Want to install a 128GB SSD

I have a Kingston SSDNow V200 128 GB SATA III 6 GB/s 2.5-Inch SSD I was using on my old Dell Precision 370. I now have a new Lenovo IdeaCenter K450 running Windows 8 X64 and I want to install the SSD in it.

This is what the drives look like now:



I want to clone the 1st 4 partitions plus the C: partition. I can reduce the size of my existing C: so everything will fit on the 128GB SSD. Anything I need to watch out for? I would think that cloning the existing setup should work. I will connect the SSD to the lowest SATA port, where the 2TB drive is now and move the other two drives up by one SATA port.

I don't think you can Clone only some partitions. You Clone one disk to another disk. So then you'll need to delete the partitions you don't want to keep. Set up your partitions the way you'll want them on them on the SSD. You most likely will have driver issues trying to move a OS from a Dell to a Lenovo. My advice would be to Clean that SSD and clean install an OS, That will probably save you lots of time and aggravations.

The best way would be using the Recovery disk.

From the manual for Lenovo G480.

Lenovo said:

When the hard disk drive or solid state drive is replaced because of a failure, no
product recovery program is on the new drive. In this case, you must use the
Recovery Disc Set for the computer. Order the Recovery Disc Set and the drive at
the same time so that you can recover the new drive with the pre-installed
software when they arrive.

Click to expand...

I would recommend you making the OEM manufacturer's Recovery DVD's or USB drive.
How to make Lenovo Windows 8 Recovery DVD
Lenovo Solution Center shows CD/DVD recovery media for Microsoft Windows 8 - ThinkCentre, ThinkStation, ThinkPad, IdeaPad, IdeaCentre



or
You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from the OEM manufacturer's website.
You can Order Lenovo Recovery Disks from here:
Lenovo Support - Home (US)
Click on Parts & Accessories.

I have a Kingston SSDNow V200 128 GB SATA III 6 GB/s 2.5-Inch SSD I was using on my old Dell Precision 370. I now have a new Lenovo IdeaCenter K450 running Windows 8 X64 and I want to install the SSD in it.

Click to expand...

I want to clone the 1st 4 partitions plus the C: partition. I can reduce the size of my existing C: so everything will fit on the 128GB SSD. Anything I need to watch out for? I would think that cloning the existing setup should work. I will connect the SSD to the lowest SATA port, where the 2TB drive is now and move the other two drives up by one SATA port.

Click to expand...

The only problem with that is; you have two completely different systems with different hardware configurations along with different drivers installed. This could create a real problem with system stability later on. If this were me, I would install the SSD in the new system, do a quick format, then clean install your desired OS on the SSD.

That could be a bit tricky. I would suggest software specially for the purpose. Paragon will do it. I don't think the trial versions will work for that, you may need to buy one. Version 14 is just out on 27 dec PARAGON Software Group - partition manager, drive backup, hard disk partitioning

Hmmm, what about backup and restore? Backup the 4 partitions + C: then restore to the SSD? I'm trying to avoid doing a new, clean install if possible. Plus this gives me a chance to play with stuff to see what happens.

The Lenovo is the first UEFI/GPT system I've owned so this should be interesting and gives me a good chance to learn.

I bought laptop with 1TB HDD.
Added 256GB SSD (it does not matter what port . See below)
Cloned HDD to SSD
to make SSD boot device you need to change UUID. This is not a problem if you just install new OS on added disk, but when you clone one disk to another, UUID will not change so Windows will continue to boot from old disk (in old times one could manipulate jumpers but no such things in modern times).
To change UUID temporary remove old HDD and boot from SSD. Shut down computer and add HDD. Now when you will boot system will select SSD as OS disk and boot from added device.

Remember that you need minimum 10% of free space left on SSD or disk cause problems.
Make sure that in BIOS you set AHCI.
Make sure that added SSD is not using MS AHCI though (Device Manager). If needed replace with Intel or AMD whatever mobo you have.
Make sure that MS Defragger is set for trimming SSD not defragging (should be set automatically)

There are few things that could be beneficial for SSD endurance but these are quite obvious.

