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How to Replace Your Hard Drive with an SSD to Make your Laptop Faster

by Josh Kirschner on January 20, 2023

Updated 1/20/2023 with new recommendations for SSD drives and cables based on current models, pricing, and reviews, as well as updated drive cloning instructions

There are many ways to make a slow laptop faster, but few are as easy and cost-effective as replacing your existing hard drive with a solid state drive (SSD). Making the swap will, in most cases, dramatically reduce the time it takes to boot Windows, load programs, and perform any activity that involves significant amounts of disk access (video editing, gaming, transferring files, etc.). When I swapped out my hard drive for an SSD, my Windows boot time dropped from a very-painful almost 10 minutes to well under a minute. And programs like Adobe Photoshop that could take a minute or more to open now open in seconds. Your old computer won’t just be as good as new; it will be better than it ever was.

With an SSD, you’ll also get the added advantage of greater ruggedness (SSDs are much less susceptible to damage from drops than hard drives because they have no moving parts), better battery life, and quieter operation.

Despite the advantages of SSDs, in the past, upgrading wasn’t an attractive option for many people because of the high cost. But with 1TB SSDs now available for well under $100, it’s almost silly not to make the switch. And you don’t need advanced technical skills to do it. As long as you’re comfortable using a screwdriver and running a simple cloning program (which literally makes a clone of your existing drive, so your operating system, your programs and settings, and all your files will be exactly the same and ready to go on your new drive), this is a task anyone should be able to handle.

Here are the simple steps to swap out your hard drive for an SSD.

1. Buy an SSD drive

What size SSD to buy

When looking to buy an SSD, the first thing you should determine is what size drive you need. You should choose one that is at least as large as your current hard drive. If your current drive is getting low on space, consider stepping up to something larger. I suggest not going smaller than 500GB and, ideally, going with 1TB, which should provide ample storage for most people.

What type of SSD to buy

Assuming your laptop currently has a standard hard drive, it is almost certainly a 2.5 Inch SATA drive. So, you will be replacing it with an SSD of the same size and interface (internal connections). You may see people refer to other things – NAND technology, SATA III, etc. – don’t worry about that stuff, 2.5-inch SATA is all you need to know.

What brand/model to buy

There are hundreds of SSD models from dozens of brands on the market, but since the drive will hold all your computer’s critical information, this is not the time to go with the cheapest model. I would also avoid the ultimate performance models intended for large server applications and 3D graphics professionals – they cost significantly more money and will offer no performance benefit for typical users.

My top recommendation is the Samsung 870 EVO, which is an upgrade to the 860 EVO I have installed in my own laptop (and costs $40 less than I paid a few years ago). It is consistently rated at or near the top in performance tests versus competitive models and offers a leading 5-year or 600 TBW (for 1TB model) warranty. TBW (terabytes written) is a good indication of the drive’s robustness – the more, the better. Under normal usage, you would never come close to hitting that TBW limit (600 TBW is equivalent to about 200 million photos). Samsung also comes with Samsung Data Migration software, an easy-to-use program for cloning your existing drive onto the SSD. As of the time of writing, you can get the 1TB for $89.99 on Samsung.com or Amazon.

Samsung EVO 870 SSD

If you want to save a little money, the Crucial MX500 is arguably every bit as good as the Samsung 870 EVO. Data transfer speeds will be the same, and Crucial offers its own Acronis True Image software for easy drive cloning. The Crucial MX500 also comes with a 5-year warranty, though its 360 TBW limit for the 1TB model is lower than the limit for the Samsung 870 EVO, meaning it may be slightly less robust (realistically, that’s still far, far above what most people would ever hit). The MX500 also happens to be the same budget pick I recommended three years ago. But don't let that deter you. Not much has changed in the world of 2.5-inch SATA SSD drives, and this tried-and-true model remains just as highly rated. As of the time of writing, you can get the 1TB for $65.99 on Crucial.com or for a few bucks less on Amazon.

