Cloning HDD to Samsung SSD using Data Migration software

[Commadness]

I am attempting to clone the original OEM 500G HDD to a Samsung 840EVO 500G SSD on an out of warranty G7-2269WM. The SSD has been formatted and is ready to receive the data. When I attempt to clone the drive, there are several different things that happen. Some involve an error message, some do not, but in any case, no data is being transferred. I contacted Samsung for some help, and they said that this is likely being caused by security a program(s) within the G7 that block the data from being cloned. I was also told that Samsung couldn't advise what to disable in order to make the migration work. HP has to provide that. My question to the community is: What security programs within the G7 must be disabled and exactly how do I disable them? Any other tips and tricks to help facilitate this will be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks!

[Huffer]

The devil is in the details. What migration software? What are the error messages? The 840 Evo is a very old SSD. What is its history? What hardware are you using to attach both drives at the same time? The idea that security software is preventing the clone is a bit odd if you are doing the clone in a pre-boot environment, as you should be, as the security software would not even be active. 

[Commadness]

I'm using the Version 4.0 Samsung Data Migration software with a Startech SATA to USB 3.0 connector. I've performed the operation twice before with this connector, and had no issues. The Samsung SSD history is that it originally came OEM in a Puget Systems laptop. The 500G soon proved too small and was replaced with a 2T 860 QVO. I've since added another 4T 860 EVO which is perfect for what I need. My wife had a G7 laying around that wasn't being used, so I decided to give it to my mother to use. I took the HP apart and cleaned the heat sink and dusty everything. When I put it all back together, it worked OK, but it was very slow. The HP HDD came with a Win 8.1 OS which I upgraded to 64 bit Win 10 Home. (the upgrade is still free, thank God). Since I had this SSD laying around not likely to be used, I thought maybe I could swap out the HDD with the SSD to perhaps increase the speed and reliability of the machine. I completely formatted the SSD, but there is a possibility that missed something there. I didn't think much about it at the time, and thought that the slight difference in the formatting results were because all the other drives I've cloned were new out of the box. This one has previously been a main local drive which was reformatted. That's about all the general information I can tell you, but I thank you for your kind reply, and hope this clarification helps to shed light on the operation.

[Huffer]

You do not need to worry about formatting. The clone process should prepare the drive to receive the new data. Just for an experiment you might want to run a "clean all" from the diskpart command on the SSD. That will zero fill it and make it essentially blank. Then do the clone. The Samsung software is a stripped down version of Acronis True Image. I used to use that (Acronis) but have lately been using Macrium Reflect Free. Boot the system from the usb recovery disk to do the clone, but I suspect you know that. You might try flipping the drive positions. Put the SSD in the laptop and make the hard drive external and clone from outside in. I know it sounds silly, but works every once in a while. I would also run a disk health program just to check if the Samsung SSD has perhaps exceeded its specified "write to" count. This affects different software differently. 

[Commadness]

Once again, I thank you for your reply. I will try the methods that you suggested and see how that works out. If nothing else, I can just put the SSD in the HP and just start from scratch. There's nothing really on the HDD that I need to keep. I also have 20+T of storage so I'll not lose any data. The only problem with that is that I may have to purchase the OS if the 8.1PID fails to work on a "new" drive. FYI. I'm 65 years old retired OTR truck driver, and taught myself all about computers. I'm telling you this for 2 reasons: Because I'm "self-taught", I have discovered "unconventional' ways of doing things. This also results in a misunderstanding of terms especially in the execution of programs. The second reason is because I learned primarily by trial and error, I may have a good bit of knowledge about some things, but very little about other seemingly related topics. I.E. I'm not a computer "guru", when you learn by doing, if you haven't done it, you haven't learned it. Thanks again, I will keep you posted!

[Huffer]

You and me both. I'm an attorney who taught himself computers but being here for 20+ years has kind of forced me to figure out a lot more issues and learn more things than if I had been doing this stuff just for me. Don't worry about Windows 10 licensing. Once the unit has been upgraded to Windows 10 you can reinstall even on a new hard drive and it will just automatically activate as long as its the same level of Windows 10. So no need to ever put 8.1 on it again. Go straight to 10.

I get stubborn sometimes and keep doing something just so I don't feel like I was beaten, but doing a clean install onto the SSD will save some time and headache if you really do not need the clone. 

[Commadness]

That's the same conclusion I arrived at. I've put the SSD into the HP. Now all I have to do Is find a Win Home 10 x 64 that is free. The reason that I was clinging to 8.1 was because I have a PID key for that. I got the free upgrade to Win 10 just  before I got the Idea of switching the drives. For that reason, I'm trying to find a rescue disc download. If I can't, I guess I'll have to buy a new OS unless you have any Ideas about either methods. BTW, as a retired trucker, I often had Prepaid Legal Services. I can tell you some serious comedic and tragic tales "from the road". I think computerin' is much more socially acceptable to me than lawyerin'!

[Huffer]

Windows 10 is an open and free download from the Microsoft Media Creation Tool site. Just google those words. Figure out what Shakespeare meant in Henry VI with "First thing we do let's kill all the lawyers".  

[Commadness]

I already created the program and put it on a thumb drive. I plugged in the drive and got a partial boot. The problem now is that the SSD is a MBR that needs to be converted to GPT. So now, with a little progress, I'll continue to cypher and reconnoiter the best way of doing that. I found what I needed for $60, but free is better. The thing about Shakespeare...He was a bleedin' limey. Although bleedin' limeys can get things correct at times.

[Commadness · Accepted solution]

Mark this one as SOLVED, my friend! I looked up an article by MS that instructs how to change the partition table from Master Boot Record (MBR) to (Globally Unique Partition Table) GPT. Once I figured it out and made the conversion, the disk migration software worked slicker than snot on a doorknob. I also learned that all my SSD's (I have 4 of them) should be checked and converted if they're not GPT. I didn't do the exhaustive research as my mission was to get this working properly and out the door to my 93 year old mother so she can look at pictures and play solitaire. And with your help, for which I'll be ever grateful, I sincerely thank you!         MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!