That is all. Whole operation will take 30min max. No need for anything in addition to cloning software and screwdriver.

And no, no problems whatsoever. This is too simple to screw things up.

Nothing is too simple to screw up. If you knew me you would not make that statement

These were words of encouragement.
This is very simple process. I would not make simple to overly complicated. However there are ways to make this several hours procedure with unknown result that you can still claim success if succeeded.

Michal, I understood your words of encouragement. I was making a joke (or trying to), sorry.

Points:

I want UEFI, not AHCI.
I want GPT, not MBR.

My idea about backup and restore does not work correctly. Got pretty close but it hung on a black screen after the blue Loading Windows screen.

Not having any luck using the Windows 8 Recovery flash drive I created eitehr. It keeps saying Missing a require (or critical?) partition. I'll play with this some more tomorrow.

Ztruker said:

Hmmm, what about backup and restore? Backup the 4 partitions + C: then restore to the SSD? I'm trying to avoid doing a new, clean install if possible. Plus this gives me a chance to play with stuff to see what happens.

The Lenovo is the first UEFI/GPT system I've owned so this should be interesting and gives me a good chance to learn.

Click to expand...

The Free version of Macrium Reflect Will Clone to different hardware, will Image and restore with out issues. Reflect understands your UEFI GPT Drive and how to restore it or Clone it. They call restoring a 750GB Hard drive to a 256 GB SSD a redeployment and will adjust your partitions perfectly as long as you don't have more data than what will fit on the SSD.

I don't want to clone the entire disk, no way it will fit. I want to clone the EFI/GPT partitions, MBR and C: drive. I also have D:, E: and F: partitions on that drive which have another 400GB of stuff on them.

My concern now is the Windows 8 Recovery Flash drive I created does not work. I need to contact Lenovo and see how it's supposed to work.

not sure what UEFI hast to do with AHCI?

and GPT

as you can see system is using UEFI/GPT still AHCI is set and OS was cloned. You can use DriveImage XML, EASEUS Disk Copy or Acronis TrueImage can clone partition (make partition image restore to a new SSD). I did not clone windows partition only to another OS System disk though.

Clone wants to do the entire disk, which in my case is a 2TB drive with 4 primary partition. See my 1st post:

http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/38237-want-install-128gb-ssd.html#post324625

I don't think any cloning program will allow me to clone partitions rather than the entire disk, which is what I really need to do.

I could move all the data from D:, E: and F: to G:, H: and I: then delete D: E: F:. Then a disk clone would fit on the 128GB SSD. Something to think about.

Ztruker said:

I don't want to clone the entire disk, no way it will fit. I want to clone the EFI/GPT partitions, MBR and C: drive. I also have D:, E: and F: partitions on that drive which have another 400GB of stuff on them.

My concern now is the Windows 8 Recovery Flash drive I created does not work. I need to contact Lenovo and see how it's supposed to work.

Click to expand...

Your causing yourself a lot of aggravations. Simply move your data to another drive external drive, Cloud etc. These files are not going to be on your new SSD regardless so move them now. Once your down to what your going to have on your SSD then Clone. Otherwise just Clean Install. Even if you succeed in copying the partitions that you want to, you'll more likely end up with corrupted files anyway The boot files need to be created on your SSD, There are only a couple of Imaging, cloning programs that can accomplish this in a UEFI GPT system. I only know of Macrium Reflect, others on here are having success Paragon I can not speak for that program as to success or cost. Reflect free addition will Clone or Image successfully UEFI GPT.

For Clarity cloning is directly copying your hard drive to your SSD. Imaging would be creating an Image of your Hard drive and restoring it to your SSD, two very different operations
With either method partitions can or will be adjusted to fit as long as there is not to much data in a partition to be size down.

Ztruker said:

Clone wants to do the entire disk, which in my case is a 2TB drive with 4 primary partition. See my 1st post:

http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/38237-want-install-128gb-ssd.html#post324625

I don't think any cloning program will allow me to clone partitions rather than the entire disk, which is what I really need to do.