Crucial MX500 SSD

2. Buy a SATA to USB data transfer cable

The data transfer cable is what you will use to clone your existing hard drive onto your new SSD using your laptop’s USB port. All the cables are pretty much the same, and you can pick one up for around $10-$15 on Amazon. The Sabrent USB 3.1 to SATA adapter will deliver significantly faster transfer speeds than USB 3.0 cables and offer the flexibility of working with both USB-A and USB-C ports. Actual users have been very satisfied with it, giving it 4.7 stars on Amazon across a whopping 47k reviews.

Sabrent USB 3.1 to SATA cable

This is also a good time to check to make sure that you have a screwdriver that will fit the screws on your laptop (a small Phillips head will work on most computers, though some manufacturers use non-standard screws). If not, pick up a basic computer screwdriver set, too. This screwdriver set has tons of heads (including the non-standard ones) and a tool to help you open your laptop case if needed. It's the one I use for my computer repairs (and a thousand other little things around the house).

3. Clone your hard drive

If you’re worried about the effort to transfer Windows to your new drive, reinstall all your programs, and transfer all your files, don’t be. The cloning program that comes with your SSD – Samsung Data Migration, Acronis True Image – will make an exact replica of your current hard drive on your new SSD, so there’s no need to reinstall anything. If you purchase a drive that doesn’t include the software, there are many free disk cloning programs you can download yourself.

To get going with Samsung Magician:

  1. Install the cloning software on your laptop
  2. Plug your SATA to USB data transfer cable into your laptop (ideally into a USB 3.1 port, for the best transfer speeds. USB 3.1 ports will have the blue tab on the inside)
  3. Plug your brand-spanking new SSD into the SATA cable
  4. Follow the instructions in your drive cloning application to clone your existing hard disk

If you're using Acronis:

  1. Swap your existing laptop drive with your new one
  2. Boot using Acronis media (e.g., from a flash drive) - this may require you to set your laptop to boot from external media in your BIOS settings
  3. Follow the steps to clone your drive
  4. Detailed steps for using Acronis can be found on the Acronis site

The cloning process will take a while to transfer your data onto your new drive. Don’t use your computer while the cloning process is happening because any changes you make to settings or files may not be cloned to the new drive. This is an excellent time to go out for dinner, binge-watch Netflix, or get in a good night’s sleep.

4. Install the SSD drive

Once your cloning is complete, you can now get that new drive swapped into your laptop (if using Acronis, you will do these steps prior to cloning).

  1. Unplug the SATA to USB cable and SSD from your laptop
  2. Unplug your laptop power and remove the battery (if removable)
  3. Open the laptop case by removing the screws. If you’re lucky, your laptop will have a handy little door with a couple of screws that give you direct access to the hard drive bay. But if you have a more recent “unibody design” model, you’ll have anywhere from 10-20 screws to take out (have a little cup ready to store them in). Then open the bottom part of the case to get access to your drive. You may need to use your fingernails, a flat-tip screwdriver, or the handy tool that came with the screwdriver kit I recommended above to CAREFULLY pry it open. If you are unsure how to do this with your laptop, googling your laptop model and “open case” or “replace hard drive” will usually turn up plenty of YouTube videos for guidance.
  4. Once your case is open, unscrew the mounting bracket holding your existing hard drive and remove your drive. It should come out pretty easily. Now put your new SSD into the mounting bracket, slide it into the connectors on your laptop and screw the mounting bracket back into your laptop.
  5. Replace you case by snapping it back into place (putting it back on is usually easier than removing it).
  6. DO NOT SCREW THE CASE TOGETHER YET - we want to check and make sure everything is working first. Turn on your computer (it should boot really fast now!) and verify that everything – programs, files – looks just like it did before. Assuming all is fine, turn the computer off and get those screws back in.

5. Install your manufacturer’s drive management software

Most manufacturers have a drive management program, like Samsung Magician, that will keep your drive firmware up to date and allow you to customize the performance and other settings. It’s worth installing for the firmware updates but leave the other settings alone unless you really know what you’re doing. Your SSD will be plenty fast out of the box, and most performance tweaking will have limited benefit in normal use.

That’s it! You can now enjoy the huge performance boost from your new SSD. And while your SSD should be more reliable than your old hard drive, if you occasionally clone your new SSD to your old hard drive using the USB to SATA cable, you’ll be able to use it as a fully-functional replacement, should you ever need it.

