migrating Windows 10 to SSD on HP Compaq Pro 6300 small form factor PC

[SupremeLaw]

There are 4 x SATA ports on the motherboard:

SATA 3.0

SATA 2.0

SATA 2.0

eSATA

I presume that "SATA 3.0" means 6G speed.

I presume that "SATA 2.0" means 3G speed.

If I connect the SSD to one of the SATA 2.0 ports

and migrate the OS to that SSD, it appears

that a SATA 2.0 port is limited to 3G speed.

Should I move the HDD cable from SATA 3.0

to a SATA 2.0 port first, and change the

BOOT device in the BIOS?

-or-

Should I migrate the OS to the SSD first,

and then switch the cables so that the

SSD cable is connected to the SATA 3.0 port?

Many thanks for your help.

/s/ Paul

[wb2001]

@SupremeLaw,

What do you mean by migrating ?

Original HP6300's came with either WIN 7 or WIN 8 back in Oct 2012. pg 4.

If you upgraded to WIN 10 on this machine, then you retain the license for only that unit. 

What size is the original HD and the size of the SSD ?  

So, you could actually "clone" the existing hard drive to an SSD drive, provided you create the proper sized partitions, because the original data size must FIT onto the SSD, which is usually smaller.

About the Sata ports.

You going to have to live with the experience.

Connect the SSD to any Sata2 port. Make the clone. Disconnect. Swap out the SSD to the boot drive cabling.

[SupremeLaw]

>  What do you mean by migrating ?

The Partition Wizard freeware now has a "Migrate OS" feature that

works very well:  we've used it several times already.

The only major limitation with Partition Wizard is that the entire target drive must be

UNALLOCATED.  The default is to size C: to use the entire target drive;

or, you can choose the size of C: on the target drive e.g. 64GB, and

the remainder will be UNALLOCATED until it is formatted separately.

The other option is to use the migration softare that comes

with Samsung 850 Pro SSDs.

Thanks for the confirmation of the SATA ports.

I'll try leaving the existing HDD wired to the SATA 3.0 port,

and run one or the other software program.

I'm assuming I can then change the BOOT device

to the SATA 2.0 port to which the SSD is connected.

If that doesn't work, I'll try connecting the SSD

to the SATA 3.0 port.

I do want the existing HDD to remain in the system

as a dedicated data storage drive.

I appreciate your quick reply.

Have a wonderful day!

/s/ Paul

[wb2001]

@SupremeLaw,

So are you satified?   Is it solved?

[SupremeLaw]

>  Is it solved?

I won't know until I try it.

I will be placing an order for an Icy Dock 2.5" enclosure

with room for 2 x SSDs.

That enclosure should fit in the 2.5" bay below the optical drive.

Then, I will need to purchase at least one SSD,

probably a Samsung 850 Pro, which comes with a

10-year factory warranty.

When all of those parts are received,

I'll give it a try and let you know the results.

Thanks again!

/s/ Paul

[SupremeLaw · Accepted solution]

Everything worked fine the first time:

after running "Migrate OS" with Partition Wizard,

I simply switched the 2 SATA cables so that

the new 6G SSD is wired to the 6G SATA port

on the motherboard, and the HDD is wired

to the 3G SATA port on the motherboard.