Windows – How to transfer Windows from a partition of an existing hard drive to a new (smaller) SSD

bootclonewindowswindows 7

I have a 500 Gb hard drive currently split into two partitions:

+---------------------+--------------+
| Data (D:\)          | System (C:\) |
+---------------------+--------------+

Now, I just bought a new SSD with a capacity of 120 GB, which is just slightly higher than the "System" partition above, where I have Windows 7 currently installed. I also bought a new hard drive with 1 Tb, to use in place of the "Data" partition above.

What I want to do is to basically copy the Windows installation from C:\ to my new SSD so that I can start booting directly from the SSD, while copying all my data from D:\ to my new hard drive. (The 500 GB has started to make weird noises, which is why I'm trying to replace it.)

So I want an end result that looks like this:

120 GB SSD:

+--------------+
| System (C:\) |
+--------------+

1 Tb hard drive:

+---------------------+
| Data (D:\)          |
+---------------------+

Is this possible? My main concern is that the boot area of my current drive is at the beginning (right?); so if I just clone my C:\ partition to my SSD that won't actually make my SSD bootable. Or am I mistaken about that?

Obviously I can't just clone my entire 500 GB drive onto the SSD, as the SSD doesn't have enough space for that.

Unfortunately, while I realize reinstalling Windows from scratch wouldn't be a really big deal, that isn't an option as I seem to have lost my installation disc.

Best Answer

There are two things you can do.

Copy only the C partition, then run a startup repair on the new drive before booting it. You may have to run startup repair more than once.
Move data off your drive so that the total data will fit on the SSD. Next shrink the partitions on your drive so that both partitions will will fit on the SSD (or just delete the non-C partition). Then image the entire drive.

You can repartition your harddrive from within Windows 7 using the Shrink feature. The MS kb article is at: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Can-I-repartition-my-hard-disk

Go to Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management
Click Disk Management (it's under Storage)
Right-click the volume and then click Shrink Volume
Follow the Wizard

This question is very similar to How to shrink Windows 7 boot partition with unmovable files

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Linux – Cloning to a smaller hard drive with DDRescue

If you suspect this disk is on it's way out, your first priority should be to get the most important data off it imediatly, NOT trying to repair it or clone it. Again, don't try to clone it, but strategically attempt to move the most important data somehwere safe first, then go after the less important data later.

Attempting to clone the drive could not only result in catastrophic failure, but if the disk fails 99% of the way in duriong a clone attempt, not only is the disk now dead, but your image of the disc will most likley be worthless.

http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29&Action=NewOSID&DownloadVersion=9&Installer=NO

The beauty of this tool is that if there is a file on a bad sector, it'll keep on truckin' and not abort the whole process. Windows has a bad habit of aborting the whole operation if a file half way can't be read.

This way you can get the most important data first, and then get the other stuff. If by some miracle the disk survives this, try using imagex to capture an image, it's a filesystem based imaging tool, not a sector based imaging tool, you may have some luck.

Windows – How to create from 0 a bootable disk partition for windows 10

There are general steps in the BCDBoot docs: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/bcdboot-command-line-options-techref-di#repair-the-system-partition

For UEFI the partition layout is documented at: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/configure-uefigpt-based-hard-drive-partitions

Create a new "system" partition of approximately 250 MB:
```
DISKPART> create partition efi size=250
```

Format using FAT32, and assign a temporary drive letter:

DISKPART> format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
DISKPART> assign letter="S"

Install the files needed by Windows boot manager, together with an UEFI NVRAM "boot entry":
```
C:\> bcdboot C:\Windows /s S:
```

For BIOS the partition layout is documented at: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/configure-biosmbr-based-hard-drive-partitions

Create a new "system" partition of approximately 100 MB:
```
DISKPART> create partition primary size=100
```

Format using NTFS, and assign a temporary drive letter:

DISKPART> format quick fs=ntfs label="System"
DISKPART> assign letter="S"

Set the 'active' or 'bootable' flag for this partition:
```
DISKPART> active
```
Install a partition boot sector:
```
C:\> bootsect S: /nt60
```
Install a compatible MBR boot sector to the whole disk:
```
C:\> bootsect S: /nt60 /mbr
```
Install the files needed by Windows boot manager:
```
C:\> bcdboot C:\Windows /s S:
```

Best Answer

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Windows – How to create from 0 a bootable disk partition for windows 10