How to upgrade your notebook to a SATA 2.5" SSD

[erico]

Method 1: Use a usb to sata cable and a cloning program for the simplest way to migrate your OS to an SSD. (see the image below)

Method 2: Remove the hard disk from the notebook. Put it and the target SSD in a desktop PC in spare available SATA ports.   

Cloning programs like Samsung's Magician, Paragon's Migrate OS to SSD 4.0, and Apricot's EZ Gig IV will allow you to shrink the amount of data on the legacy hard disk to fit on the SSD.

The migration is normally seamless and simple and usually finished in about thirty minutes or less. The cloning software will prep the hard drive on its own with scripted powershell commands.

Connect the SSD to the sata connector and the USB end to a USB port on your notebook. Invoke the cloning program you have chosen to use.  When the cloning procedure is complete, all that you will need to do is replace the original legacy disk with the SSD. Enter the notebook's BIOS and set the SSD disk to the top of the boot list. Save the change, boot to your SSD and enjoy the performance boost. You won't believe that it is the same notebook. With some notebooks, in order to allow the SSD to boot you will have to use the UEFI boot order and move the OS Boot manager to the top of the list. 

Method 3: A clean install of a Windows OS. Windows XP, Vista, 7 , 8 & 8.1 to the new SSD. This can be difficult if the OS is Windows 8 or 8.1. Newer notebooks have the license activation key in the BIOS as a SLIC code. The OS should activate automatically after installation wehn the notebook is online.The SSD will neeed to be prepped by use of the Windows Diskpart utility. Connect the SSD to an available sata port of a Windows desktop PC. Boot into Windows and invoke a command prompt. It is important to use the list disk comand to ensure that the target  SSD disk has an asterisk to its left which indicates that it has diskpart's focus. Otherwise you could inadvertently delete all information on the wrong drive.

If you have questions about this post feel free to post them here. 

If you have an issue with an SSD upgrade you have attempted, begin a thread in the forum instead of posting your issue here. PM me with the link to your thread.

[Orey01]

Hey Erico,

I see you here often, I was wondering if you can help me. I don't mean to hijack but it's somewhat related. I have an old Compaq Presario v300 and need to know if it will support an SSD. Also I don't seem to have an option in my bios for AHCI? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[erico]

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@Orey01 wrote:
Hey Erico,

I see you here often, I was wondering if you can help me. I don't mean to hijack but it's somewhat related. I have an old Compaq Presario v300 and need to know if it will support an SSD. Also I don't seem to have an option in my bios for AHCI? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

---

No worries. 🙂

 I replied to your thread. If you did go ahead with the upgrade, please let us know how the upgrade went.

[KINGxENVY]

Hey I have a hp envy m6-1205DX with the 750gb hard drive. I want to install a 120gb SSD for OS and programs and use the old 750 as an external. Ive been looking all over the net but couldnt get a clear answer. What do I need to isntall the new SSD? with the OS. I heard I cant use the recovery disc because the SSD is a smaller size than the stock one. please help. 😞

[Sparkles1]

HI @KINGxENVY, 

Welcome to the HP Forums!

It is a terrific place to find answers.
For you to have the best experience in the HP forum I would like to direct your attention to the HP Forums Guide Learn How to Post and More

I grasp that you would like to install a 120 GB SSD as the main drive and install the original 750 in an external casing to use as storage.

You can use the recovery disk but will require a minimum size of  160 GB hard drive. The recovery manager requires the drive to be the same size.

Although a SSD is not listed as a supported drive in the   HP ENVY m6 Notebook PC  Maintenance and Service Guide, it just  means that HP has not tested an SSD in your system.

Here are some document that I believe will be helpful.

About Solid State Hard Drives

How to Install an SSD (Solid State Drive) (by ocz.com)

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 😎

During the recovery you will notice an option to backup your personal files to prevent loss.  If you have not done one I suggest you do just to be on the safe side.

Restoring Files that were Backed Up Using HP Recovery Manager (Windows 😎

I realize you are retaining the original drive and the data on it, but I would still suggest doing the backup just in case.

I hope this helps.

[KINGxENVY]

"The recovery manager requires the drive to be the same." What do you mean by that

[KINGxENVY]

So tell me that if this is right please. I make the recovery disc through the one time process in recovery manager. Once I have disc. I take out old hard drive, and put new ssd in. I than choose to boot from recovery disc. Or hard drive? So no problems with the different size hard drives?

[Sparkles1]

Hi @KINGxENVY, 

The recovery manager is a partition on the original drive, that would allow you to recovery the computer, but the hard drive must be the same and have the same partitions on it .

When you do the recovery from the one time recovery disk that you created, it will partition and format the drive before doing the software installation.

Yes you remove the original drive

Install the new drive and boot to recovery disk 1.

There are links to documents that will assist you with this endeavor in my original post.

Good Luck!

[KINGxENVY]

So I can't use the recovery disc to restore the os because the ssd is a different hard drive?

[Sparkles1]

Hi KENGxENVY,

Yes you need to use the recovery disk to install a new hard drive.

Yes you need to use the recovery disk.

Yes you can use the SSD.