replacing Hard Drive with solid state hard drive

[UncleDewey]

I need to have a larger backup hard drive for backing up my internal hard drive.  I thought why not install a solid state hard drive, and then use my current hard drive as my backup hard drive.  I do have an adapter that would allow me to connect my current hard drive to a USB connection.   Both my current hard and the solid state drive would be 1 TB.

The problem is how can I do this in a relatively easy way.  Does any one have any guidance for me?

Just thinking that since I need a larger backup drive why not at the same time convert to solid state internal hard drive. 

Thanks a bunch,  Uncle Dewey

[banhien · Accepted solution]

@UncleDewey

I've been swapping HDD's/SSD's at least 6 times a year for the last 10 years or so and the simplest way is

(a) Mount new SSD/HDD to an external enclosure (using USB-SATA),

(b) Clone existing HDD/SSD to new HDD/SSD using many free clone software around,

(c) Swap them.

I don't need to re-install software, Windows, drivers ...

In your case, only one more thimg you have to do : existing HDD is a 3.5" hard drive and new SSD is only 2.5" therefore you need an adapter which helps to line up screws  for example

     https://www.jw.com.au/jw-2-5-hdd-to-3-5-drive-bay-converter

Regards.

[UncleDewey]

Thanks heaps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I think I can do this.  I'll get back to you when I'm done.  It looks like I can get a Seagate:

"Seagate FireCuda 1 TB Internal Hybrid Drive ‑ 3.5" ‑ ST1000DX002-SATA 6Gb/s" for about $75. 

Uncle Dewey

[mdklassen]

> It looks like I can get a Seagate:

> "Seagate FireCuda 1 TB Internal Hybrid Drive ‑ 3.5" ‑ ST1000DX002-SATA 6Gb/s" for about $75.

FireCuda™ 3.5-inch solid state hard drives blend SSD technology with an HDD platform for the instant-on performance and capacity you need.

Multi-Tier Caching (MTC) technology combines NAND Flash, DRAM, and media cache technologies to optimize data flow for improved read and write performance.

Adaptive Memory technology identifies frequently-accessed data, so you can load it even faster.

This is a "hybrid" disk-drive, with 8GB Gbytes of SSD, and the large-majority of the disk-drive being a "spinning" disk-drive.  Is that what you want?

If you do purchase a Seagate disk-drive, download the free "SEATOOLS" software from www.Seagate.com

It includes "disk-cloning" software.

[UncleDewey]

I thought I would be getting all SSD, but.....The writeup really sounded great.  What would I need to be looking for so it would be all SSD?

Thanks for your help--without you I'd be nothing.  Uncle Dewey

[mdklassen]

Your computer: HP Pavilion 500-281 Desktop PC Product Specifications

Product number: F3E14AA

Release date: 16-Jan-2014

Drive bays:
* one 13.33 cm (5.25 inch) ODD
* one  8.89 cm (3.5 inch) HDD

Bays may be occupied by existing hardware.

Thus, if your current 1TB disk-drive is the original disk-drive, it is about 4 years old.

It probably came with a manufacturer's warranty of 1, maybe 2, years.

I would be tempted to "proactively" replace it, before it fails.

For example: SanDisk - Ultra 1TB Internal SATA Solid State Drive

at $229.99 US -- save $170 -- was $399.99

Yes, SSD devices are much more expensive, per MB, than "spinning" disk-drives.

Do you really need "really-fast" access to your 1TB of files?

You have a shortage of "drive-bays", which (mostly) rules out a "combination" solution:

* 128 GB SSD to hold Windows and your applications,

* 1TB or 2TB disk-drive to hold your files.

Yes, you could repurpose the current disk-drive as strictly a "backup" device -- much less usage than being your 'C:' disk-drive.  Just remember its "age".

[UncleDewey]

After checking out true SSD drives this is the one I want.  It will load Windows in 8secs, and very fast in most other activities.  A true SSD would cost me $200 more.  On Seagate's web site I can not find Seatools.

Thanks a bunch for your guidance,  Uncle Dewey

[mdklassen]

Seagate's SEATOOLS is free "disk-cloning" software.

It requires that one of the attached disk-drives, e.g,. "source" or "target" or even "non-participant-in-the-process" be a SEAGATE (or MAXTOR) disk-drive. 

> It will load Windows in 8 seconds.

True, on my system, not counting the time that Windows and Adobe and iTunes and the anti-virus software (and more programs) each "call home" to check for updates.

-----------
Welcome to this forum.

Please click the purple/white "Thumbs Up" icon for every response that is helpful.

Also, please click "Accept As Solution" for the best response.