[Image credit: Samsung, Crucial, Sabrent,laptop upgrade via BigStockPhoto]

Josh Kirschner is the co-founder of Techlicious and has been covering consumer tech for more than a decade. Josh started his first company while still in college, a consumer electronics retailer focused on students. His writing has been featured in Today.com, NBC News, and Time.


Topics

Tips & How-Tos, Computers and Software, Computer Safety & Support, Laptops, Tech 101


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From Diana Hammond on October 18, 2019 :: 1:35 pm


If I want to do this to my desktop since I don’t own a laptop, how different would the process be?

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From George Mells on October 19, 2019 :: 2:06 am


To Diana:  Assuming your desktop has SIDE ports it will be very similar but you might not need the USB adapter.  There should be a second SIDE port and power connector for a second drive.  You would connect the new drive to port 2, perform the drive copy, and then change the port connectors around to make the SSD the primary drive.  If all is good you could then erase the old drive and use it for additional storage.

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From Josh Kirschner on October 20, 2019 :: 10:55 am


Follow George’s advice for desktop installation. You will see the same level of performance gain on a desktop as you would on a laptop. Though if your desktop has a larger 3.5 inch drive bay, you may need an adapter to fit a 2.5 inch SSD. You can get one like this on Amazon for about $7: https://amzn.to/2oXfk77.

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From ncrgeo@gmail.com on October 22, 2019 :: 11:21 am


You really make it look easy! I have a very old laptop that is still in wonderful condition and you have given me a very good idea as to what to do with it. One question: have the drive connections within the laptop/desktop changed over the last 7-10 years?

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From Josh Kirschner on October 22, 2019 :: 12:08 pm


Your laptop drive connections should be the same from 7-10 years ago as they are today. The format I describe above (and what most laptops have today) is actually the “old” technology (vs the newer M.2 format).

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From Evan Dickerson on October 28, 2019 :: 6:43 pm


Hi, great article, I have changed from a HDD to a SSD in my Dell laptop and the performance is great. One persistent problem I have is that
now the laptop will not operate unless it is plugged in to power, within a few minutes of unplugging the power cord, it will just turn off. It is a recently replaced battery and works fine with the old HDD. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

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From Josh Kirschner on October 29, 2019 :: 3:48 pm


I know you said you just replaced the battery, but this still sounds like a battery issue. If it was recently replaced, perhaps it is still under warranty and you can have it checked/replaced. Also, want to confirm whether the battery “works” fine with the old HDD or “worked” fine with the old HDD - that is, did you put the old HDD back in and you don’t have the battery issue or did you not have the issue back when you had the HDD, but the issue cropped up since you had the SSD? The latter supports the faulty battery diagnosis, the former suggests a different issue.

If the battery really is working fine with the HDD, then perhaps it is something related to your power management settings. Try turning off sleep mode when it is running on battery and see if that fixes things. Not clear why the SSD would cause that to happen unless the laptop is expecting a HDD and when it doesn’t sense that activity it goes to sleep (this one is a long shot, IMHO). Some forum threads for Dell owners with similar issues have also suggested changing the battery settings in the BIOS or upgrading the BIOS. Though, in the end, it doesn’t seem like this worked for most people - it was a bad battery issue.

Let me know what you figure out.

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From Visal vyasan on December 19, 2020 :: 10:58 pm


But i haven’t changed my hdd yet,tell me if u find the solution

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From Anthony Smart on November 13, 2019 :: 12:22 am


What is a SIDE port?  I’ve never heard the term and Google could not find any reference to it either.

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From Josh Kirschner on November 13, 2019 :: 9:23 am


Many desktops have two or more SATA ports, which makes this process easier. Depending on the configuration of your desktop, you may still need a second SATA cable to connect it, which your desktop may or may not already have installed.

Also, your desktop may have a M.2 PCIe slot on the motherboard available, even if it shipped with a standard hard drive.  M.2 PCIe SSDs offers faster transfer speeds than SATA SSDs, though at higher cost and with some capacity limitations. For normal home use, though, you probably won’t see a significant difference between the two, so you’re better off going with the lower-priced 2.5 inch SATA SSD.

I think SIDE may have been an autocorrect problem.

