Change the boot drive by updating the boot order in your computer settings or using a boot manager.
Change the boot drive by updating the boot order in your computer settings or using a boot manager.
You have multiple storage options spread across different devices, and you're looking to consolidate or migrate them while keeping everything running smoothly. It's feasible with proper cloning or migration tools. You can create a backup copy of the 128GB drive on your main desktop, then clone that copy onto the 512GB SSD in your primary laptop. This way, both systems will run the same OS and have identical data. For safety, always make a full backup before proceeding, and consider using reliable cloning software to ensure data integrity.
To verify, your primary rig boots off a 128 GB SSD while your secondary desktop boots off an HDD. You plan to swap the 128 GB SSD for a 512 GB SSD and then use the 128 GB SSD to replace the HDD. What storage size does the HDD have? If it exceeds 128 GB, cloning it onto the smaller 128 GB SSD could pose a challenge (though you can usually clone to smaller drives as long as available space fits). To safeguard all drives before making changes, you'll need an external drive larger than the combined size of all three. Then, clone each drive sequentially onto the external drive while preserving their original partition sizes. Macrium Reflect is the tool I notice is commonly suggested for this process.
Copy the 128 GB SSD to the 512 GB SSD. Use a cloning tool such as Macrium Reflect or EaseUS Todo Backup. Open the program, choose the disk cloning feature, and pick the 128 GB SSD as the source and the 512 GB SSD as the target. Begin the transfer; time will vary based on data size. Repeat the same steps but this time use the HDD as the source and the 128 GB SSD as the destination. Power off your computer, unplug it, remove the original SSD from the main desktop, and mount it on the second desktop as the boot device. Install the larger 512 GB SSD there. Power up the second desktop and verify boot functionality. Activate your primary desktop and confirm it boots using the 512 GB SSD.