Cloning HDD to new SSD

[Batty]

I honestly never have any luck with computers here in thailand.

 

I brought a new SSD for my wife's 7 year old HP laptop. She does not use it very often, not worth buying a new one but it has been very slow.

 

I took the laptop to a computer shop and ask them to clone everything from the HDD to the SSD Including the (original) OS, and fit the new SSD.

 

The shop just called my wife. They said that they have been copying everything over for two full days now, and they are not even halfway through the copy. He said it might take another three or four days to complete the clone, and that it might be better to stop the clone and install a new OS.

 

I don't know very much about computers, but I'm pretty sure it should only take a few hours maximum to clone everything over? There isn't very much data to copy no videos just a few photos and the OS.

 

Does that sound right to you chaps? Should it really take almost one whole week to clone an operating system and maybe a hundred photos over to an ssd?

Edited May 21, 2023 by Batty

[lopburi3]

No it does not sound right at all but suspect an error may have already been made and now no other choice but to install new OS?

[KannikaP]

You  should have checked how much was on the HDD before giving it to your man. What size was it?

It could be advantageous to install a new OS onto the SSD first, and then simply copy over your data to the relevant folders. 

I use Aomei Backupper which has a clone function.

Where are you in Thailand? I could help you.

Edited May 21, 2023 by KannikaP

[KhunBENQ]

28 minutes ago, Batty said:

wife's 7 year old HP laptop

 

28 minutes ago, Batty said:

maybe a hundred photos over to an ssd?

Hmm. You have checked that there is that little on the hdd after 7 years?

I have 4400 pictures from the last 7 years and thats 14.3 GB. And I tend to delete junk/erroneus pictures, not a hundred fried eggs etc.

(total of 13000 pictures and a few hundred videos which are the real volume eaters)

 

I have seen that it can take a couple of hours for the cloning.

But days sounds really weird. Maybe there is a problem with the HDD or they use a slow connection for the copy (USB 2 port?).

 

Just to be sure: it is an SSD connected internally (SATA or NVmE)?

 

The hint about installing a new OS is generally good.

For me there was now question that I did a clean install on my SSD and only using it for the OS.

The old HDD is still connected, good enough for storage of pictures, videos, documents etc.

Edited May 21, 2023 by KhunBENQ

[Photoguy21]

Install a new OS on the SSD and transfer the files you want from the old drive to the new one.

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Install a new OS on the SSD and transfer the files you want from the old drive to the new one.

The problem with that approach is all programs will have to be re-installed or new purchase to work.  For most people with old programs the clone process may be a better option, even with a bunch of junk (SSD does not slow down with junk).  

[OneMoreFarang]

It shouldn't take that long.

But, it is possible that the old HDD is damaged. And if that is the case, then it might take forever.

And the old HDD might stop working completely soon.

So if you have the time then I suggest let the shop wait and wait. And if it still isn't done after a week then you can still tell them to stop.

 

And about problems like that: You might copy 0% to 66.3% in an hour, and then maybe it tales 5 hours to copy 0.1%, and then maybe the speed is normal again.

With errors on a disk (let presume that is the case here) you can't predict how long it will take.

 

And if you stop with that process, then I recommend that you copy your important data ASAP to another disk of USB stick. High priority first. If it fails completely, then you saved as much of the important data as you could.

 

Good luck - you need it. 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

SSD does not slow down with junk

Junk slows down. But with a fast SSD you might not notice it so much. 

[Photoguy21]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

The problem with that approach is all programs will have to be re-installed or new purchase to work.  For most people with old programs the clone process may be a better option, even with a bunch of junk (SSD does not slow down with junk).  

If you have the registration number you could probably use that again. If not there are legit places you can buy a CD Key for a few dollars. If you transfer the existing OS it could well have errors and problems that you just move from one drive to another.

[Photoguy21]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It shouldn't take that long.

But, it is possible that the old HDD is damaged. And if that is the case, then it might take forever.

And the old HDD might stop working completely soon.

So if you have the time then I suggest let the shop wait and wait. And if it still isn't done after a week then you can still tell them to stop.

 

And about problems like that: You might copy 0% to 66.3% in an hour, and then maybe it tales 5 hours to copy 0.1%, and then maybe the speed is normal again.

With errors on a disk (let presume that is the case here) you can't predict how long it will take.

 

And if you stop with that process, then I recommend that you copy your important data ASAP to another disk of USB stick. High priority first. If it fails completely, then you saved as much of the important data as you could.

 

Good luck - you need it. 

 

A 1 TB external SSD will cost around Baht 5,000 but well worth it

[fdsa]

2 hours ago, Batty said:

Does that sound right to you chaps? Should it really take almost one whole week to clone an operating system and maybe a hundred photos over to an ssd?

sounds like a dying HDD, normally it takes few hours to clone a drive.

 

Or another possibility is the shop technician doesn't know what they are doing and they are stupidly copying files using Windows file explorer, which would really take forever. If they are cloning raw volumes it must take few hours on a healthy HDD>

Edited May 21, 2023 by fdsa

[OneMoreFarang]

35 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

A 1 TB external SSD will cost around Baht 5,000 but well worth it

Or a 2TB external HDD for half the price.

For most scenarios, like backups, the external "drive" doesn't have to be fast. 

[connda]

I'm assuming you're using Windows so get your HDD back, install Macrium Free cloning software, if you don't have one buy an external hard drive to save the cloned partitions or disk, and you should be on your way.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

Another option is to use Clonezilla, but that does require a bit more technical skill but it's completely free.  You'll need a thumb drive to boot to Clonezilla.  You can find "How To" videos on Youtube for both these products.