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From Abdulrazaq on November 13, 2019 :: 6:24 pm


Hi,
I bought an HP SSD in my Dell laptop while still retaining the HDD inside. I made the SSD the OS disk and HDD as just additional drive (I can still view my files in there though). I noticed that after the installation I do get the death/ blue screen once in a while and sometimes twice a day. I tried formatting and reinstalling the OS but still the same. I get messages like
Stop Code: System service exception
Or Unexpected store exception.

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From Josh Kirschner on November 13, 2019 :: 9:05 pm


I’m not clear on your setup. Are you running the OS from an external SSD while keeping your HDD internal for files only? That would seem rather backwards, since you would always need to carry an external drive to boot your laptop when you travel.

But, regardless, how did you set up the SSD for Windows? Did you clone your SSD or install a new version of Windows on it? If the latter, it’s possible your BSOD is being caused by not not having the proper drivers for your Dell laptop’s hardware (which is why I recommended cloning above). That would be the first thing I would check.

If you are running the SSD externally for boot, I would swap it with the internal HDD and see if that resolves the problems.

If neither of those things work, I would access the BSOD DMP files on your PC and try submitting to the Microsoft help forum. More info here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/bsod-finding-and-fixing-them/1939df35-283f-4830-a4dd-e95ee5d8669d

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From Abdulrazaq AbdulKareem on November 16, 2019 :: 9:01 pm


Thank you Josh,
Both the SSD and the HDD are inside the laptop. the SSD 500GB functions as the OS disk while HDD serves as additional storage 1TB. Agreed I didn’t clone it, I only installed directly. Could it that the two disks are conflicting?

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From Josh Kirschner on November 17, 2019 :: 11:41 pm


It would be easy enough to test whether the disks are conflicting by removing the HDD and seeing how things go. But I suspect it’s still something to do with the drivers. So if Windows is still on your HDD, it may be worth going back and doing the clone thing for your SSD and see if that resolves it.

Also, I’m assuming if you have two drives in your laptop that you installed the SSD in the optical bay? That should be fine, but you ever know.

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From Bob Sample on November 16, 2019 :: 8:14 am


If my existing hard drive has crashed, and I install a ssd card, will my computer work again?

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From Josh Kirschner on November 17, 2019 :: 11:45 pm


If the cause of your failure was due purely to the hard drive crashing, then buying a new SSD, installing Windows and swapping that in should get everything back up and running. You may need to install specific drivers from your manufacturer, too, for your computer model.

Note: we are talking about Solid State Drives (SSD) here, not Solid State cards (SD cards). Want to be clear on that since you mentioned “card” above.

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From David on December 23, 2019 :: 4:51 am


My HP Pavilion Elite m9515f hard drive is about to die; so, I took it to Fry’s and asked them to upgrade it, if possible, to a 1T SSD.  Due to a contract dispute, they we’re completely out of stock on all SSD drives.  He said to order one on Amazon and reminded me to order a 3.5” one as it’s a tower.

Well, I went to Amazon.com and on all my searches only 2.5” SSDs came up.  Does it matter in a tower whether its 2.5” or 3.5”?

The other issue I encountered was on the interface.  Couldn’t find any with just SATA.  According to HP’s specifications on my model’s hard drive; the Interface: SATA, with a Transfer rating: 3.0 Gb/sec.

Will the Samsung 860 EVO work in my older unit?  I would imagine I’ll need a USB to SATA Cable to clone my drive; is this correct?

Your expertise would be so greatly appreciated.

Happy Holidays

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From Josh Kirschner on December 23, 2019 :: 1:34 pm


Unless you misunderstood him, there are no 3.5” SSD drives. There are 3.5-inch “hybrid” drives, which are essentially a regular hard drive with a small SSD integrated into them to speed up certain processing tasks and programs, but those aren’t what you want. Hybrid drives used to be popular when SSD storage costs were much higher. But with a 1TB true SSD running around $100, your savings with a hybrid drive will be minimal and you’ll end up with a far inferior drive.

