple of weeks old, does that make a differance?
I don't know if Samsungs software will recognise the drive, that is my question really. The few things I've seen on the web always say use USB but to my mind it shouldn't matter if I do it through SATA3?, just want to make sure before I start.

 

[mrbothered]

Help please guys. I know these seem like noobie questions but although I have built quite a few PCs I have no experiance with SSD.

 

[_Cosmin_]

It does make a difference, i mean windows will work but there are some things different on SSD drives...which must be done manually if you wont do a clean install. Go research (must enable AHCI and TRIM, disable INDEXER and DEFRAG, etc). Failing to do so will result in lower life for that SSD! The port does not matter.. can be usb/sata.

 

[mrbothered]

Thanks Cosmin. When it arrived the instructions showed fitting in a PC via Sata, laptops use the sata to USB converter. It was just that everything I found before it arrived said to use the USB converter and I couldn't see why I couldn't use Sata, obvious really but I wanted to make sure. AHCI and TRIM are enabled, defrag ect disabled. Windows performance give the drive 7.9, boots in 12 seconds. Brilliant. Thanks again.