Once you learn how to use your cloning software, always keep a copy of your cloned system saved.  It will keep you from suffering data losses and the headaches that go with them.  Like you may be about to experience.

[Mavideol]

does anybody know how to format and older HD from Western Digital to it's maximum size. The HD space/size it's a portable 1TB but only formats to 32 GB, I try Fat32, ExFat and NTFS to no success, visited WD web site for driver update but no longer available

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mavideol

[connda]

Most of us learn the hard way, but you want to keep a cloned copy of your disks or your partitions, as well as keeping backups of your data.

If that doesn't make sense, it will after your first large data loss.

Best of luck.

Edited May 22, 2023 by connda

[connda]

2 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

does anybody know how to format and older HD from Western Digital to it's maximum size. The HD space/size it's a portable 1TB but only formats to 32 GB, I try Fat32, ExFat and NTFS to no success, visited WD web site for driver update but no longer available

You can buy a 2 Terebyte external USB 3.x hard drive for under 2000 THB.  Why ask for problems by using really outdated hardware?
But considering you asked. 

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/format-large-hard-drive-fat-fat32/

[Mavideol]

Just now, connda said:

You can buy a 2 Terebyte external USB 3.x hard drive for under 2000 THB.  Why ask for problems by using really outdated hardware?
But considering you asked. 

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/format-large-hard-drive-fat-fat32/

thanks, already have a new one but was trying to keep a spare one

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 5/21/2023 at 12:06 PM, Batty said:

 

The shop just called my wife. They said that they have been copying everything over for two full days now, and they are not even halfway through the copy. He said it might take another three or four days to complete the clone

Sounds to me these guys are Incompetent. 

 

There are many cloning tools, GHOST etc. 

 

Tell them to remove your HDD, do the cloning on a newer computer, a good computer shop will have new motherboards, RAM, CPU to connect the HDD and SSD 

[Furioso]

To the OP, I've cloned about 10 PC's over the last 10 years, but I used a special SATA cable made by the Apricorn company. This cable, along with the E-Z Gig software allowed me to clone in just an hour or two. 

 

I forgot to bring the damn thing when I moved to Thailand, the SATA clone cables they sell here don't have nearly as fast of transfer rate, that's why it's taking days for your shop to clone your PC. 

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Furioso

[DudleySquat]

I suspect the original harddrive has bad sectors that were never repaired.  I'm not so sure you can clone a SATA drive to SSD.  Drive cloning devices copy sector by sector.  I do not thing SSD and SATA share the same sector size. 

 

I would guess, that it will fail before it finishes. 

 

You are trying to use an HD that is well beyond its MTBF. 

[KannikaP]

5 minutes ago, DudleySquat said:

I suspect the original harddrive has bad sectors that were never repaired.  I'm not so sure you can clone a SATA drive to SSD.  Drive cloning devices copy sector by sector.  I do not thing SSD and SATA share the same sector size. 

 

I would guess, that it will fail before it finishes. 

 

You are trying to use an HD that is well beyond its MTBF. 

I have cloned my C drive onto another SSD several times using AOMEI Backupper and a USB cable. No need for fancy stuff.

[KhunBENQ]

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I have cloned my C drive onto another SSD several times using AOMEI Backupper and a USB cable. No need for fancy stuff.

Sure you can. It's not that primitive as assumed above. The SW is smart enough.

Let's hope the topic starter comes back and I don't ride another dead horse.

[Mickeymaus]

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

does anybody know how to format and older HD from Western Digital to it's maximum size. The HD space/size it's a portable 1TB but only formats to 32 GB, I try Fat32, ExFat and NTFS to no success, visited WD web site for driver update but no longer available

Where did you buy it? Is it fake? 

[DudleySquat]

3 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Sure you can. It's not that primitive as assumed above. The SW is smart enough.

Let's hope the topic starter comes back and I don't ride another dead horse.

How do you know it is software and not a cloning device?

[DudleySquat]

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

does anybody know how to format and older HD from Western Digital to it's maximum size. The HD space/size it's a portable 1TB but only formats to 32 GB, I try Fat32, ExFat and NTFS to no success, visited WD web site for driver update but no longer available

Older? How about a clue about how many years old it is? 

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

does anybody know how to format and older HD from Western Digital to it's maximum size. The HD space/size it's a portable 1TB but only formats to 32 GB, I try Fat32, ExFat and NTFS to no success, visited WD web site for driver update but no longer available

Perhaps try using MiniTool Partition Wizard. I find it extremely useful.

 

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

 

[fdsa]

5 hours ago, Mavideol said:

does anybody know how to format and older HD from Western Digital to it's maximum size. The HD space/size it's a portable 1TB but only formats to 32 GB, I try Fat32, ExFat and NTFS to no success, visited WD web site for driver update but no longer available

it might be a sign of a failing drive.

first of all run a read test with this program https://hdd.by/Victoria/Victoria537.zip

if it will show any amount (more than 0) of bad sectors or many sectors with slow access speed then you could safely throw this drive away.

Edited May 22, 2023 by fdsa

[Mavideol]

18 hours ago, DudleySquat said:

Older? How about a clue about how many years old it is? 

2006 is it old enough 555

[Mavideol]

18 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

Where did you buy it? Is it fake? 

from Fortress in HK

[Mickeymaus]

8 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

from Fortress in HK

Did it have before 1 TB? Are there other partitions already?