Instead, order a 2.5” SSD from Amazon (like the 860 EVO), along with a 3.5-inch mounting kit like this one for around $6: https://amzn.to/2oXfk77. If your desktop already has two SATA cables internally, you may not need the USB to SATA cable for cloning. Else, you will either need a second SATA cable (best solution if your desktop has two SATA drive ports and a second drive bay, because then you could run both drives internally) or the USB to SATA cable.

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From rick on July 10, 2020 :: 4:52 pm


If my laptop HDD has already splited into C drive and D drive, do I need to do anything in advance to clone my hdd to the new SSD ? Thanks!

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From Marie on July 15, 2020 :: 4:37 pm


I’m wondering if there is a limit as to how big the SSD size I am allowed to install on my Acer Aspire Switch 10. It has original 500GB HDD size and I want to switch into a 1TB SDD. Can I do that?

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From Josh Kirschner on July 17, 2020 :: 10:47 am


For practical purposes, there shouldn’t be a capacity limit on installing an SSD, so going from a 500mb HD to a 1TB SSD will be fine.

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From JOVAN VUKOVIC on August 22, 2020 :: 1:07 pm


I have to solve first one issue to switch HD to SSD
My ASUS TP550L can not work without charger.
It is like this when I got it. I have red owners comments with the same issue for this type of laptop. Some changed battery some changed monitor and did not solve the problem.
Monitor start flickering when charger is OFF.
Any idea what can be?
Thank you

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From Josh Kirschner on August 24, 2020 :: 10:41 pm


My first guess would have been the battery, but is seems like that isn’t the fix. Others have indicated that updating with a clean Windows 10 install and using the default Microsoft display driver solves the problem. Maybe. It’s also possible the battery isn’t able to supply the power the system needs to operate all the components, and upgrading from HDD to SSD will reduce the power consumption and fix the issue - but this is a gamble to put more money into an unstable machine.

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From alex on August 26, 2020 :: 4:53 am


I’m trying to install an nvme m2 SSD (1TB Kingston A2000) in the secondary drive slot of an HP Envy 19” (SATA slot, HP Envy 19” 2020). What type of adapter do I need? It’s not easy to navigate among all the different types.
Thank You for your advice!

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From Josh Kirschner on August 26, 2020 :: 8:22 am


I haven’t found an NVME to 2.5-inch SATA adapter and not sure if that is even possible. There may be some out there, but you may end up with compatibility issues and you lose some (all?) of the speed advantages the NVME gives you. I would stick with a 2.5-inch SSD if that is the slot you have in your Envy. Any potential slight advantages of NVME would seem to be outweighed by the increased complication and costs of trying to make it work.

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From alex on August 26, 2020 :: 9:46 am


Thank you for your reply!
My idea was to use a 1GB NVME SSD I already have but I now understand that the feasibility of the project is highly dubious!
Thank you again for your help!

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From Marie on August 28, 2020 :: 9:52 pm


My computer is failing due to a defective stick of RAM.  I can’t get anything off the hard drive so I was planning to replace it (and the RAM).  With the SSD installation is there a right side up or will it matter?

Thanks so much for your time!

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From Josh Kirschner on August 28, 2020 :: 10:14 pm


The SSD will only connect into the ports one way. so there is a “right side up”. It should be pretty obvious when you get it. In the photos above, the plain black “Samsung” side (or Crucial, in the other photo)faces up, the side with all the tiny registration logos goes down. You can also see in the photo that the pins on the drive are asymmetrical and will line up with the associated port sockets on your laptop.

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From Marie on August 31, 2020 :: 9:15 pm


Thank you!
One more dumb question: is “up” facing the keyboard or literally up when the computer is apart?

I ask because my computer was getting some software at an IT place a while back. They removed my hard drive but voided my warranty.  When I opened the computer to put the hdd in a case to backup my files when I was having trouble it just fell out and dangled by the cable.  So I didn’t see it “right side up”. :(

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From Marie on August 31, 2020 :: 9:20 pm


I should add: the way the cable sits it could now turn in either direction so it’s not as apparent to me how goes, otherwise it would be easier to know how the drive fits. Poor computer is having a rough time.

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From Josh Kirschner on September 08, 2020 :: 3:16 pm


I would expect most laptop to use a soldered in drive port, rather than a cable. If it has a cable, I would also expect that there should have been a mounting bracket of some sort that it would have fit into, unless the people who repaired it before simply forgot to put it back in…

What model PC do you have? I know that’s not very helpful Perhaps I can research it for more info. Though, the short answer is you should put it back in whichever way fits. And if it will fit either way, it doesn’t really matter.

