From 250GB SSD to 500GB SSD (internal) How to transfer data?

First, if this is not in the correct place, will a moderator please move it, and let me know.

Windows 10 version 1909 see profile for system specs

I currently have a 250GB SAMSUNG SSD M.2 970 EVO NVMe PC|-Express 3.0 x4 installed, and have purchased this:

Samsung (MZ-V7E500BW) 970 EVO SSD 500GB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology.

The new drive will go in to the same slot as the old one.

Is there a way to transfer the files from the current drive to the new one? I have a system image of my PC saved on an external drive. Can I just use that to transfer everything? Or do I need to re-install all of my software? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

TRS

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therealsimpsons said:

Is there a way to transfer the files from the current drive to the new one?

Yes.

I have a system image of my PC saved on an external drive.

Made with what application?

Can I just use that to transfer everything?

Probably. The correct terminology would be "restore". You could also clone, but restoration of an image may have fewer snares.


Or do I need to re-install all of my software?

Not if it goes well.

Any other suggestions?

Yes.

Tell us what application made this image you have.

Most here would likely advise you to make and restore an image made with Macrium Reflect. But maybe you used some other program?

It's entirely possible you can use software provided by Samsung to do the transfer. I suspect that is a free download, but I've never used it.

Be prepared for a total and complete failure, which would force you to do a complete new install of Windows and all programs. Not likely, but you need to prepare for it.

Thank you for the reply.

Although I have Windows 10 installed, it is possible to use the back up system from Windows 7. It is still accessible in Control Panel.

My file looks like this:

Windows Backup works in a manner of speaking.

It's officially on Microsoft's "do not disturb" list. The word they use is "deprecated".

Cryptic.

Fussy.

Inflexible.

In your situation, you have 3 choices:

1: see if you or anyone else can help you with Windows Backup. I cannot.

2: use Samsung software to make the transfer. I don't own Samsung drives, but I know thousands of people have successfully used Samsung software to do the transfer.

3: use Macrium Reflect. You'd have to make a new image with it and then restore that new image. There's a learning curve involved. Not horrendous, but.........

I think your first best choice would be Samsung's own software. You're going from Samsung to Samsung. It should be a piece of cake. But I can't tell you where to get that software or how to run it. I'd guess it is quite straightforward as it should be a simplistic one-trick one-time pony.

After you get that done, I'd recommend you go with Macrium to make backups of your new system periodically.

You could use Macrium right now, but the learning curve....................

Thanks again for the reply. I will ponder the 3 choices. I can contact Samsung to ask about their transfer software, thanks for that suggestion.

This is my suggestion:
- Make a windows-10-recovery-tools USB boot able drive (2G min)
- Boot from the windows-10-recovery-tools and use Macrium Reflect to make a disk image of your current M.2 drive (250G) and save the image into one of your HDD.
- Shut down and replace the M.2 250G drive with the new one (500G)
- Boot again with the windows-10-recovery-tools and restore the image created previously on the M.2 500G expanding the C: partition.
- Boot from the new drive.

I looked at the link. What is PE, and PESE? I have an 8GB thumb drive. Can I put the recovery on that? What does expanding the C: partition mean?

Thank you.

You needn't get involved in those details right now. You COULD, but you don't have to.

Macrium recovery media will fit on even a 1 GB thumb drive as I recall. It's quite small. It just leads you to the Macrium interface, from which you direct the restoration to the new drive. You'd first make a Macrium image and then make the recovery media. You would need to confirm that the recovery media will IN FACT boot your machine. If it won't, you can't restore the image.

Expanding the C partition just means making the "C drive" partition larger on your machine. No over-riding reason to worry about that now. You can do it AFTER the new drive is up and running.

You need to concentrate on getting the machine to boot with the new drive. Then you can expand partitions if necessary.

I'd go back to the 3 choices outlined yesterday:

Macrium
Samsung
Windows built-in imaging

The latter would be a poor third choice unless someone here wants to jump in. Few people here use it anymore.

Pick your poison and know what you will do if it fails.

There should certainly be people around here who have experience with the Samsung tool. I don't.

therealsimpsons said:

I looked at the link. What is PE, and PESE? I have an 8GB thumb drive. Can I put the recovery on that? What does expanding the C: partition mean?


Once you download the

Thank you.

Windows Preinstallation Environment (also known as Windows PE and WinPE) is a lightweight version of Windows used for the deployment of PCs, workstations, and servers, or troubleshooting an operating system while it is offline.

The good thing about the Kyhi Windows 10 Recovery Tools is that it has many useful programs (like Macrium Reflect, Mini toll partition etc) that can help you in an emergency, like repairing Windows).

Download the Win14393PESE_x64 ISO v170116, mount the iso and copy to the 8GB thumb drive formatted as Fat32. It will be EFI boot able.
Once you boot from it, follow the instructions on my post #7