Windows 10: How can I swap my SSD without losing my data?

I have a pc windows 11 with a 1tb HDD and 250gb M.2 SSD. I have just bought a new 1tb M.2 SSD and want to replace the old 250gb one, but my OS is installed on the old SSD and my pc only has 1 M.2 SSD slot. The HDD has only personal files and has 220gb free. There is 199gb of data on the old SSD that i wish to transfer to the new one. I also have a 250gb external USB storage device if that helps. I have tried making a disk image of the ssd onto the external drive, but it will only let me copy ALL of my files including the HDD, which there is not enough space for and is not needed Please let

:)

 

How do install my copy of Windows 10 on an SSD that I will then swap for the internal SSD in my Dell Laptop?

I bought a new 500Gb 2.5" SSD and an external USB Hard Drive Case.

I want to do a fresh install of Windows 10 on this drive externally, then swap it for the existing 125 Gb SSD in my Dell Inspiron 11 laptop.

I do not have a registration key for Windows 10 as it was preinstalled, and I am concerned that:

1. The laptop may have a custom Dell installation, ie unique drivers and mods

2. I will lose my registration

3. I will lose all my software installations

4. The laptop will not boot the drive after I swap it in

Please give me step by step instructions and a heads up of any problems I may encounter and should avoid.

Thanks

Peter

 

Cloning to SSD then swapping drive letters


@SamHobbs
What you want done is very simple and can be done in short period of time. Here's my suggestion:
There's 2 modes that Windows can be installed: UEFI and the old legacy MBR. Open Disk Management, look at the disk where your C drive is, if there's a

1. EFI System Partition, your Windows was installed using UEFI.
2. System Reserved partition, your Windows was installed using MBR

Next, Connect your SSD to an available Sata port (no need to format or do anything). Download: Macrium Reflect Free . Install and run. Follow the steps below:

1. From Macrium, click on image this disk under your C drive and save it to either an Internal or External Drive. This will create a single backup image of the whole disk containing your C drive.
2. Again, from Macrium, click on Restore tab and select the image created from step 1, Select your SSD as the destination drive, click Next->Finish
3. Exit Macrium. If your Windows was installed using MBR, Open disk management and make sure the SSD is marked "Active" else go to next step.
4. Shutdown your PC. Disconnect the HD containing Windows C drive then connect your SSD to it.
5. Reboot. Your PC should boot and the Windows should have C as the drive letter.

NOTE: The procedure above is to backup your Windows to an image file then copy it back to the SSD. This ensures proper cluster size aligment for the SSD. In addition, Macrium also perform Trimming for the SSD. This is more preferable than cloning.

 

Swap C & D Drive back to SSD & HHD

I had some issues with updating Windows: Redirecting

I followed the steps but I noticed that Windows 11 was working really slowly. I looked on Task Manger and it looks like my drives have swapped? Originally my C drive was the SSD and D drive was HDD but now they have swapped so C Drive is HDD and D is SSD.

How can you swap your drives?