I used the Windows 7/10-11 system image mini tool in backup and restore. I don't expect a step by step once I hit the power button. But thats just it. I am finding all sorts of directions that don't seem to fit this seemingly simple task. I search " How to boot after installing new SSD drives". I then see that I have to enter BIOS to assign the new slot 1 as my new OS Drive. C. Slot 2 as D. And then restore from my external drive. Does all sound correct? Im feeling thoroughly inept on restoring the OS.
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing update. Clone (copy) gives swap in 2TB OS boot drive with all software application licences, etc. intact, and with no change to the original 256GB OS boot drive.
I didn't see your Direction because Filbert also gave direction at the same time.... I already installed both disks and backed everything up to an external hard drive using Windows system image tool. And now I'm totally confused on what to do,. Take everything out and clone it like you said or try to figure out what I'm doing to restore it from the external drive. I entered BIOS upon booting it and can't find a step by step to restore it.
I have not used that tool, so I don't know its specifics.
With tools such as Acronis and Macrium, you would create a full disk image backup to an external drive while the original OS drive is still installed. I believe you did that. The next step is to install the new SSD in the primary slot, which you did. Don't worry about BIOS yet. BIOS won't see the new drive as bootable since it doesn't yet have an OS, since you have not yet restored the disk image backup.
Tools such as Acronis and Macrium provide a bootable tool, usually boot from a USB flash drive, which is a recovery environment outside Windows. You would boot from the recovery environment. Within that environment, you would restore the disk image backup from the external hard drive to the new primary SSD. After a successful restore, disconnect the external drive, do not install the old drive, and boot from the new drive. If you need to change settings in BIOS, now is the time to do it because now the new drive contains an OS.
I went ahead and did it this way. Cloned the original, swapped it out for the 2tb in slot 1.
(I could not get it going from the external hard drive.... Waste of time and $)
Upon booting it. It Booted normally like it always has .... Now, how do I. designate or assign the slot 2. SSD as the new DATA drive? Thank you for all your time
I went ahead and did it this way. I Cloned (not imaged w/ Macrium) the original to the 2TB in slot 2. Swapped it out... Then added the 1TB.
(I could not get it going from the external hard drive.... Waste of time and $)
Upon booting it. It Booted normally like it always has .... Now, how do I. configure /designate or assign the slot 2. SSD as the new DATA drive?
With the Macrium Software I did a "CLONE THIS DISK" not "IMAGE THIS DISK". I hope I did the correct one. I don't know if the partition is correct. OS still looks full although I see the new added space. Do I create a new storage pool? I just wish this were more straight forward.
The cloned 2TB Disk 0, is your new boot drive and inherited all of its partitions size and drive letters. The size of just the partitions with a letter should be increased to give you the benefit of the larger 2TB boot drive capacity. Please use snip key combination Shift + Windows + S to capture image of Disk Management to share in your next message, so that we can see what you see. Look in message header for and click on the camera icon to Insert Photos. Thank you.
Forgive me, I wanted to avoid confusion. but the Actual size is 1TB/500GB. (NOT 2TB/1TB). Opening Disk Management- I was prompted to choose MBR or GPT. I chose GPT and have not done anything else... Upon right clicking DISK-1, it only gives the option to convert to MBR Disk and Convert to Dynamic Disk.
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing update and image of your Disk Management.
Using the modern GPT partition format is correct, then visit BIOS to enable Boot list option UEFI (if not already enabled).
On Disk 0, increase the original OS (C:) boot drive 222.60 GB partition size with addition of the unallocated 693.04 GB partition to create new OS (C:) boot drive 915.64 GB partition size. Right click on the OS (C:) boot drive partition and use Disk Management's extend volume.
On Disk 1, the 500GB SSD is seemingly already using the modern GPT partition format, do not convert to MBR Disk or convert to Dynamic Disk. This Data drive partition requires assignment of a letter and name so that it can be used by the windows operating system.
The new 500 GB Data drive should be created as a New Simple Volume.
For Disk Management to extend the OS (C:) partition, revisit clone software and move the 693.04 GB Unallocated space to be adjacent, see following image. Alternatively use the clone software to increase the OS (C:) partition size.
