Installing a new SSD to my new XPS 8700

Hi GUPSGUPS ,

In order to proceed with the cloning you would have to have both the SSD and the SATA with the same storage space. And a specific software would not be required since the raid feature will be present in the BIOS. If the requirements are met you would be able to clone the hard drives.

 -Ashwin

One of the easiest ways is to use Dell Backup and Recovery.

Step 1: Make Recovery media with Dell Backup and Recovery

Follow the instructions here to make a Rescue Disk (Bootable External Hard Drive) or Factory Backup (Bootable USB Flash Drive):

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery/

This should be standard procedure when you get a new Dell system.

Also make a Windows 8.1 UEFI Bootable USB as its required to use DISKPART:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/

This is useful to have to hand in case you later want a clean installation (For Windows 7 users the OEM .iso is unavailable to download so just use a Windows 8.1 .iso for DISKPART).

Step 2: Use DISKPART

Use of DISKAPRT will result in data loss...

Insert the Windows 8.1 Bootable USB. Power up your system and press F2 to get to the Dell BIOS setup. Ensure that the SATA Operation is AHCI (see the start of this video up till 1:21):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ4MnZTNXo&list=PL1RkaknDn7v_SJaBuleIyodZD7Nt_IgqM&index=2

Windows 8.1

• AHCI
• UEFI Enabled
• SecureBoot Enabled
• USB 3.0 Enabled - Debug Off

Windows 7

• AHCI
• UEFI Enabled
• SecureBoot Disabled
• UEB 3.0 Disabled - Debug On

Boot from the Windows 8.1 installation media and use DISKPART > CLEAN ALL on the HDD and DISKPART > CLEAN on the SSD:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/we-couldnt-create-a-new-partition-or-locate-an-existing-one-for-more-information-see-the-setup-log-files/

Step 3: Restore Factory Settings to SSD

Power down the system and remove the cables from the HDD. We want the computer setup so it has the SSD only otherwise Dell Backup and Recovery will restore to the HDD.

Use the Rescue Disk or Factory Backup to install Windows 8.1 or 7 to the mSATA SSD. Update Windows and check that its running okay.

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery/#Restore

Power down your Dell.

Step 4: Initialise HDD and Assign for Libraries

You can power down your Dell and reinsert your hard drive. Power it up and log into Windows. Finally you can initialise your hard drive and set it up to use the HDD as a data drive:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/hardware-upgrades-for-your-system/upgrading-to-a-solid-state-drive/solid-state-drive-and-hard-drive-configuration/

This should now have the factory settings installed correctly on the SSD with the HDD being used for your files.

Hey NATAKUC4,

Can you confirm  whether the above method is successful when migrating to a 500gb SSD from a 1tb HDD (With different size drives) ?

Tharaka

I carried it out on a 512 GB HDD to a 256 GB SSD so yes it works with different sizes.

If the Factory Image restore disc is used, does that contain all of the necessary drivers or would the drivers have to be installed separately from that?  Thanks!

Hi, I have an 8700 that came with Windows 7 Pro and has been upgraded to 10 Pro. When I tried to follow your instructions, I get stuck at changing the settings in the BIOS to AHCI/UEFI/SecureBoot. My machine has been upgraded to Windows 10 but was/is set to Legacy Boot. When I try to change it to UEFI, I get the following error:

No Boot Device Available, F1 to try again, F2 to run setup utility, SATA 0 and 1 installed, rest are none.

I get this error if I change everything (UEFI on, Secure Boot on, Legacy Option ROM off) or if I only change UEFI to enable it. This has me nervous about proceeding with anything else.

Do you have any suggestions?

you need to reinstall the OS once you change these settings. You should be booting from a USB and clean installing after these settings are applied.

Thanks so much! One more quick question, will changing to UEFI etc mess anything up with Windows recognizing my key/license or will it just carry over?

Hi Philip, I just wanted to thank you for your help here and especially on your website. I was pretty nervous about doing this but after your answers above, I followed your instructions and now have an SSD/HDD machine with a clean Windows 10 install on UEFI and Secure Boot. It is amazing how much faster the SSD makes it. Thanks again.

In order to proceed with the cloning you would have to have both the SSD and the SATA with the same storage space. And a specific software would not be required since the raid feature will be present in the BIOS. If the requirements are met you would be able to clone the hard drives.

With all due respect, this is incorrect and misleading. 

There are many free and commercially available software packages that can clone drives of different sizes.  Acronis and easeus are two I have personally used in the past year to clone "larger" drives to "smaller" SSDs.

As long as the "In-Use" source drive is less than the size of the target is is trivial to use either acronis or easeus to map the boot sectors, recovery partitions etc from a larger drive to a smaller drive. 

For some reason when I post links my posts get moderated so I won't bother. 

Hi Philip, I just wanted to thank you for your help here and especially on your website. I was pretty nervous about doing this but after your answers above, I followed your instructions and now have an SSD/HDD machine with a clean Windows 10 install on UEFI and Secure Boot. It is amazing how much faster the SSD makes it. Thanks again.

Great! Thanks for letting me know you had a successful install. SSDs make a noticeable performance boost. :)