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From Tempo on November 01, 2020 :: 3:21 am


Per Acronis True Image, “It is recommended to put the new drive in the laptop first, and connect the old drive via USB. Otherwise you will may not be able to boot from the new cloned drive.” However, your instruction is to “plug your brand-spanking new SSD into the SATA cable” that is plugged into the laptop USB port. Why the difference?

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From Josh Kirschner on November 04, 2020 :: 12:18 pm


I should clarify that in the article. The process Acronis uses to clone your drive is different than what Samsung Magician uses (which is what I described in the article). For Acronis, you will need to swap the drives, boot using Acronis media (e.g., flash drive), then clone. It’s somewhat more convoluted to do that way, but that’s what it is. Other cloning programs may have their own procedures, so it’s always best to follow the directions specific to your software.

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From Tempo on November 06, 2020 :: 1:06 am


Thank you. Will Samsung Magician work with any drive (e.g. WD Blue) or we have to buy a Samsung drive?

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From Josh Kirschner on November 09, 2020 :: 1:40 pm


Samsung Magician is made to work with Samsung SSDs. I haven’t tried it, but I don’t think you will get it to work with WD or other non-Samsung models. WD uses Acronis, also.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the cloning software - you only need to go through the process once. So if you can find a particularly good deal on a WD Blue drive, go for it.

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From Brian on December 02, 2020 :: 2:20 am


If I want to change my standard SATA Drive to a SSD following the initial clone if at any time that I would for some odd reason have to reinstall my OS would I have to re-clone from the old drive or reload the SSD with my current OS disk and add my drivers, The reason I ask is because I have an older Asus K 52F and it has the restore partition on the drive so if I clone the SSD will it clone exactly as the original drive with the restore partition thanks

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From Travis Cox on January 25, 2021 :: 1:24 pm


Thanks Josh for the clear and easy to follow instructions. I was about to use a wavlink HHD docking station I borrowed to do the cloning, but it doesn’t allow me to clone with the HDD still in the laptop. I’m a little more comfortable using the USB to SATA transfer cable you recommended ($7.98 currently on Amazon) to do it. I read up on others having issues with he wavlink dock like not recognizing the entire new drive and limiting it to just the size of the original drive. This looks like ti will be pretty easy to update my wife’s Inspiron from HDD to SSD. Got the Samsung Evo 860 and ready to go. Thanks again

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From Josh Kirschner on January 25, 2021 :: 5:14 pm


Let me know how it goes. The process with just a basic USB-SATA cable and the Samsung software should be very straightforward.

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From Travis Cox on January 27, 2021 :: 12:11 am


Everything went well, with one exception: I made sure to download samsung migration software and Samsung magician. Plugged in the Sabrient USB to SATA adapter and it didn’t see the drive, tried multiple times to eject it and plug it in again, and no joy. It was supposed to start downloading Acronis, but that didn’t happen either (after reading your edit, I really didn’t want to use it). After shutting down the laptop and starting again, migration software finally saw the drive. After that, it was cloned and installed in about an hour. Working like a dream! Thanks again!

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From Emi Udisi on January 27, 2021 :: 12:06 am


Thanks this is a really great read but i have q question. I have partitions on my hdd that is windows and ubuntu,Will the clone be able to cover everything? as the drive is partitioned?

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From Josh Kirschner on January 27, 2021 :: 2:06 am


From what I understand, Samsung Magician is only able to clone Windows partitions. However, other cloning software may be able to handle both Windows and Linux/Unbuntu. I can’t provide any specific recommendations as this isn’t something I’ve researched or tested, but maybe other readers have experience with that process and can provide guidance.

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From Phani Ch on January 30, 2021 :: 4:59 pm


Thank you Josh Kirschner for such a helpful article. Worked like a charm for me.
Great stuff!

