Windows 10: Cloning Windows 10 to smaller SSD

I'm trying to clone my 2 TB HD, with only 300 GB used, to a new 480 GB SSD, and keep getting "not enough space" to finish transferring, etc.....I thought since the used portion (300 GB) being less than the target drive (480 GB SSD) this was a possibility with Macrium reflect/free....I'd appreciate any information on how to do this, or if it's not possible?
Thanks, Gil Howard

:)

 

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.

 

Windows activation key

I upgraded the SSD to a larger capacity. I cloned the smaller SSD on to the larger SSD. It boots.

Now the PC is telling me that I need to activate Windows. I called Microsoft and they put me into an automated activation key process. It was not successful.

Can someone advise me on how to recover the activation key from the smaller SSD? It came, Windows 10 enabled, with the machine.

 

Hi Gil,

Yes, it can be done but I never did it using Macrium. I believe the ability to clone depends on the actual size of the partitions (and not the used space inside). Also, I think it would be advisable to post a disk management screenshot of your current drive so the person that will be helping you can actually see what you are dealing with and advise accordingly. Now, me being a dummy, I would most likely opt to shrink the partition before I cloned it but that may not be the best way to do it. Someone will be along to give you specific directions I'm sure. Good luck!

 

H Aardvark....Thanks for your quick reply! I saw in the video HowTo*Smile Hard Drive to Solid State Drive (HDD-2-SSD) Step-By-Step Cloning w/Macrium Reflect - YouTube that changing the partitions will prevent you from using the recovery partition, later, in case you need it, UNLESS you know what you're doing; obviously I don't, as it looked so easy in his video, but when I tried it, the response was "not enough room" or similar.....I must have tried to resize the "wrong" partition..... I think your idea to include my disk partition info as a screen shot is a good idea....I'll try to include that.
Gil

 

I tried it but could never get it to work. It was so long ago now I don't remember what error messages I got. The not enough room sounds familiar though? Even when I thought I had it licked, it wouldn't boot from the disk. I just gave up and did a clean install. This was with a Windows 8.0 UEFI install. Many moons ago.

 

I've done it, but first you have to get the used space down and get the partitions like you want them to be on the SSD. A clone is an exact duplicate. Although the prep work is about the same, why not think about taking an image and restoring it to the SSD?

 

@gilhow: It appears he shrinks the (source drive) C partition at around 08:51 (after dragging it to the new SSD) in that video. The guy doing it sounds quite apprehensive so I would listen to the experts here and work with them. Good luck!

 

Yeah, I think you're right; I must have chosen the wrong partition, but what is the moderator talking about; have to get the "used space" down.....it's already down! It's 300 GB and the SSD is 480 GB.....the "partition" is 1.8 "unused", and I'm sure you're right; I need to shrink it to something less than 480 minus the "not allocated" partition size.....

I have another question: If I don't succeed at cloning my HD/ operating system (win 10 pro) is there a way to "still" (I know the free download date just ended) install win 10 onto my SSD, which, of course, is brand new and no operating system on it?

I appreciate everyone's thoughts!

 

Cloning will not work since the destination disk is smaller capacity (480GB) than the source disk (2TB), it does not matter if you have only 300GB of data in the source and also not advisable even if you can (different disk might have different cluster size). You'd need to copy instead.
Note: Source disk is 238GB, destination is 139GB. Click on Clone, select the destination disk (make sure it's unallocated ie. donot format), drag each partition then drop onto the destination disk to copy. Cluster size will be aligned correctly

 

Topgun, if he resized the C partition small enough he could do it.

 

Well, I thought it was going to work......I only have 3 partitions in my 2 TB HD, with 300 MB used. This time, when I dragged the lst partition, it showed only the 300 MB transferring to the available 450 or so SSD; no problem, then dragged the 2nd partition (recovery partition) and it wouldn't fit, so reduced it about 30 MB and viola, it fit.....clicked on backup and it worked for about 15-20 minutes, then "clone failed"....reasons given were failure to read....and failure to write....The reason I bought a new SSD was that I got innumerable error messages, that my HD was failing, collaborated by 3rd party software (Acronis). I had read that bad sectors wouldn't make a difference when cloned, as they wouldn't be copied; then, I also read that it does make a difference......I'd say from this first experience, it does. Please let me know what you guys think; it definitely seems possible to clone from a larger HD to a smaller one, if your source disk (and target, I suppose, but mine is new) is healthy.....

 

As said above. Even if he could clone it, it is not advisable. Different HD has different cluster size plus sometimes you's have disk signature collision.
@OP

• Are you running any Anti Virus ? if so, temporarity disable it.
• Run Chkdsk on the 2TB drine with /r option
• Did you clean your SSD and leave it unallocated ?

 

Just use AOMEI partition assistant.It worked without issues cloning my 1Tb HD to my 240G SSD as well as on others for my friends and family.Just choose the option to resize to fit the new drive and you're all set.I found it to be easy to work with and it's free.

 

Does Cloning (Macrium) use "Intelligent Sector Copy" or "Forensic Copy"?

Perhaps if it uses "Forensic Copy", there may be data blocks on the source HDD that are outside of the range of the target SSD?