Cloning Win8.1 HDD to Smaller SSD w/Macrium

[RVan]

I may have erred here so, if these needs to moved please do so. My sister gave us her unused Acer Aspire V5 for our son. It features Win8.1, Core i3 and ~450 GB conventional HDD. System performance is slow so, I wanted to install a 256 GB Samsung 840 Pro. Macrium is not happy in that despite the fact that the OE HDD is not full, the OS has done something with it. As a result, I have been unable to perform the clone.

Any ideas? I should add this is a touch screen laptop.

Edit - I am in the process of downloading the Win8.1 Pro *.iso file from MS according to the tutorial as an alternative means to my dilemma.

Macrium screen shot...

 

[KYHI]

it appears that this PC has been upgraded to a newer OS - then what came with the PC...
Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 ? or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 ??
As I see 2 additional Partitions (#5 and #6)

We could use the existing recovery Partition #7 - to reset the PC Back to Factory OEM (OS and Settings)

Or you could do a Clean Reinstallation of Windows 8.1 or even Windows 10 on the New SSD..

My suggestion would be to Remove The SSD - upgrade the current HDD and OS to windows 10
and let that get a digital activation license for windows 10..

After which > you will remove the HDD and reinstall the SSD and then do a New Installation of Windows 10

This will give you the correct and proper installation of windows 10 including the proper partitions and partition sizes for the size of the SSD..

Any additional files needs from the Current HDD can be then copied over into the New OS

 

[KYHI]

Additionally - since this is a touch Screen > there is one partition (#7) on the current HDD that I would like to protect...
So not looking to format or remove any partitions from the HDD, yet.

 

[RVan]

KYHI - Thank you for your response. Additional input from me follows.

SSD (Samsung 840 Pro) successfully integrated into Acer Aspire V5 w/Core i3. Running Win8.1 presently.

I can make no useful statements regarding updates to OS on this laptop in view of our limited experience with it (...since Dec. 2016?). Note the Hitachi HDD remains available and is populated as before the clone if I need to reach for it to improve our position with the laptop, OS, etc.

I was able to navigate Macrium to begin the clone. Several times in fact yet, it aborted each time. Their documentation was not useful and since I was using the free addition I found myself unable to register for their forum. I found this position to be BS so, the reason for the aborted clone made my evening worse. Fortunately, I found the shipping box for the Samsung and installed their data migration software (v1.?) and it asked if I wanted to upgrade the software immediately. I declined because, I thought retaining SSD/software vintage might be useful. Samsung data migration also failed. However, at a similar time frame. This is shortly after the clone began as was the case with Macrium yet, gave me additional information indicating a format issue occurred. Samsung is one up on Macrium at this point. I then opted to install the update (v3.?) for Samsung's Data Migration. This permitted the clone to occur without incident in under 20 minutes.

I am not thrilled with my experience with Win10 but, will remain open to listen to your perspective on this OS. I will request substantiation though so, provide any references you think are useful for me to read in addition to points you want to emphasize yourself. I really wish I could try Ubuntu Touch but, this project changed direction.