New SSD Q's

[msommers]

My SSD on my computer is getting surprisingly full, especially becuase I should just be using it for a boot drive + Adobe software. Nevertheless, I'm think about moving to something bigger. The problem is I don't want ot have to reinstall everything like the OS software, the drivers, Adobe etc etc.

I'm not super tech savy so hear me out. Is there a way I can copy everything on my boot disk to a new SSD, change the new SSD to the C: and take out the old one or assign it a different letter? Or if I get a new boot disk am I forced to reinstall everything from scratch?

[revelations]

do you have a regular mechanical drive for storage in conjunction with the SSD?

I run a 64GB Crucial an I do keep a close eye on the space. Windows HIBERNATE and PAGE files should not be kept on an SSD for eg as that can eat up space fast. Also, use CCLEANER and cleanout any old files from your system. I removed 2GB last night off the SSD for eg.

[jacky4566]

just clone the boot partition (your main SSD) to a new drive then expand the partition to maximize the drive. Easy.

A program like macrium reflect will do this.

[DeeK]

Yes, there is two possible ways.


You can transfer data between any drive to any drive using this intel software. It requires that you have at least 1 intel SSD in your system even if it's not the drive being transfered to or from.
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There is another product, for some reason I can't seem to find it online. But it is simply a block that plugs into the wall with Sata/power connectors on each side. You hook up the two drives you are transferring to and from on their respective sides, and you press the copy button on the block and it simply makes a duplicate of the data on the first drive. I can't verify how well this works as I've never used one, but I do know they exist. I'll keep looking.

[msommers]

Great suggestions, thanks guys.

[DeeK]

Found the second thing I was talking about.... Again, I can't verify how well or if they work at all. But they are available.


http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX28856

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX33150

[jacky4566]

Why buy hardware when you can do this with software free? i get it makes it easier but its really not that hard to do.

[DeeK]

Originally posted by jacky4566
Why buy hardware when you can do this with software free? i get it makes it easier but its really not that hard to do.

Convenience factor, and it's WAY easier to hook em both into a stand and press a button than to go through the software. Not to mention if you are doing this often, or have a bunch of drives.

For one drive, software is probably better way to go, and saves money.

[eblend]

Get a hirens boot disk (version <10) and it has norton ghost. Hook up both drive, power on, go to ghost and ghost one drive over to the other, done, just did this like 1 hour ago, but have been doing it forever this way as well.

[megavolt]

I always just take a windows system image backup to my data drive and then run the recovery disk. Then when it boots back up on the new drive I expand to use the full bigger drive.

[msommers]

A follow up to this, my storage drive is getting pretty full and I picked up a couple 2TB drives which hopefully should last awhile. Currently I have a 1TB drive that has all my music, photos and programs (aside from Adobe stuff). I'm assuming that I can just format the new drive, copy/paste everything from F: to G: so they're the same, pull out the 1TB F: and rename G: to F: so all the paths remain in tack. Is this correct?

Also, does the disk management formating completely erase everything from the drive? The 1TB drive I want to sell and be assured there isn't any way to get stuff off of it. Or if I need a program, which would do this?

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by msommers
A follow up to this, my storage drive is getting pretty full and I picked up a couple 2TB drives which hopefully should last awhile. Currently I have a 1TB drive that has all my music, photos and programs (aside from Adobe stuff). I'm assuming that I can just format the new drive, copy/paste everything from F: to G: so they're the same, pull out the 1TB F: and rename G: to F: so all the paths remain in tack. Is this correct?
That should work for most.... others might be picky about the path...

Originally posted by msommers
Also, does the disk management formating completely erase everything from the drive? The 1TB drive I want to sell and be assured there isn't any way to get stuff off of it. Or if I need a program, which would do this?
If you have a WD drive use their "Data Lifeguard" tool to write zeros to the drive.

If you have Seagate drive you can use "SeaTools for Windows" in the advance menu there's a "Full Erase" option.

Both should also clear the MBR (I believe) it will take a few hours for both to complete.

Also as eblend suggested get a hirens boot disk, it should have some utilities as well or you could also Google for other free programs (I can't remember any right now).