Can i move my OP system with an ssd upgrade

dan2222

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Oct 12, 2010
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Hello, im looking to upgrade an old laptop with a ssd, but realised that it will not have my operating system on it. Can anyone please advise me what the options are when changing a hard drive and move operating systems!
 
I would do a clean install of Win 7, then download all the updates. After that install the basic programs you want like, anti-virus, any specfiic web browser, any office suite software (like MS Office) and apply all patches / updates to those as well. I would also toss in useful utilities like:

CCleaner - basic tool to clean the Registry
Defraggler - Defragging program
ImgBurn - Optical drive burning software

After your laptop is set up to the basic configuration you want to have, then do a full system scan for viruses, then create a bootable image with whatever drive image software you plan on using.
 

asinausk

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Jan 13, 2010
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Don't get Defraggler... you don't want to defrag an ssd.
 

dan2222

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I forgot to say that I dont have the windows disk to do a fresh install! So am not sure if I should bother getting the SSD.
 

MotherFerJones

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some SSD's come with ghosting/imaging software, but it really is advisable to do a clean install on an SSD. Samsung makes and installation kit for laptops with the software and cable to transfer your OS over to the SSD. I'm not sure how much the kit is but a 830 series SSD 128GB is 99.99 right now on newegg, I just bought one a week ago.
 

synthaside

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Ok , if your looking to do some kind of disk clone something like Acronis or http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx will do a clone for you ... However most of the free online software will not be able to clone the ( MBR) master boot record onto your new system, thus you have your data but your operating system wont boot into windows.

Your options are to do this and repair or -write on a MBR which will be more complicated .or pay for a program that does do this such as http://www.acronis.co.uk/homecomputing/products/migrateeasy/ .

Regardless of which option you chose you will have to find some way of connecting both hard disks simultaneously to your machine and if this is the case i wouldn't waste money paying for this service and as such have not used them personally.

What i would do is Re install windows ... on your SSD even if you ask a friend for a copy of install media for windows home premium ( of whichever windows version you have ) or have to torrent it .. this will not be illegal as you have a licence key for the machine.

Then copy all your files / to the new laptop .. this will be so much better as windows 7 will configure itself for an SSD rather than for standard drives .

To re-use your existing licence key from your laptop, You can find by using this handy tool http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ ( or if you know how regedit )

NOTE ... this will only work for small hardware changes such as disks you wont be able to do this to completely change machine because windows is smart enough to record your hardware and allow 6 changes a motherboard change is not allowed unless you call them up and beg them ... I've had to do this with an MSDNA key after a PSU took out my Mobo and my primary disk
( dont buy cheap and then overclock ;-) )

#disclaimer ... be sensible and keep your old disk until everything goes hunky dory worst case pop the old HD back in :)