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From Andrew Allen on February 17, 2021 :: 2:45 am


I’m currently operating a 1TB HDD that is Partitioned into 2 x 500’s.Both boot into windows 10. Would the Samsung software be able to Handle the clone of both partitions , or would I need to partition the disk myself ; There are also hidden partitions on the hard drive to recover windows (pre installed). So is it a one shot deal, or do you have to mess around?
Thanks for any help… smile

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From Josh Kirschner on February 17, 2021 :: 4:53 pm


According to the Samsung Data Migration tool doc, it can clone multiple partitions,  though it “may” cause problems when you have multiple operating systems installed. So I think you have to try it and see how it goes. Any OEM partitions will not be cloned, unless it is a Samsung computer and Sammsung Recovery Solution is installed.

See page 5 for more info: https://s3.ap-northeast-2.amazonaws.com/global.semi.static/Samsung_SSD_Data_Migration_User_Manual_English_US_revision_v5.pdf

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From george webster on February 26, 2021 :: 10:26 am


I have a HP6930P which I bought refurbished. After upgrading to Windows 10 the screen will freeze after about 10 minutes, have been unable to solve the problem. I was thinking that upgrading to an SSD drive may solve this problem however don’t think I would be able to clone the new drive due to the existing problem. Would I just be able to install the SSD and then install the LINUX OS as a means of dealing with the problem. My feeling is that my existing problem of freezing is a consequence of upgrading to Windows 10, as I did the update before actually using it with Windows 7 cannot be absolutely sure.

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From Josh Kirschner on February 26, 2021 :: 10:49 am


Was this laptop ever working correctly since you purchased it or did you not have time to test it before the upgrade? If not, I strongly suspect that screen freezing issue may have been there before and wasn’t fixed during the refurbishing. It’s possible that it is a software issue, but it could be hardware related (motherboard/RAM), as well, so swapping out to LINUX or an SSD won’t make a difference.

My advice would be to return the laptop, if you can, or try to get it fixed through warranty before spending more money on an SSD.

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From george webster on February 28, 2021 :: 6:53 am


I did use it briefly before the upgrade to Windows 10 and seemed OK, problem only arose after the upgrade. Not practical to return it and only minimal warranty. An SSD will only cost £38 which is probably cheaper than getting it checked out by an engineer. If it doesn’t work then I would still have the SSD to use later.

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From george webster on March 04, 2021 :: 7:33 am


Pleased that the problem resolved.Used PC to do system back up and created mirror image via Windows Media Creation Tool. Then installed a clean version of Windows 10 on HDD via this tool. The HDD then installed in laptop and worked fine. Then downloaded AOMEI Backupper and also partition assistant (needed to partition SSD). Able to successfully clone HDD using this tool.SSD is now installed and improvement is very noticeable. Will use HDD as back up storage device. Quite relieved that my initial assumption that the windows upgrade caused the problem has proved to be correct.

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From Josh Kirschner on March 04, 2021 :: 9:38 am


My money would have been on the hardware issue, but glad to hear the Windows re-install cleared it up. Enjoy your new SSD!

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From David on March 04, 2021 :: 9:03 am


I have Dell 7440E that has preinstalled windows 10
on a SSD, I removed it from my Dell and I installed it in my HP 15-1111DX, but now my HP will not detect the SSD, and my BIOS in my HP does not detect the SSD. Am I doing something wrong?

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From Josh Kirschner on March 04, 2021 :: 10:02 am


If your BIOS isn’t detecting it, I suspect that it is either a hardware issue, a conflict in your SATA settings or an issue with the slimmer SSD drive not making proper contact with the SATA port.

The first thing I would check is the contact. SSDs can be a couple millimeters thinner than HDDs, which means it may not be contacting the SATA port correctly. Does it feel a little loose? If so, you may want to make a small shim (you could just tape some folded paper or a couple expired gift cards to it) and see if that gives you better contact.

If that doesn’t work, check your SATA settings on both computers to confirm they are both using ACHI. Since they are old laptops, it’s possible that one was using IDE, which can create compatibility issues with the drive. If the HP SATA setting is different, switch it to match the Dell. It also wouldn’t hurt to confirm any BIOS updates that may be available for the HP.

The third option (and probably least likely) is that maybe you broke something while doing the swap. Put the original drives back in their laptops and make sure all the physical components are still working in their original setups.

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