On the Macrium software I do not see ANY actions available to either Move the unallocated space to be adjacent, nor do I see any way of increasing the partition size?!
Hi @Dpdfuzz the fix is to put the old 256GB OS Drive back into slot 1 and the new 1TB OS Drive back into slot 2. Then use Macrium Reflect Free to move the 693.04GB Unallocated space to be adjacent to the 222.60GB OS (C:) partition, so that they can be merged to become the new 222.60 + 693.04 = 915.64GB OS (C:) partition.
The easy fix would be to use Macrium Reflect Free to delete all the 1TB content and restart the cloning process again, making sure that the 693.04GB Unallocated space is adjacent to the 222.60GB OS (C:) partition.
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing your 1TB/500GB Disk Management image.
Your changes have been correctly applied to increase the size of your OS (C:) partition. SupportAssist's Get drivers and downloads can install the DELLSUPPORT partition if you want it. What Is the Extra Partition on My Hard Drive Used For? | Dell US. (See your earlier post on 12-29-2022 04:17 AM)
Both drives are online, the new DATA drive looks good. You can use Macrium Reflect Free to click on any partition and then use Actions - Analyze File system to determine if there are any file errors.
Dpdfuzz
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December 25th, 2022 16:00
I used the Windows 7/10-11 system image mini tool in backup and restore. I don't expect a step by step once I hit the power button. But thats just it. I am finding all sorts of directions that don't seem to fit this seemingly simple task. I search " How to boot after installing new SSD drives". I then see that I have to enter BIOS to assign the new slot 1 as my new OS Drive. C. Slot 2 as D. And then restore from my external drive. Does all sound correct? Im feeling thoroughly inept on restoring the OS.
Happy Holidays!
crimsom
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6.1K Posts
1
December 25th, 2022 19:00
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing update. Clone (copy) gives swap in 2TB OS boot drive with all software application licences, etc. intact, and with no change to the original 256GB OS boot drive.
Dpdfuzz
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16 Posts
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December 25th, 2022 20:00
Thank you crimson,
I didn't see your Direction because Filbert also gave direction at the same time.... I already installed both disks and backed everything up to an external hard drive using Windows system image tool. And now I'm totally confused on what to do,. Take everything out and clone it like you said or try to figure out what I'm doing to restore it from the external drive. I entered BIOS upon booting it and can't find a step by step to restore it.
filbert
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1.8K Posts
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December 26th, 2022 06:00
I have not used that tool, so I don't know its specifics.
With tools such as Acronis and Macrium, you would create a full disk image backup to an external drive while the original OS drive is still installed. I believe you did that. The next step is to install the new SSD in the primary slot, which you did. Don't worry about BIOS yet. BIOS won't see the new drive as bootable since it doesn't yet have an OS, since you have not yet restored the disk image backup.
Tools such as Acronis and Macrium provide a bootable tool, usually boot from a USB flash drive, which is a recovery environment outside Windows. You would boot from the recovery environment. Within that environment, you would restore the disk image backup from the external hard drive to the new primary SSD. After a successful restore, disconnect the external drive, do not install the old drive, and boot from the new drive. If you need to change settings in BIOS, now is the time to do it because now the new drive contains an OS.
Dpdfuzz
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December 26th, 2022 15:00
I went ahead and did it this way. Cloned the original, swapped it out for the 2tb in slot 1.
(I could not get it going from the external hard drive.... Waste of time and $)
Upon booting it. It Booted normally like it always has .... Now, how do I. designate or assign the slot 2. SSD as the new DATA drive? Thank you for all your time
Dpdfuzz
1 Rookie
•
16 Posts
0
December 26th, 2022 19:00
I went ahead and did it this way. I Cloned (not imaged w/ Macrium) the original to the 2TB in slot 2. Swapped it out... Then added the 1TB.
(I could not get it going from the external hard drive.... Waste of time and $)
Upon booting it. It Booted normally like it always has .... Now, how do I. configure /designate or assign the slot 2. SSD as the new DATA drive?
With the Macrium Software I did a "CLONE THIS DISK" not "IMAGE THIS DISK". I hope I did the correct one. I don't know if the partition is correct. OS still looks full although I see the new added space. Do I create a new storage pool? I just wish this were more straight forward.
crimsom
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6.1K Posts
0
December 26th, 2022 21:00
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing update.
