Fitting a quart into a pint pot

[jojo]

My current W7 installation amounts to about 32 Gb. It is installed onto a 220Gb SSD

I need to transfer it all to a 120Gb SSD.

There are no important storage files left over, only the OS plus the installed Programs. While some of these can be reinstalled later, if necessary, several which ar epaid for, will be lost, if I attempt to reinstall. So, I'd prefer to transfer everything over as a single unit.

Seems the first thing to do is to reduce the side of the current partition. Though I think I know what to do, can anyone explain it, because I don't want to make expensive mistakes.

Then I need to ensure the SSD has the same formatting as the W7 SSD. Anyone explain how to do this.

Would really appreciate some information.

[mikkh]

You need cloning software, which was probably provided with the SSD or is available on their site

You don't need to mess with partitions, you just need a cloned copy (an exact image, system files and all of your Windows system including installed programs)

You either attach both drives (making doubly sure you can identify both) or probably safest to use an external drive to house the cloned image

You could use this if you don't have cloning software already

www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/

[vikingken]

Some free cloning software doesn't like cloning big to small. A way round this can be done using Windows Disk Management. Shrink the C: down as if to make a second partition.  No need to format the free space, just clone it as is. Once cloned, you can expand C: to use any free space left on the new drive.

[jojo]

Downloading now. Wish me lick

[mikkh]

There's always the Windows 7 built in tools, just put 'backup' in the search box (after pressing the start button)

No idea if it handles SSD's but it should do. I'd never tried it before because I suspected it would be slower than just doing a fresh install

So I tried it earlier. Plugged in my external drive, picked system image from Windows backup and backed up 52 GB in 20 minutes - quite impressed by that for Windows software

Then you're instructed to make a repair disc, which I did. The big test of course is whether it restores it correctly to a new drive.

Theoretically it should be a simple matter of booting from the repair disc (with the external drive plugged in and the new drive attached) and follow the prompts

I might try that tomorrow to see if it works

[vikingken]

I have used Windows 7 backup on SSDs and it works fine. Its a bit slow and I normally use Paragon, but I have used it just to try it out. Even slow its a lot faster than reinstalling from scratch. You would have to do the shrinking trick, to get it to work to a smaller drive. To shrink your drive down with Disk Management, only take a few minutes.

[jojo]

Well, after a few false starts because i didn't do things properly, pleased to say it's all seems to be done and dusted, working fine.

Did I say pleased, Pleased as Punch

Thanks mikkh. Thanks ken. You're the best.

[jojo]

It's all done and seems to be absolutely fine.

I ended up using EaseUS. Mainly because I used it once before in XP. As a final stage, I had to put my Windows Installation Disc in to get the drive to actually start the OS. Probably the MBR, or something else. That last stage was the longest. Just needed to sit there and let Windoze eventually do its stuff.







Once all the options are selected, click APPLY and let the Computer do its restart. It will restart several times.
Relax and let it do its work.

After these two stages, the copy process is a matter of clicking copy and selectiing the source and destination.

Then disconnect the exisitng drive, set the DVD to BOOT, pop in the Windows CD and choose REPAIR rather than install.

It comes just after you are asked for your time zone.

[mikkh]

I used my Windows backup image today, it works fine - luckily, because I ran into a problem I've seen before on this motherboard with Windows

A fairly painless procedure of booting from the repair CD with the external drive attached and following the prompts. I was a bit worried it might get carried away when I ticked format the partitions because it doesn't acknowledge the Linux partitions already in place. Discounting the boot up time from CD, it took exactly the same time to restore as it did to backup (20 mins)

Obviously it's wiped out the Linux boot-loader, but that's a two minute job to restore it from the PClinuxOS live DVD

I usually follow the sledgehammer approach of reinstalling from scratch because even if Windows is running fine, I invariably have programs on I put on for a specific one off purpose that are no longer required and a brand new Windows always works better anyway

[jojo]

I would have done that as well mikkh, it makes sense really. But I had problems with W7 registration once before, after an 'upgrade' mine was invalidated. Fortunately, the company I bought it from was very helpful and quick. But rather not rock that boat.

But all is working well now. I really got W7 to play a game I'd invested in Elite Dangerous. (If you remember the games from the 80s, that was kinda the top nerd game of the day.) Sadly, ED is taking an age to develop while they concentrate on cool graphics.

So I'm not using it right now, sticking with what I know and works, XP.

It's still my plan to use the left owver 220Gb drive to run SteamOS. Talked about it in another thread. For now, I've left the W7 on it, unused, just incase. But the urgency is somewhat gone since I learnt that most Steam software isn't going to work on Linux. Still, be a good chance to give Linus a decent run.

Ken mentioned a Windows facility for shrinking partitions. I can see it, but since his is the only recommendation I've ever seen I haven't risked it. Windows doesn't have a brilliant reputation. Just wondering if anyone, especially ken, has every used it and if there were any problems

[mikkh]

It's fine, just right click the relevant partition and pick shrink volume in disk management

[jojo]

Excellent. Thanks.

[vikingken]

I think I have tried out every tool  there is in Windows 7 over the years its been out and not found any problems with anything. You cant compare Windows 7 to XP, they are two completely different animals. XP was so ancient, M$ had plenty of time to rework their ideas before Windows 7 put in an appearence. Windows 7 is nothing like it was when it came out in BETA, in fact I would have kept using the BETA version if I could.

[jojo]

Understand. But think of an old tool shed at the bottom of your garden. You know where everything is. You know each thing's little quirks. Your photos, press clippings, graffiti, are and what they all mean. You know where it's comfortable to sit and where you throw the f*g ash.

Then someone comes along and builds you a brand new shed.

Meah!