Need to know how to move OS to SSD, and change boot settings?

[daddyzaring229]

I recently added a SSD to my PC to run my OS from.  How do I move the OS from the partition on my hard drive to the SSD drive without losing any personal data or apps?  I also need to know how to get into the BIOS settings to change the boot drive order to the SSD drive?

[WAWood]

@daddyzaring229 

You can't actually MOVE the OS from one drive to another.  Instead, what you can do is copy it, a process known as cloning.

This thread has details on how to use a free third-party app to do that:  

1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR) from here: https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree
2) Connect the new drive to the PC using a USB-to-SSD drive adapter (like the one illustrated below)
3) Follow the instructions in this link: http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Cloning+a+disk
4) Shutdown the PC when done
5) Swap the drives and reboot the PC.

NOTE: To do this easily, the SDD has to be the same capacity as the HDD.  IF you get an SDD that is a lot smaller, then before you do the cloning, you have to shrink the largest partition on the HDD (usually the OS partition), to the size such that it, and the other partitions, fit easily on the SSD.

After you have finished that, you have to press the Esc key repeatedly while rebooting to get into the BIOS settings.  Once there, you have to find the boot order screen and change the order of the drives.  BIOS screens are different, so I can not tell you which screen it is or how to get to it.

[daddyzaring229]

I have already installed my new SSD, do I have to pull it back out to clone windows?  How do I tell which partition the OS is on?  It looks to me it is on the smaller partition, but you said larger?

[WAWood]

@daddyzaring229 

Installing an SSD is not the same as installing an OS.  The first involves hooking it up; the second involves migrating Windows to it.

The link I provided has instructions on how to CLONE the OS to the SSD.  You need to boot from the hard drive and follow those instructions.  The cloning process will create the necessary partitions on the SSD.

[VH2000]

It is possible to migrate a System to a new drive without cloning.

If you clone a disk you have to remove the source disk or you delete the Boot-Partition!
If you have just 8.87 GB free on your C-Partition your system will crash sooner or later. Probably when you run the next update.

Run this command in cmd (admin)
powercfg /h off

Then you should have more than 10 GB free

[WAWood]

@VH2000 

What you are claiming is NOT true -- you do NOT have to remove the original disk if you clone it.

The OP wants Windows on the SSD, so cloning the OS is the best way to do this.

Once they have done that, they go into the BIOS/UEFI settings and change the boot order to select the SSD.  The PC will then boot off the SSD.

I know because I have done this numerous times.

[daddyzaring229]

"Installing an SSD is not the same as installing an OS.  The first involves hooking it up; the second involves migrating Windows to it."

Sorry, That's not what I meant.  Your instructions said to hook it up with an USB adapter, I was just wanting to know if it had to be done that way, since I have already installed the SSD into the computer?

[VH2000]

The Windows Boot Manager with the BCD determines the Boot Options.
and starts \Windows\system32\winload.efi
Run bcdedit in the command prompt and you will see.

If you have two (2) bootmanagers the system is not stable at all.

You can have 5 operating systems but just one bootmanager

[daddyzaring229]

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@WAWood wrote:

@daddyzaring229 

Installing an SSD is not the same as installing an OS.  The first involves hooking it up; the second involves migrating Windows to it.

The link I provided has instructions on how to CLONE the OS to the SSD.  You need to boot from the hard drive and follow those instructions.  The cloning process will create the necessary partitions on the SSD.

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Sorry, That's not what I meant.  Your instructions said to hook it up with an USB adapter, I was just wanting to know if it had to be done that way, since I have already installed the SSD into the computer?