Windows 10: Cloned OS from HDD to SSD; good install? Have doubts

New Dell XPS 8900 desktop with OEM Win10 and 1TB HDD. Did all the Windows updates including a big one. Then, added a SanDisk 240GB SSD. Cloned HDD over to SSD with included Apricorn EZ Gig IV. Disconnected HDD and SSD seems to run fine. Installed a few programs and did some web browsing. Created recovery media. Seemed safe enough to reformat HDD for data use only.

Then, with only the SSD connected, I used "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" to create a system repair disk on DVD-R. Why it says Win7, I don't know. There is no other Dell or Windows recovery software. Anyway, get an error message to, "insert Windows installation disk; the files needed to create a system repair disk were not found on this computer. You can still create a system repair disk if you have a Windows installation disk."

I then disconnected the SSD and re-connected the OEM HDD. Was able to create the repair disk with no problem. Disconnected HDD and reconnected SSD. Same error. Although Windows seems to run fine on the SSD, I'm a bit concerned that this error means something is amiss with the Windows cloning.

Then tried Windows Update with the SSD. There is one available but when I try to install it get an error that, "Some update files are missing or have problems. We'll try to download the update again later. Error code (0x80070570)." Tried again, same error. I previously did all Windows Updates before cloning over to SSD.

Back to the OEM HDD and the one available update, KB 3116908, cumulative update to Win10 v1511, triggered different errors, which looking online seems to be a common error with this update. Does not appear to be the same error trying to do the update on the SSD.

I created a clone backup image on a USB flash drive with the Apricorn. I also created one on an external USB HDD with the included Windows 7 image software. Is it safe for me to reformat the OEM HDD and ignore this issue? Seems not. Should I just re-clone the SSD? Last one only took 7 minutes so not a time factor. Is there a way to verify the clone install on SSD is good to go before reformatting OEM HDD? Thanks.

:)

 

Clone a 1 Tb drive to a 512 Mb SSC

Hi Vaughn,

You can
clone larger HDD to small SSD with a professional disk cloning software as long as the used space is smaller than the SSD. You will not worry it will clone the unused space unless you use sector by sector clone mode.

I suggest you to clone your HDD to SSD with AOMEI Backupper, if the used space is larger than the SSD, you can clone only the OS to SSD and keep the HDD as data storage. This software is very easy to operate.

 

SSD - copy or reinstall OS?

All you need is a free cloning software. Personally, I often use AOMEI Backupper to clone large hdd to smaller ssd. you don't have to shrink the partition for it to fit the ssd,
as the software will do it, as long as your ssd have enough space for the data on the hdd. If your ssd does not have that much space, you can slim your HDD by removing data to another storage device or use system clone to only migrate your operating
system(OS) to the SSD instead.

www.backup-utility.com/clone/clone-large-hdd-to-smaller-ssd-4348.html

 

Did you clone all the partitions from the OEM HDD, there should be at least three partitions in total. How many partitions do you have on the SSD?

 

I let the cloning software handle the partitions automatically, see attached screenshots. BTW, Windows Update 1511 did take on the OEM HDD but still get the same error message on the SSD. Thanks.

 

You could run the sfc /scannow check in an elevated command prompt to verfiy that the SSD clone has no system file errors.

 

I ran it with both drives connected, I assume it just checked the SSD C drive. No system file errors.

 

I would suspect that your cloning process did not work as intended. I had a similar experience with cloning. Rather than cloning I suggest you use a trusted imaging program like free Macrium, make an image and then restore that image with the help of the recovery CD that you must first create. Here is a tutorial I once made:

Imaging with free Macrium - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

Seconding the recommendation for Macrium Reflect Free. It can also do cloning but the image/restore sequence is the one I've preferentially used in upgrading HDDs to SSDs.

 

The Macrium backup image is running now. I think I selected "exact copy" instead of default intelligent copy. Is that a problem imaging a 1TB HDD then installing it on a 240GB SSD. Will the "exact copy" just copy the 68GB of data on five partitions or include the 930GB of empty space and try and install that on the smaller SSD causing a problem?

 

I think 'intelligent copy' adjusts to the size of the target device whilst 'exact copy'will require a target device of the same size or larger.

 

Either way, do you suggest canceling the "exact copy" (halfway through) and going with "intelligent copy?" Do you usually use "intelligent copy" for what I'm doing? Thanks.

 

I transferred Windows 8.1 from a HDD to SSD a while ago - see http://www.eightforums.com/installat...s-hdd-ssd.html. I had no problems using Macrium Reflect.

Note I was advised at the time to use backup/restore rather than cloning since cloning might duplicate the disk signature creating 2 disks with the same signatures.

 

Hi,

Intelligent Copy, actually "Intelligent Sector Copy" copies only those sectors containing data as opposed to copying sector for sector as "Exact Copy" aka "Forensic Sector Copy" would.
The latter option is more time consuming, not sure what you'd use it for.
This pertains to cloning a disk and that's mainly used when you're cloning to a larger or equally sized drive.
Logically it should not work if the destination drive is smaller than the source.
Never tried it out, just going by what Macrium says about it.

For as long as the target destination drive is large enough to contain all data it'll work as MR will resize the partitions accordingly when restoring from an image.

Just for info though as I was incidentally going to MR's Help file and thought it might help.

Best, *Wink

 

OK, I'll ditch the "Exact Copy." What about using the compression? Seems not using compression would reduce the chance of errors.

There are two choices for "Backup Tasks." should I do:

1. Image selected disks on this computer, or

2. Create an image of the partitions required to backup & restore Windows

I presume #2?