Please check that BIOS Main menu acknowledges installation of the 2TB and the 1TB drives, scroll towards bottom of image.
Boot the laptop so that the windows operating system is active.
In search bar (bottom LH corner) type Disk Management, when this opens you should see Disk 0 (2TB) and Disk 1 (1TB). How to Open Disk Management (lifewire.com).
Right click on Disk 1 to format, assign letter not already used and name this 1TB drive so that windows can see and use it. Ensure the partition size is the full size capacity, nearly 1TB. How to assign permanent letters to drives on Windows | Windows Central.
The cloned 2TB Disk 0, is your new boot drive and inherited all of its partitions size and drive letters. The size of just the partitions with a letter should be increased to give you the benefit of the larger 2TB boot drive capacity. Please use snip key combination Shift + Windows + S to capture image of Disk Management to share in your next message, so that we can see what you see. Look in message header for and click on the camera icon to Insert Photos. Thank you.
Dpdfuzz
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December 27th, 2022 09:00
Forgive me, I wanted to avoid confusion. but the Actual size is 1TB/500GB. (NOT 2TB/1TB). Opening Disk Management- I was prompted to choose MBR or GPT. I chose GPT and have not done anything else... Upon right clicking DISK-1, it only gives the option to convert to MBR Disk and Convert to Dynamic Disk.
this is what I see at this point.
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
0
December 27th, 2022 19:00
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing update and image of your Disk Management.
Using the modern GPT partition format is correct, then visit BIOS to enable Boot list option UEFI (if not already enabled).
On Disk 0, increase the original OS (C:) boot drive 222.60 GB partition size with addition of the unallocated 693.04 GB partition to create new OS (C:) boot drive 915.64 GB partition size. Right click on the OS (C:) boot drive partition and use Disk Management's extend volume.
On Disk 1, the 500GB SSD is seemingly already using the modern GPT partition format, do not convert to MBR Disk or convert to Dynamic Disk. This Data drive partition requires assignment of a letter and name so that it can be used by the windows operating system.
Dpdfuzz
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December 28th, 2022 11:00
Thanks Crimson,
The boot list option UEFI is enabled.
Right clicking OS(C) in disk management does allow for me to extend. (See pic. Only shrink is highlighted).
Also right clicking the unallocated Disk 1,. gives no options other than (New simple volume).
crimsom
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6.1K Posts
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December 28th, 2022 23:00
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing update.
The new 500 GB Data drive should be created as a New Simple Volume.
For Disk Management to extend the OS (C:) partition, revisit clone software and move the 693.04 GB Unallocated space to be adjacent, see following image. Alternatively use the clone software to increase the OS (C:) partition size.
Dpdfuzz
1 Rookie
•
16 Posts
0
December 29th, 2022 08:00
On the Macrium software I do not see ANY actions available to either Move the unallocated space to be adjacent, nor do I see any way of increasing the partition size?!
Dpdfuzz
1 Rookie
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16 Posts
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December 30th, 2022 13:00
Disregard I will seek help elsewhere
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
1
December 31st, 2022 04:00
Hi @Dpdfuzz the fix is to put the old 256GB OS Drive back into slot 1 and the new 1TB OS Drive back into slot 2. Then use Macrium Reflect Free to move the 693.04GB Unallocated space to be adjacent to the 222.60GB OS (C:) partition, so that they can be merged to become the new 222.60 + 693.04 = 915.64GB OS (C:) partition.
The easy fix would be to use Macrium Reflect Free to delete all the 1TB content and restart the cloning process again, making sure that the 693.04GB Unallocated space is adjacent to the 222.60GB OS (C:) partition.
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
1
January 1st, 2023 23:00
Hi @Dpdfuzz thank you for sharing your 1TB/500GB Disk Management image.
Your changes have been correctly applied to increase the size of your OS (C:) partition. SupportAssist's Get drivers and downloads can install the DELLSUPPORT partition if you want it. What Is the Extra Partition on My Hard Drive Used For? | Dell US. (See your earlier post on 12-29-2022 04:17 AM)
Both drives are online, the new DATA drive looks good. You can use Macrium Reflect Free to click on any partition and then use Actions - Analyze File system to determine if there are any file errors.