Solved How to Migrate OS to new Hard disk.

[SIW2]

Do I need to make a recovery backup using ASUS Backtrack? Or can I be safe just with the backup that I've already made?

If you restore from the recovery drive you made from the oem recovery partition , it will be back at the moment that recovery image was created by the oem, probably back to factory condition.

I think backtracker may be able to make an image of your system as it is now.

Most of us use 3rd party imaging programs, Aomei Backupper, paragon backup and recovery, macrium, etc. They all do free versions.

They are far better than any of the oem solutions I have seen , though I haven't looked at backtracker.

 

[Davi]

If you restore from the recovery drive you made from the oem recovery partition , it will be back at the moment that recovery image was created by the oem, probably back to factory condition.

Thanks!!! And how about my other question? Can I use this usb recovery drive that I've made to perform a clean install of Windows 8.1 in my new ssd?

 

[Clintlgm]

If you restore from the recovery drive you made from the oem recovery partition , it will be back at the moment that recovery image was created by the oem, probably back to factory condition.

Thanks!!! And how about my other question? Can I use this usb recovery drive that I've made to perform a clean install of Windows 8.1 in my new ssd?

If I understand what you are saying, the recovery drive you made is only going to reinstall the factory image Bloat and all.


About Asus Backtracker it basically just copies the recovery partition and creates a bootable USB thumb Drive I don't think it will work on non Asus recovery partitions? It will recover to different hardware as in a SSD that is smaller than the original Hard Drive.

Make no mistake Backtracker just returns your hard drive/SSD to factory shipped condition. Its good to have if your upgrading to a SSD or you have a hard drive crash but it the same as any other factory Recovery Disk bloat and all.

To do a clean install you need an Win 8.1 DVD or ISO

 

[fpopic]

hi guys, I have Windows 8.1 Pro on my HDD which is 240gb and it has 120gb C: Windows partition and now I bought 120gb SSD and i want to migrate my C: windows partition to SSD drive and after it's done I want to use hdd and ssd like i used before.

I downloaded free 30days Paragon Backup and Recovery™ 14 Home but it's different start page so anybody could tutor me how to do that ?

Before
HDD 240gb (C: 120gb windows , D: 119gb other, Z: 1gb boot partition)

After
HDD 240gb (other D:, boot Z: )
SSD 120gb (windows C: )

I have only 8GB USB Flash drive for backup.

 

[Clintlgm]

hi guys, I have Windows 8.1 Pro on my HDD which is 240gb and it has 120gb C: Windows partition and now I bought 120gb SSD and i want to migrate my C: windows partition to SSD drive and after it's done I want to use hdd and ssd like i used before.

I downloaded free 30days Paragon Backup and Recovery™ 14 Home but it's different start page so anybody could tutor me how to do that ?




Before
HDD 240gb (C: 120gb windows , D: 119gb other, Z: 1gb boot partition)

After
HDD 240gb (other D:, boot Z: )
SSD 120gb (windows C: )

I have only 8GB USB Flash drive for backup.

BACK UP ALL YOUR DATA FIRST, FAILURE TO DO THIS COULD CAUSE YOU TO LOSE YOUR DATA. IT WILL NOt BE RECOVERABE

Ok first you can't move C:\ you will have to move the data you have in D:\ to an external drive. Then delete D:\
Ok so now you have C:\ and your boot sector partitions etc. Don't remove any partitions except D:

I don't know how Paragon works!! I use Macrium Reflect Free edition. so you'll want to clone your Hard Drive to your SSD, do not try to clone partitions, clone the hard drive to the SSD. After the Clone is complete shut down and remove your hard drive and move your SSD to the 0 slot that your hard drive was in.
Boot up if all looks good. Put your Hard drive into a SATA to USB adapter or external hard drive case after your booted up connect your external hard drive VIA USB and format it. Even better would be to open a elevated command prompt and use Disk Part to Clean and convert to either GPT or MBR which ever your system is.

diskpart
list disk
select your hard drive # that you want to clean
clean
convert MBR or GPT, your choice what ever your system is set up for. Since it is only a data drive you can change it between GPT and MBR. MBR will work with a GPT system, GPT will work with a MBR system as long as it is only a DATA Drive

 

[fpopic]

Can I boot into some linux(gparted) to wipe old C: on hdd because I don't have sata to usb ?

 

[Clintlgm]

Can I boot into some linux(gparted) to wipe old C: on hdd because I don't have sata to usb ?

