Laptop SSD Upgrade Advice

[PistalPete]

I have a laptop with a single M.2 SSD slot. What is the easiest way to migrate to a larger SSD when only one SSD can be inserted in the laptop at one time? Is it possible to migrate the original SSD to a portable drive, remove the original SSD from the laptop, insert the new SSD in the laptop, and then finish the migration from the portable drive? What software would you recommend?

[zBahamas]

Use a free tool to clone your current SSD to the new one (https://www.easeus.com/backup-recovery/clone-ssd-to-larger-ssd.html)

Note: You will need an adapter  (SATA to USB cable or an external drive enclosure) to connect your new SSD externally to your system, Once you have completed the clone following the link's instructions, you can then swap out the current SSD with the new.

 

[Karlston]

@zBahamas is correct. That link should tell you all you need to know about cloning.

 

You do need to ensure that the M.2 SSD you buy is compatible with your laptop. Needs to match the laptop's M.2 interface (NVMe or SATA), and its keying, and not be longer than the laptop's M.2 slot maximum length.

 

Also need to ensure the enclosure matches those too.

 

I recently built a 1TB external USB drive from an M.2 SATA SSD and a compatible enclosure. I wanted an NVMe one, but read too many articles about the unreliability of the current USB-NVMe bridge chips.

[Arachnoid]

Some SSDs come with cloning software and/or a USB adaptor so that you can image the data before swapping out.

[PistalPete]

Quote

M.2 SATA SSD and a compatible enclosure

Ordered an enclosure today. Will see how it goes. Starting to lean towards just doing a fresh install rather than migrate the drive though.

[mehdibleu]

Or you can simply create an image system that you can save in an external usb disk using the image system tool which is integrated in windows.

Once the image system has been created and saved on the external usb disk, you disconnect the old SSD and you connect the new SSD then you will simply use the external usb disk to restore the image system in your new SSD.

 

This method is simple et does not require to buy anything.

 

I used this method when i bought a new SSD so i didn't need to buy anyhing and all went well.

 

[haris_sane69]

You should give a try to program called Macrium Reflect & for this purpose you'll need a working computer, a USB Flash Drive and a USB External Hard Drive.

 

Detailed Tutorial

Spoiler

https://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/macriumreflect7/

HAPPY COMPUTING

[afridij]

Did you succeed in this and if yes , do share your experience as I am also looking to upgrade

[coco_jambo]

Hi,

@afridij

 

i can recommend Acronis for this purpose.

What you will need:

- a USB Stick (i think 1gb+ is sufficient) => All Data on it will be erased! make sure to have a backup in case you need the files!

- a second external Harddrive to store the image on

- a Tool called rufus (to create a bootable USB stick with Acronis on it)

 

Important: Keep in mind that using your USB Stick for the purpose of creating a bootable USB stick will DELETE ALL DATA on the Stick! So make sure that you saved your files somewhere else in case you need them in the future!

 

Step 1:

Download and install rufus (or just use the portable version of it): 

Install version: https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/download/v3.13/rufus-3.13.exe

Portable: https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/download/v3.13/rufus-3.13p.exe

 

Step 2:

Download the Acronis ISO from: http://dl2.acronis.com/u/AcronisTrueImage2021.iso

 

Step 3:

Insert your USB stick

 

Step 4:

Open up rufus:

Under "Device" select your USB Stick

click "Select" -> select the Acronis ISO File

click "Start" (remember, all files will be deleted after starting) -> choose "Write in DD Image Mode" -> confirm with OK (twice)

After rufus finished your USB Stick is bootable containing the Acronis Software you will need to create an Image

 

Step 5:

Shut down your PC

Insert your prepared USB Stick containing the Acronis Software

Boot from this usb stick (usually you have to press f8 during startup to make a boot menu show up where you can select the usb stick)

 

Step 6:

Insert your external USB Harddrive to store the image on

Within Acronis use "Backup" => follow the wizard to create a backup image of your current drive

 

Step 7:

After the Acronis Image was created, shut down the PC, replace the old drive with the new one

 

Step 8:

Start your PC and boot from the USB stick containing Acronis again

Now select "Recover" -> choose your created image from your external Harddrive and follow the wizard for e.g. to choose the destination disk (in this case your new ssd)

 

Step 9:

After Acronis has finished recovering all files from the image, shut down the computer, remove all attached devices (i mean the USB Stick and the external harddrive) and start up the pc => it should boot up from your new Harddrive

 

if it does not, make sure to check the boot menu or boot order in bios (make sure the new drive is selected as first boot device)

 

I would love to hear from you whether it worked or not

If you have any questions, simply ask

 

 

 

 

 

[petruk]

Are you successful upgrading into a new SSD?
I have no M.2 SSD (NVMe and SATA)
I upgraded my 2.5 inch HDD to SSD using Migrate OS to SSD on EASEUS
SSD was put on enclosure for a clone
The new SSD must be clean because cloning done sector by sector
After successful cloning, release old HDD and replace with SSD
The old HDD can stored away with enclosure
On startup takes long for new SSD but if there no fails the subsequent startup will fast
For M.2 refers to your laptop's specification because not all M.2 slot support both NVMe and SATA

[afridij]

Thanks all for providing important updates on this. I will surely let you all know once i have my SSD ready.

[flyg]

+1 for Macrium reflect - its superb - I previously used Acronis over a few years - its good as well but were issues along the way, macrium reflect has just been excellent full stop.

[hpwamr]

On 3/13/2021 at 2:05 PM, coco_jambo said:

Hi,

@afridij

 

i can recommend Acronis for this purpose.

What you will need:

- a USB Stick (i think 1gb+ is sufficient) => All Data on it will be erased! make sure to have a backup in case you need the files!

- a second external Harddrive to store the image on

- a Tool called rufus (to create a bootable USB stick with Acronis on it)

 

Hello @coco_jambo,

 

Thank you for your detailed procedure with Acronis True Image.  

 

With it, I was able to swap 2 HDDs with two different OS without any loss of data.

• Win7 Sp1       from A (Large HDD) to B (Small HDD)
• Win10 20H2 from B (Small HDD) to A (Large HDD)

Have nice WE.

[PistalPete]

Quote

Once the image system has been created and saved on the external usb disk, you disconnect the old SSD and you connect the new SSD then you will simply use the external usb disk to restore the image system in your new SSD.

I bought an enclosure but cloning did not go smoothly. So in the end simply restored an image back up (Macrium) as suggested by mehdibleu (quote above). Also see tutorials posted in this thread.