Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)

Subject: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 08:44 PM

My computer usually bogs down to the point where I buy a new computer every three years. But I bought a particularly high-powered Lenovo last time, and it's finally starting to slow down after five years. My current computer has Windows 10 Professional and 12 MB RAM and an Intel i5 microprocessor. Most current computers with those specs cost more than I want to spend, so I decided to replace the 2 TB hard drive with a 4 TB hard drive for data and a 500 GB Sanyo SSD for programs.

Migrating to the new drives has been an adventure. I first backed up all my data to a 3 TB portable hard drive, and it took three days to copy all the files over a USB3 connection. Then I installed a 4 TB internal drive, and it didn't work - some sort of i/o error, so Amazon sent me a free replacement drive that was packed far more carefully. I tried to copy all my files to the new drive, but some of the program files and "users" wouldn't copy. So, I did my best to make copies of everything I might need, and then I removed the 4 TB drive and installed the SSD.

Samsung has data migration software that makes migration to the SSD quite easy. It's easiest if the SSD is bigger than the hard drive it's replacing, but I couldn't afford an SSD big enough to replace my 2 TN hard drive. So, I backed up all my data and gingerly deleted all but program files from my hard drive. Then I ran the Samsung data migration software, and it told me I still was 18 GB over the size of the SSD. Luckily, the data migration software assisted me in moving additional files to another drive, and suggested graphics and video files I might want to delete or move. I selected a bunch of *.jpg files I couldn't identify, and saved them. I sure hope I don't need those JPEGs when the migration is done.

Once I was ready after about 5 days of backing up, I made the jump and started the data migration software. The software tells me I have 26 hours left in the process of cloning my hard drive.

Wish me luck. Good thing I have my Chromebook to fill in during Migration Day.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 09:04 PM

I did this a couple of years ago, Joe, and really like the faster computer that resulted. I have several multiple terabyte drives inside and out (to do with photo processing, document design, and using my computer as a DVR because it has a TV receiver), but for security purposes I've always kept my programs only on the C drive and my data on other drives. I didn't have to remove much to run the Samsung software, and I don't think it took very long at all to move the data.

I keep my desktop on a different drive, all of my images on a different drive, and though there is a "Downloads" folder is on the C drive, I always redirect any downloads to a folder on my D: drive in my documents library.

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 10:07 PM

You make this sound better than being rich and thin.

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: EBarnacle
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 12:13 AM

If this is a desktop, what would have been the disadvantage of simply putting an additional drive.
Lady Hillary is dealing with a related problem--migrating the data from a dying computer in Windows 7 to a Windows 10 machine. It's giving her the "Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go" routine.

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 01:10 AM

Hi, EBarnacle-

Putting Windows and your programs on a solid-state drive, is supposed to make them much faster. In my soon-to-be-gone configuration, Microsoft Office and many other programs had become sluggish. Keeping my data on a separate hard drive, should make it much easier to back up. Having used personal computers for 29 years, I have a LOT of data.
I got my first computer in 1988. I used to remember every one of them, but their memory has faded.

I used to collect encyclopedia programs. I thought it was so cool to have three entire, 25-volume computers on my little computer, plus all of Time Magazine and National Geographic - and the Digital Tradition, too boot.

I still have 'em all, but they won't play on my computer now.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Mr Red
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 03:55 AM

A lot of my workaday programs - audacity, firefox, chrome, opera (for website proofing), various text editor, file manager, recovery, video & audio file conversion etc are "portable versions" on a second drive. My Lenovo came with an SSD and it was fast. It means in the event I migrate to Win 10 (shudder) - much of the familiar is available and visually the same, and hopefully work the same! And all of those apps are also on a 32 Gb stick. Curiously with all my photos & 40 hours (edited) audio plus raw audio of same plus numerous video files (unedited yet) of canal restoration only eat up 2/3 of the 1Tb drive.


All those Micro$oft updates have certainly slowed my machine down, but I do boot up older machines and the GF's which in the case of the XP machine is not that slow to start.

I always remember 18 years ago we had a set-up at work which was controlled by a PC running Win 3.0 - when the service guy came we asked why they still ran Win 3 and he said watch this - and switched on. By the time we registered what to watch it had booted. They installed Win 3 on the latest hardware, and it flew. A lesson learned there and then. Run old OS on newest hardware if you want speed. SSDs are an example of that.

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 08:27 AM

My first PC was an Eagle 8088 in 1984. There may be an old floppy around here from that dual-floppy-no-hard-drive machine just for the memory (memento) - they held a thimble-full of data and cost about $50 a box.

Years ago I realized if I kept my data on something other than the C: drive that it was more likely to remain after a catastrophic event such as a virus. Now the malware holds every drive hostage so a secure backup is the goal. But keeping the data off of the C: drive speeds things considerably.

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 08:40 PM

Well, the deed is done. My first attempt at cloning failed because of a sector error on the old hard drive. I cleared all extraneous files with Norton Utilities and defragmented the old hard drive. I also turned off Norton antivirus until the next reboot, and disconnected the computer from the Internet. Then I ran the data migration software again, and it did its job quickly and correctly.
My next problem was figuring out how to boot from the SSD. I suppose I could have gone to the BIOS, but what I did was switch SATA cables and reboot the computer, with only the SSD connected. It booted very quickly, and all the programs ran smoothly. I couldn't believe how fast I was able to start Microsoft Office.
Now, my next job is to reconnect all the data folders from the new hard drive.
Wish me continued luck. This job was a lot harder than I expected it to be, but the results are wonderful - so far. At least for now, I feel like I have a new computer. I hope I didn't lose too many files in the process.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Moving to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 11:23 PM

Good job! I've found it helpful to create a couple of other "Libraries" in the Windows environment. They don't always show up in the main view of the computer, but I know how to find them now. In addition to Documents and Pictures I have Videos and Audio Books. I've created separate drives on at least one of the large external drives, but I have to say I'm not sure exactly how many I have in there right now, inside and out. #EmbarrassmentOfRiches