Installing mSATA and keeping data on HDD

Hello, I would like some help on HDD to SSD migration WITH data already on the HDD. I've looked around many threads but none were very clear on how to do this on an already used HDD.

Currently, I have a t420s with the stock HDD. I've been using it for a while, so the OS (windows 7), programs, and data (documents, pictures, etc) are all on the stock HDD.

I now have a mSATA SSD, and would like to boot and run programs from it.

I've been reading through the threads and would like to clean install windows onto the SSD. How would I do this without needing to wipe the HDD (mainly the data, but also some software that are a pain in the butt to install)? I also do not have an external HD to move the data, then move it back.

What I have:
-T420s, stock HDD with OS, programs, and data
-New mSATA SSD
-windows 7 boot USB

What I want:
-T420s, mSATA SSD with OS, programs
-stock HDD with data, some hard-to-migrate programs

What I don't want to do:
-Delete stuff from the HDD, in general. I don't have an external HD to move data. Also, some programs - like ms office, old computer games installed only from cd, academic software - are difficult to reinstall newly (or finding the product key). I don't mind deleting some programs that can be installed easily or system files/partition once migration is complete.
-Use disk backup or recovery. I've heard bad things about partition problems and migrating the system from a HDD to a SSD. I would like to clean install the OS if possible.

I've been thinking along the lines of:
1. Remove HDD and insert mSATA SSD
2. Install windows 7 from boot USB (is this possible?)
3. Put HDD back in. Delete system files and partition. (Possible?)
4. Install programs into SSD. Delete program files from HDD (Possible?)

Is there some disk configuration I need to do somewhere?

PS. I also got 2 new RAM sticks. When should I install and run memtest, before everything starts or afterwards?

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

 

If you want to clean-install Windows 7, you must accept the necessity of installing all drivers and applications from scratch.

If you have an environment that you like, you can replicate it exactly from the HDD to the mSATA SSD, by using a tool like Acronis.

After the system boots from mSATA SSD, you can delete all partitions on the stock HDD (System_DRV, Windows_OS, Lenovo_Recovery) and create a single partition for data files, by using Windows "Disk Management" program. Finally, you can move (cut/paste) your data files from the mSATA SSD to the HDD.

That would be the easiest approach, given the fact that you have no external HDD and with the assumption that your new mSATA SSD will be large enough to accommodate all system and user files as they stand right now.

 

Thanks for the reply!

I was reading into Acronis around the internet and the general consensus was it was a bad idea to replicate an environment from HDD to SSD due to alignment, caching, fragmentation problems, etc, is there a setting I'm missing which would help?

On the other hand, let's say I am able to reinstall all the programs, drivers, e after a clean install. Is it possible to just insert the mSATA SSD, clean install windows 7, and reconnect HDD? If yes, what preparation do I need to do on the HDD (uninstall programs, reg edits, shrink/delete partitions) before disconnecting the HDD and inserting the SSD and boot USB?

 

Good luck with your upgrade.

 

So I managed to complete the installation of my mSATA SSD and keep all data on the HDD at the same time. Not as hard as I thought it would be, and I've kept the old operating system on the HDD so I can boot to it as well if I need to check something.

I'll share what I did, in case anyone else has a situation similar to mine. Here's what i did with a T420s, crucial m4 mSATA SSD, no external backup, using clean install

1. Run system information tools (I used Belarc Advisor) to make a list of all drivers, firmware, and product keys of windows, office, and important software
2. Download all drivers and firmware from the Lenovo Website, and place on hard drive.
Note: Make sure you get the driver for your Network adapter (so you can connect to the internet later for information and download stuff), and for the graphics (else you are stuck looking at a giant 800*600 screen)
3. Print all relevant information
4. Create a USB boot drive (Download Windows ISO, create using Windows USB/DVD tool)
Note: Navigate to your boot USB after creating the drive, delete file ei.cfg to allow USB to install all versions of windows, not just the one for the ISO you downloaded)
5. Turn off computer. Insert mSATA SSD, do not remove HDD yet.
6. Turn on computer and update mSATA SSD firmware. (Check manufacturer website)
7. Turn off computer, remove HDD
8. Plug in USB and turn on computer, go to boot menu, and boot from USB (computer should automatically do this)
9. Install Windows
Note: If you get stuck on "Completing Installation" stage, re-install windows and when it first restarts (right before the "completing installation" stage), unplug the USB, seems to be a problem with the USB driver on a clean install
10. Enter Windows. Clean Install Complete
11. Set your system preferences: hibernation (reduce size)/ indexing (turn off)/ pagefile (reduce size)/ diskpart (check alignment)/ check TRIM/ check AHCI
12. Shutdown. Insert HDD
13. Turn on. Check Disk Management to see if disk is recognized (default sata drivers should be working).
14. Install All Drivers. Run Windows update multiple times
Note: This takes a looong time
15. Create System Image and store it somewhere

Now you should have the clean OS in the mSATA SSD, and all your information still on the HDD. You can delete/move/copy whatever data files you want. Notably, you can still boot into HDD if you wanted to go back to it. Eventually you should delete the system recovery and system partitions on the HDD and use it solely as a data drive.

Clean installing mSATA SSD was easier than I thought, after reading all those threads over the internet. I'm not sure if this will work exactly on your system, but I hope this helps anybody having the same problem

 

Good.

How do you plan to install those programs on the mSATA SSD?

 

In keeping with my "clean" install, I decided to reinstall all software again. Although I guess I could have moved the program data from the HDD to SSD, changing registry keys and config files... though that might take even more time and hassle I did do that for a few software, though


Most of the programs I could find on the internet easily. Here were some of the annoying ones:

MS Office: Dug up an old Technet subscription I had and reused some product keys; I was surprised at how quick I could download office from Microsoft.. much faster than before

Java SDK and Netbeans: I always had a headache trying to configure those annoying CLASSPATH and PATH variables, never seemed to work for an extended period of time. No choice but to reconfigure this on the clean install.

Matlab: Mathworks has one of the most frustrating software licensing polices ever. Expensive and a hurdle whenever you need to purchase online. Thankfully the program itself is relatively self-contained. I moved program data over from the HDD and modified some shortcuts and it seems to work fine.

Emacs: Another one of those configuration nightmares. Could never convert the latex to pdf without some error popping up. Had to reconfigure this one as well.

Steam Games: Relatively simple to reinstall. I also transferred the steam saved data and game settings from the HDD to the SSD.

Old Computer Games: I had a kick out of old games such as AOE2, Worms, starcraft and warcraft, HL, CnC, ... (lol those "old" games date my age ). Turns out most of them are self contained and relatively easy to transfer over. Somehow these games no longer need a CD to be played... so it works out