What's The Easiest Way to upgrade Windows 'C' Drive??


  1. Posts : 180
    Windows 10
       #1

    What's The Easiest Way to upgrade Windows 'C' Drive??


    I have a measly 500Gb SSD 'C' Drive (Desktop PC), which has W10 on it and other general stuff. It's getting full. I just purchased a new 1Tb SSD. What's the easiest most painless way of swapping out the OS onto this new larger SSD??

    I do have a backup of W10 current build on Macrium Reflect on an external HD. Would a fresh ISO installation of W10 be an option then updating the fresh new installation with my Macrium Relect backup bringing it fully up-to-date with my Drivers e.t.c.??

    Thanks.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #2

    Hi there

    @Runnerbean

    simply restore image to new bigger drive and then re-size the partition with a partition manager

    OR : partition new drive to partition sizes you want and then restore image to new drive

    Either are IMO equally good.

    No need to re-install unless you want to.

    You could even run the whole lot from existing Windows system (without having to use the stand alone bootable macrium recovery media) if you can restore to the SSD while it's attached to the computer -. If you need to swap the old SSD and the new one eventually though you can still connect the new SSD externally via a USB2 or USB3 -->SATA connector.

    Keep the old SSD for backups etc.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 180
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Hi Jimbo,..

    Thanks for your quick helpful reply.

    I just noticed that Macrium Reflect also gives the option to Clone any Drive and after just watching a YouTube video on how to do it just now it seems fairly similar to your explanation except I'll be cloning rather than restoring. I then go into Bios to change Boot order to the new SSD.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #4

    Runnerbean said:
    Hi Jimbo,..

    Thanks for your quick helpful reply.

    I just noticed that Macrium Reflect also gives the option to Clone any Drive and after just watching a YouTube video on how to do it just now it seems fairly similar to your explanation except I'll be cloning rather than restoring. I then go into Bios to change Boot order to the new SSD.
    Hi there
    @Runnerbean

    If you CLONE the drive of course it will only restore the original size HDD (SSD) -- I don't think that's actually what you want to do !!! I think you want the whole 1TB !!! --You've paid for it !!!!.

    latest version of Macrium might re-size but I'm not sure --Imaging 100% always works !!!!.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,218
    W10-Pro 22H2
       #5

    Having just used Reflect's clone option to clone a 500GB HDD to a 250GB SSD, I can confirm it coped gracefully with the (in my case) reduction in the destination size, so it may even offer you the option of extending one of the cloned partitions to use all available space. Try it and see!. You may be best off re-booting with the original drive disconnected (initially), to be sure the boot process isn't using it (this may only be an issue when restoring individual partitions, but I know I've been caught out by it).
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 180
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Ok,..It worked by using Macrium Reflect and it's Cloning option. I was able to move the partitions from the old drive to the new and was able to make use of the whole 1Tb Drive. This was so easy and painless using Macrium that I can hardly believe it. It's a simple drag and drop of the partitions and an extra click (can't remember on what now), in order to make use of the whole 1Tb Drive (previous drive was 500Gb), and I'm done. Took ten minutes.

    Old Drive now out of the system but will keep as a backup as an added bonus to my normal Macrium backups.

    Thanks guys for your helpful advice. Much appreciated.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,594
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    Macrium is great
      My Computers


 

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