Moving Windows to a M.2 drive?
Moving Windows to a M.2 drive?
Hi There, I am looking at buying a M.2 SSD, and I am unfamiliar with the process of transfering just windows onto the M.2. My main questions are, 1. Is there a way to transfer JUST windows, and then manually select later on what you would like to put on the M.2? 2. If not, how do I completely re install windows, and majority of my programs on my M.2? Also, My current hard drive is a Tobisha SSHD, 1 TB, and I am looking at buying a 500 GB Samsung 960 Evo M.2 SSD.
Although some suggest avoiding this, you can transfer your OS drive to an SSD. They warn about future issues (especially drivers), but I've cloned multiple times without trouble. They seem to think I'm lucky. If I could clone several times smoothly when I usually run into problems, I'd buy a lottery ticket. You also install Windows and apps on any machine, yet you can still import settings from %APPDATA%—just type it in File Explorer. After installing programs, copy the contents before opening them; they often behave normally. Other files might be in your "My Documents" folder.
It's recommended to perform a fresh installation to prevent future complications. I advise saving all necessary files, moving them to an external drive, and then restarting Windows with a new setup.
Drive cloning lacks strong error handling; mistakes can arise and the clone might fail. A better method is creating an image of the HDD/SSD and applying it directly. Most users prefer a fresh installation over this approach. Performing a drive image works well when multiple computers share the same specifications.