Sure you can, I was showing you the easy way. You can just boot with the old hard drive in the 2nd slot, just be careful when you boot up that your are booting to the new SSD and not the old hard drive. I was just trying to save you some aggravation. Use what ever F Key brings up a boot menu and select you new SSD. Then just use diskpart to Clean and convert and format your old hard drive

1.Type in the search window CMD
2.Right Click the cmd.exe link and select "run as administrator"
3.Type Diskpart, press Enter
4.Type List Disk , press Enter
5.Type Select Disk # (where # is the number your drive shows up as), press Enter
6.Type Clean, press Enter
7.Type Convert GPT, or MBR press Enter
8.Type Format NTFS
9.Type Exit, press Enter.

 

[vrosa]

Hi Theog,

Sorry but I don't understand why you gave a link to "how to download Windows 8 ISO" since my laptop comes with preinstalled Windows 8. Sorry...but what you were trying to show to me again?

In order to create a recovery media you'll need to have a Windows 8 installation DVD.

~edit~

Ops... I replied to an older post

 

[Davi]

Hi Theog,

Sorry but I don't understand why you gave a link to "how to download Windows 8 ISO" since my laptop comes with preinstalled Windows 8. Sorry...but what you were trying to show to me again?

In order to create a recovery media you'll need to have a Windows 8 installation DVD.

~edit~

Ops... I replied to an older post

I've made a recovery usb driver without needing a Windows 8 DVD. Just tipe windows key + R, and run this command line: RecoveryDrive.exe

If you have enough space in you pendrive, you can even copy your whole recovery partition. Learn more here: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

 

[theog]

I've made a recovery usb driver without needing a Windows 8 DVD. Just tipe windows key + R, and run this command line: RecoveryDrive.exe

If you have enough space in you pendrive, you can even copy your whole recovery partition. Learn more here: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

Welcome to EightForums

Have you made the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD. (Windows 8 only)
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2855-system-repair-disc-create-windows-8-a.html (Windows 8 only)
​

I would recommend you making the OEM manufacturer's Recovery DVD's or USB drive.
or
You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from the OEM manufacturer's website.

 

[Davi]

UPDATE: Looks like I spoke too soon. Although Paragon seems to have cloned the working portion of the original hard disk the recovery partition seems to be missing on the new SSD. Both Asus' Backtracker program (used to back up the recovery partition to a flash drive) and the Windows 8.1 Recovery Drive utility report that there is no recovery partition on the SSD. NICE JOB PARAGON!!!

I've just finished migrating my whole HDD content to my new 500GB Samsung EVO 840 SSD using the Paragon Backup & Recovery 14 Home software (30 day evaluation version), and EVERYTHING, including the recovery partition, was correctly cloned and is completely functional. The only change that I've made on Theog's tutorial was checking the "Create new EFI boot entry for destination drive" checkbox, under "copy Options", since I have a 64-bit Windows 8.1 version, configurated to de uEFI boot mode.

I'm sorry that something went wrog for you, redbeard... Unfortunately, I have no idea about how to help you fix this...

 

[Davi]

I've made a recovery usb driver without needing a Windows 8 DVD. Just tipe windows key + R, and run this command line: RecoveryDrive.exe

If you have enough space in you pendrive, you can even copy your whole recovery partition. Learn more here: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

Welcome to EightForums

Have you made the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD. (Windows 8 only)
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2855-system-repair-disc-create-windows-8-a.html (Windows 8 only)
​

I would recommend you making the OEM manufacturer's Recovery DVD's or USB drive.
or
You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from the OEM manufacturer's website.

I think I didn't understand your question... I've just said that I've made a recovery drive and that I've used the same tutorial that you posted. Did I do something wrong?

 

[theog]

Do you have the OEM tools?

If you no OEM tools, you can not Recover to a clean HHD or SSD.

 

[Davi]

Do you have the OEM tools?

If you no OEM tools, you can not Recover to a clean HHD or SSD.

I've just tried to boot from my usb recovery drive, just to check if I have the OEM tools. Guess what? I don't! And worse: it seems that booting from the usb recovery drive caused some kind of data corruption on the boot EFI section of my new SSD... And now I'm stuck in a bootloop, where my SSD can't be read and my recovery drive is useless...

At least I still have my old HDD and, after putting it back inside my laptop, I've got a normal boot. So, it looks like I'll have to do the whole migration process again... Damn!

 

[fpopic]

hi guys, I have Windows 8.1 Pro on my HDD which is 240gb and it has 120gb C: Windows partition and now I bought 120gb SSD and i want to migrate my C: windows partition to SSD drive and after it's done I want to use hdd and ssd like i used before.

I downloaded free 30days Paragon Backup and Recovery™ 14 Home but it's different start page so anybody could tutor me how to do that ?




