Cloning an SSD to a larger SSD?

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StormUP

Gawd
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May 19, 2005
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In the past I've always just reinstalled my OS, but I was thinking I might try cloning this time.

I have a Crucial m4 128 GB SSD that I have been using as my boot drive. It's full and I just put in a Crucial m4 256 GB mSATA SSD. I want to clone the regular drive to the mSATA drive and have it be bootable. Are there free tools that work reliably out there?
 
Windows backup & recovery will do this no problem. Just type in search bar in start menu of win 7
 
norton ghost will do it. you will have a hidden 100mb boot partition and then everything else.
 
Let me add that if the windows restore doesn't fully utilize the new drive you can simply go into computer management and "expand" the volume into the unpartioned area.

I always recommend the windows 7 solution first because its free and works. If you have a GPT partition it will not work though. Becausd of this I ended up using a Linux boot disc and used "dd" to clone the disks and then used windows to expand the volume. I want to use stuff that is legitametly free and not deal with trials or cracks.
 
So I tried Macrium and it cloned in less than 15 minutes...however, when I attempt to make the clone the bootable drive and remove the original drive Windows fails to boot. Not sure if this is something to do with the fact this is Windows 8 or perhaps incompatibility between whatever driver windows has set up to boot off of SATA vs mSATA for my z77e-itx board or what.
 
Are you putting the clone in the same SATA slot as the original ( so that it is on the same controller).
 
I gave up and did a clean install. I tried the recovery console first to try to repair the clone, but nothing seemed to work. Things would start booting, but even safe mode wouldn't finish. Figured it was easier just to start fresh and reinstall things. All my data is of course on the original drive and my old spinny drive which aren't getting touched, but I'll have to reinstall programs and the like.
 
StormUP said:
So I tried Macrium and it cloned in less than 15 minutes...however, when I attempt to make the clone the bootable drive and remove the original drive Windows fails to boot. Not sure if this is something to do with the fact this is Windows 8 or perhaps incompatibility between whatever driver windows has set up to boot off of SATA vs mSATA for my z77e-itx board or what.
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For the next time, you did change the boot order in the BIOS....right?

PS...I've been using Acronis for many years and it does everything with no problems.
 
Acronis is the only one that has worked flawless for me every time. Other disc cloning utilities have been hit or miss. I got my copy free, after rebate a ways back.
 
Some versions have been hit or miss but quickly repaired.

I've been using the 2011 Home version with Plus Pack (Update Build 2, Version 6868) and it's been great.

While other programs can do some things Acronis can do it all with an easy to use interface.

However it does cost money....a major drawback for some.

Good Luck!
 
Old Hippie said:
For the next time, you did change the boot order in the BIOS....right?

PS...I've been using Acronis for many years and it does everything with no problems.
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Yes I changed the boot order and Windows would start booting, but it would crash. Not sure why...never figured it out even using the recovery console tools like SFC.

Once I decided to do a clean install I went ahead and installed the latest BIOS as well. I'm reluctant to change BIOS versions on existing installs so long as everything is still working, but on a clean install...might as well.
 
Yah, sounds like you might have missed a few options in Macrium Reflect in creating the clone. Under normal circumstances it can and does create clones properly. Or perhaps you haven't updated your OS before cloning. You haven't said what OS you are using (you should have), but one example of a problem that was fixed in Windows 7 service pack 1 is here.

For highest reliability, however, I normally recommend "offline" cloning. As in doing it with a program that works before Windows boots. Usually from a free Linux boot DVD/USB. Clonezilla is a popular, easy to use choice.

Acronis True Image is sometimes mentioned (and is not free for most SSDs), but I highly recommend avoiding it. More details here.
 
If OP had used dd, he would have made his copy correctly the first time, without first having to become an expert on crafting bitstreams.
 
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StormUP said:
Yes I changed the boot order and Windows would start booting, but it would crash. Not sure why...never figured it out even using the recovery console tools like SFC.

Once I decided to do a clean install I went ahead and installed the latest BIOS as well. I'm reluctant to change BIOS versions on existing installs so long as everything is still working, but on a clean install...might as well.
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I suspect this is a driver issue. What controller is the mSATA port using?
 
Interesting notes: The original drive was a Windows 8 64 bit install upgraded from Windows Vista with an MBR so I cloned it as such.

On a clean install Windows 8 64 bit requires you to use a GPT if you are using an EFI bios, which I am. Relevant...who knows. I strongly suspect a driver issue of some kind.
 
For highest reliability, however, I normally recommend "offline" cloning.
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AFAIK you must be off-line to do a clone.

AFAIK you can't clone an OS that is in use.

It's a bummer you had a bad experience with Acronis but you give very little info about the version or problem.

