Windows 10: Samsung data migration software clone

Cloning to my new samsung 860 EVO using their software, for one of my 5 PC's
Seems very easy. software is saying about ah hour to finish.
My spinner drive has gotten slow to the point of why put up with it anymore.
Running latest oct update 2020 win 10 2H2O 2OH2 or whatever H2O2, O2H2 2O2H arghh!!!




:)

 

Error when trying to use Samsung's Data Migration Software.

Because of a failed attempt to clone my windows installation to the SATA, the 465GB drive appears as if 232GB, even in windows explorer.
However samsung's software can tell the difference.



I am trying to clone my windows installation from disk 2 to disk 1.

- - - Updated - - -

After using Acronis True Image, and renaming the drives, the storage bug is fixed, however even if cloning is completed without errors, F11 Boot Menu shows no "Windows Boot Manager 860 EVO" entry or M.2 for that matter.

 

Cloning HDD to SSD KEEPS FAILING

I have a Samsung SSD, so I am using the Samsung data migration application.

 

Inspiron 7559 - Cloned OS to Samsung Evo 850 500GB SSD but NOW WHAT?

Before ordering my new Inspiron 7559, I read online that another user had been very happy after upgrading to 16 GB RAM and cloning the OS from the 1 TB 5500 RPM HD to a Samsung 500 GB SSD using Samsung's Data Migration Software (and keeping both drives, using the HD for storage). However, now that I have already cloned the upgraded Windows 10 OS, I read that another user started experiencing major issues after cloning with Samsung's Data Migration Software, because Windows updates then did not know where to go on the SSD, and he recommended a clean install of Windows 10 to the SSD? Arrrrgh! So this is where I am at:

1. I upgraded Windows 10 to the latest version and uninstalled all the bloatware and adware that I did not want. I ran sfcscan and optimized the HD to make sure everything was in good shape.
2. I did install a number of free programs onto the HD (CCleaner, Revo Uninstaller, Thumbnails, Firefox, Samsung Data Migration, etc.)
3. I used Samsung's Data Migration Software and was following their online manual but the Data Migration program never gave me the option to select which files to migrate - and I tried looking around, but it just went right to cloning - so it cloned not just the OS, but all the programs I had installed to-date (all of which are free, but those will update often, so I thought they should just be on the HD, not on the SSD).

The data migration completed but now what?

I have not changed the BIOS or attempted to start the system from the OS clone on the SSD because now I am afraid that I should not have used the Samsung Data Migration software after all - that this will lead to issues with the OS when it tries to install future updates, and that because the Samsung software also cloned all the free programs I had installed, those will have issues updating too.

I need to finish my taxes this weekend (oh, joy) and then have a project to finish (which requires that I install CS5 InDesign onto my new laptop's HD) before I can do anything time-consuming - like installing Windows 10 directly to the SSD (which I want to avoid, but will do if I have to, if that is truly the only way to ensure proper operation when updates come out). For the next week, I am thinking I will just manually remove the SSD drive and use the OS on the HD for now (so that the computer does not get confused, because having the OS on both will confuse it according to other users)? Meanwhile, I hope to get more experienced forum feedback on what I should do next, because I am in way above my head!


I had NO idea it was going to be this complicated to have a secondary SSD to run the OS! Part of me wants to forget using the SSD altogether, but then I would be working with the very slow 5500 RPM HD only, which sort of defeats the purpose of getting a new laptop! Oh HELP!




So:

• Do I leave the cloned OS on the SSD and clean the OS from the HD? What about the free programs that Samsung's Data Migration also cloned - will those create problems when they try to update? Do I have to reset the BIOS settings to use the cloned OS on the SSD and do I have to unplug the HD when doing this the first time to ensure that the computer isn't confused about where the OS is actually located (or will the BIOS settings take care of that)?

• If yes to the above, how do I remove just the OS files from the HD and not touch the recovery partition that is on the HD?

• Do I redo the cloning with a different program - or is there another version of Samsung's Data Migration software that WILL give me the option to clone only the OS? I downloaded it directly from the Samsung website, so am not sure why it never provided the option of choosing which files to clone.

• Some online users mentioned a few other alternatives for cloning - is there something better that is free and reliable that gives me the option to select which files to clone and is that a viable option at this point? (Will it overwrite the already cloned files?)

• Do I have to do a clean install of Windows 10 to the SSD - and if so, how do I do that with the OS still on the HD? I really did not want to have to do this because I like my trimmed-down Windows 10 (no CandyCrush, etc.) because it still has some of the Dell-specific programs included that I don't mind having on there.

Has anyone else successfully cloned their OS from the HD to a secondary SSD drive using Samsung Data Migration and if so, can you speak to the software glitch of not having the option to select which files to clone? Will this cause issues, since it cloned all the other installed programs too? Can I redo the cloning to just include the OS? Also, have you had issues when programs (especially Windows) need to update to the SSD? Is it true that the program files won't be able to update successfully onto a SSD because the SSD moves the data all over the place and cannot be readily found?

Any informed and experienced suggestions are most appreciated.*Huh