Before
HDD 240gb (C: 120gb windows , D: 119gb other, Z: 1gb boot partition)

After
HDD 240gb (other D:, boot Z: )
SSD 120gb (windows C: )

I have only 8GB USB Flash drive for backup.

BACK UP ALL YOUR DATA FIRST, FAILURE TO DO THIS COULD CAUSE YOU TO LOSE YOUR DATA. IT WILL NOt BE RECOVERABE

Ok first you can't move C:\ you will have to move the data you have in D:\ to an external drive. Then delete D:\
Ok so now you have C:\ and your boot sector partitions etc. Don't remove any partitions except D:

I don't know how Paragon works!! I use Macrium Reflect Free edition. so you'll want to clone your Hard Drive to your SSD, do not try to clone partitions, clone the hard drive to the SSD. After the Clone is complete shut down and remove your hard drive and move your SSD to the 0 slot that your hard drive was in.
Boot up if all looks good. Put your Hard drive into a SATA to USB adapter or external hard drive case after your booted up connect your external hard drive VIA USB and format it. Even better would be to open a elevated command prompt and use Disk Part to Clean and convert to either GPT or MBR which ever your system is.

diskpart
list disk
select your hard drive # that you want to clean
clean
convert MBR or GPT, your choice what ever your system is set up for. Since it is only a data drive you can change it between GPT and MBR. MBR will work with a GPT system, GPT will work with a MBR system as long as it is only a DATA Drive

It's not booting from SSD (with or without HDD) I did what you told me (I left C: and Z: drive only and other partitions were deleted and have been transformed as unallocated space and then i cloned disk with macrium reflect) when i restarted PC and changed SATA positions of drives i went to BIOS and i boot from SSD and i got black screen with underscore blinking and nothing was happening.



I SOLVED MY PROBLEM

Just put Windows 8.1 installation disc (usb) and restarted PC and choose Repair PC (left bottom) -> Advanced options -> Startup fix

 

[vudeshie]

Hi Theog,
You seem to be THE expert on this subject... I am having difficulties... and would like your help.. TIA..

My PC specs... I have a Lenovo G510 (OEM Windows 8.1 UEFI firmware), created a recovery disk (does not create the OEM section for some reason only advanced tools)... have an an ADATA 120GB SSD in an external caddy which is now located in the optical drive.. downloaded paragon 14 and ran the software to clone the OS successfully
Screen shots from Disk Mgmt and my computer are attached. As you can see its booting from the OS on C rather than E



For some reason the PC will not boot from the SSD but only from the HDD.... I have tried all the settings in the firmware (legacy with other OS) but it does not somehow boot from the SSD.
After I did a clone using the paragon software it gave me an error that a file was not found called C:\winstall.efi(?) and gave me an option to use another OS... I accepted and it went to a blue screen with 2 windows 8.1 OS version (volume 12 and volume 5). only boots from volume 5. In the firmware I only get the HDD in the windows boot manager. I also ran bcdboot as suggested by someone on an earlier post...but it did not really solve my problem.

Question: do I have to switch the physical positions of the HDD and SSD.. to get this to boot? Hope not!
LENOVO is of no use - although the PC is new as they say the issue is software related and warranty is only on Hardware.. would really like to use the SSD as i was using the same SSD on my previous machine and its blazing fast..

I also installed the recovery disk and tried to do a startup repair as per prior post solution but that does not work....

Thanks again in advance for your help... and to any one else who can help me getting this SSD booting

 

[popeye]

Try this, last post: http://www.eightforums.com/general-support/53328-moving-fixing-mbr.html

EDIT: The download link seems to be broken. I did find it on Softpedia: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/EasyBCD.shtml
Scanned clean for virus.

 

[theog]

@ vudesie

Why did you stop at step 10?

11) Remove old HDD & replace with New HDD.

 

[vudeshie]

@Theog
Was trying to figure out a way to do this through the boot system rather than physically swapping drives.... I tried this once before (i.e. swapping drives using another clone software EaseUS) and got a DISK ERROR and had to then reformat the SSD.. and swap back the HDD...
@ Popeye.
Tried the download. It says that E: (the drive on the SSD with the cloned windows) gives the following error....

 

[theog]

@Theog
Was trying to figure out a way to do this through the boot system rather than physically swapping drives.... I tried this once before (i.e. swapping drives using another clone software EaseUS) and got a DISK ERROR and had to then reformat the SSD.. and swap back the HDD...

Remove the HDD & replace with SSD.


Yes, we know about EaseUS NOT working with Windows 8/8,1