I've been using it since version 8 and the only really bad version was 10 but I forgot the build number.

It has saved my buns many-a-time. LOL!
 
Old Hippie said:
AFAIK you must be off-line to do a clone.

AFAIK you can't clone an OS that is in use.

It's a bummer you had a bad experience with Acronis but you give very little info about the version or problem.
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Don't need to be offline to clone a data drive with an in-Windows utility. Don't know about a system drive with in-Windows utilities. Only used Acronis True Image once, never again. I normally use (offline) ddrescue off of a Linux boot DVD. Not the simplest thing to wrap your head around if mostly Windows-familiar, thus the recommendation here for Clonezilla (and its free!).

The link I provided gave more detail of the Acronis problems I experienced. The version used was Western Digital's "free" (WD drives only) version "14192" from 2012. The link I posted on how to solve the nasty driver problems after uninstallation refers to a retail 2012 version (same difference).

Old Hippie said:
It has saved my buns many-a-time. LOL!
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Nice to hear that your buns are OK :D.

For sure, if you keep it installed permanently and have no negative thoughts about your data being permanently filtered through its third-party drivers, not a lot of issue with it for some. That second link I gave, however, lists reports of Acronis's drivers trashing RAID setups, etc.. My problem wasn't that, it was when uninstalling it after use and/or you don't like perma-installed drivers and want to get rid of them, its a major PITA.

I've never seen a boot BSOD all the years up until then after manually disabling Acronis's drivers in Windows, then rebooting with the intention of manually deleting them afterwards. When you do that, the normal expectation is that the program won't work until you re-enable the drivers. Or if you have uninstalled the program like I had, that nothing bad will happen when you disable them. Not that you are barred from re-entering the OS unless you do some fancy footwork.

With good free options available that don't involve crippling potential downsides, I don't recommend it to others. But whatever works for you (and your buns!) :).
 
I'm sorry but I've never had a problem with Acronis and you do have to be off-line (DOS mode) to clone a Windows OS.

You used somekinda free version that I know nothing about but I do know those are not the full versions and have limitations.

Your experience has been limited to a neuterd version and shouldn't be taken as a full version......Kinda like comparing apples and oranges.
 
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Old Hippie said:
You used somekinda free version that I know nothing about but I do know those are not the full versions and have limitations.

Your experience has been limited to a neuterd version and shouldn't be taken as a full version......Kinda like comparing apples and oranges.
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Nope, its exactly the same for the problems I referred to.

Check the link with the driver solutions again. The solution procedures to completely remove the drivers the program uninstallation sloppily fails to do is exactly the same among True Image Home 2012 (referred to in that thread) as well as WD's current True Image and likely others. WD's version uses & installs the identical drivers to Home (and again, likely others); only real difference between the progs is WD's download being limited to WD drives only.

Those changes I followed for WD's True Image v14192 (despite the post referencing the full Home 2012 v6131-6154) and it completely resolved the issues. As in stopping the BSODs/drivers still being active after uninstalling the program--as well as being active when the program isn't being used--through major manual registry editing.
 
Fritingo said:
Nope, its exactly the same for the problems I referred to.

Check the link with the driver solutions again. The solution procedures to completely remove the drivers the program uninstallation sloppily fails to do is exactly the same among True Image Home 2012 (referred to in that thread) as well as WD's current True Image and likely others. WD's version uses & installs the identical drivers to Home (and again, likely others); only real difference between the progs is WD's download being limited to WD drives only.

Those changes I followed for WD's True Image v14192 (despite the post referencing the full Home 2012 v6131-6154) and it completely resolved the issues. As in stopping the BSODs/drivers still being active after uninstalling the program--as well as being active when the program isn't being used--through major manual registry editing.
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No big deal and many programs leave junk behind.

Version 10 was completely buggered and needed a special uninstall program to remove it.

AAR, many of us continue to use it.
 
i got a free copy of Acronis with my Intel SSD, never cloned a drive of any kind before but just followed the directions and it worked just fine with no problems.
 
Old Hippie said:
No big deal and many programs leave junk behind.

Version 10 was completely buggered and needed a special uninstall program to remove it.

AAR, many of us continue to use it.
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Version 12 is still buggered; those drivers remain behind and active after normal uninstall and its downloadable special uninstaller still leaves those drivers behind (as noted later in that thread).

Many programs don't leave junk behind that cause BSODs as it does. Or have drivers remaining active despite the program being uninstalled that all your data is filtered through forever. Those are big deals.

If you and others continue to use & like it, cool. Whatever floats your boat. But I prefer and recommend backup/cloning programs that only turn on drivers they may need when the program is actually running, instead of all the time. As well as uninstall themselves properly.
 
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