I could move all the data from D:, E: and F: to G:, H: and I: then delete D: E: F:. Then a disk clone would fit on the 128GB SSD. Something to think about.

Click to expand...

Yep that is what I would do, except that I would Clean install the OS and only very basic "Need to Be" programs to the SSD. On a 128 GB SSD I would only have AV AM(security) and OS, and maybe any other program that will only install to the C:\ all other programs would be installed to my fastest secondary hard drive. And Data to my 3rd less fast hard drive if I had one.

I am not going to insist. However I would suggest more reading:
UEFI has nothing to do with AHCI
cloning partition to different disk is possible ...only if instead of arguing just go to the sources and ask.

Restore an image of Windows operating system to dissimilar hardware (RAID controllers).
Deploy the same operating system on many computers.

Click to expand...

Whole text describes how to restore single partition (taken from web site of image disk/partition cloning software)

You guys probably know better so no arguing

Michal said:

I am not going to insist. However I would suggest more reading:
UEFI has nothing to do with AHCI
cloning partition to different disk is possible ...only if instead of arguing just go to the sources and ask.

Restore an image of Windows operating system to dissimilar hardware (RAID controllers).
Deploy the same operating system on many computers.

Click to expand...

Whole text describes how to restore single partition (taken from web site of image disk/partition cloning software)

You guys probably know better so no arguing

Click to expand...

No Argument RAID is a different animal, With UEFI GPT You can clone a OS Partition to dissimilar hardware. It just won't boot. As the boot manager is on a different partition and installed to boot that OS on that SSD. I have never tried but I understand the EFI partition can be created. But why would you bother when either a clean install or Disk Clone or image Created can be restored with compatible software. Acronis assured us that they supported UEFI GPT and dynamic Disk. However up to and through version 2014 they are not able to restore an UEFI GPT disk and have it bootable. They can restore a OS Partition to a disk/ssd that only needs the OS partition refreshed UEFI GPT already set up previously. Macruim Reflect support Dynamic Disk only with the Server version of Reflect. There free, standard, and pro version all fully support UEFI GPT. A disk Image created can be restored, or restored to Dissimilar hardware ie SSD and it will boot. I am running Acronis 2014 on 3 WS Since 2010 and Reflect on 1 NB since 2013 this has been my experience. I'm leaning towards moving my local back up schemes toward Reflect. Two of my WS are still MBR so it doesn't matter. And the all in one touch screen has no critical information

RAID was an example how different new hardware setup can be. If cloning partition only just run os repair to restore boot.

I posted above pictures after cloning os to new added ssd with uefi/gpt working. This took 15min: shoot down laptop, unscrew cover install ssd, boot up laptop, clone os (time depends on amount of data to be cloned), shutdown laptop, remove hdd, boot up laptop from ssd, shut down laptop, install back hdd, install cover, boot up laptop from ssd with uefi/gpt.
Why would I bother with fresh install if os settings are tweaked already and will be kept after cloning.

Pheeww ... finally got it. It was not simple or straight forward, at least not with Acronis TI 2013.

First, did a full backup of EFI/GPT/Recovery partitions plus C:, D: and E: (Disk 1), nothing on F:
Deleted D: and E: leaving EFI/GPT/Recovery partitions plus C:
Shutdown and installed the 128GB SSD on SATA port 3 (Disk 3)
Booted up and used diskpart to clean the SSD
Started Acronis and used it's Add disk feature to set the SSD up as a GPT drive.
Cloned Disk 1 to Disk 3
Acronis setup then restarted and the clone operation ran on reboot. Took about 15 minutes.
Shutdown then swapped SATA ports so 128GB SSD is port 1, 2TB drive is port 2, 1.5TB drive is port 3 and CD/DVD is port 4.

Booted up and voila`, it booted up from the 128GB SSD.
Used diskpart to clean the 2TB drive, setup a D:, E: and F: partition and am now restoring D: and E:. There was noting on F: to start with.

Should be a piece of cake when I upgrade to a 256GB SSD in a little while.