Q's on Migrating/Cloning my M17x to an SSD

I feel almost embarrassed for asking this question since I've done a lengthy search and come up with very little. I'm still quite a newbie when it comes to getting really deep into data issues, so I wanted to appeal to my comfortable M17x home with this question.

I am going to replace my stock 500GB HDD on my brand new M17x with a 64GB Samsung 830 Series SSD tomorrow. The SSD came with Norton Ghost 15, which I will be using. I honestly have no clue in what order I need to do things.

Obviously, I'm thinking use Ghost to copy/clone/migrate my drive to my External HD, but after that, I'm not entirely sure what I need to do to get it to the SSD. Can I then put the SSD in the system and reboot using my External? Will it have options to copy the External over to the SSD at that point?

Also, when/how is it appropriate to reinstall/reformat my original 500GB HD as my secondary drive?

If anyone wouldn't mind helping me with a simple step by step process, I would be eternally grateful. Again, I feel like a noob, but I knew this was the place to ask. Thank you!

 

I have heard its better just to reinstall from scratch so the SSD is optimized. Hope sombody with an actual SSD can help you out more though as I haven't gotten around to getting one yet

 

Thanks for the reply at least. Very new at this and just want to do it right.

 

I tried doing a migration when i put my SSD in my R2. Save yourself the time, heartache and frustration. Install from scratch. It's worth it. My computer just didn't seem to like it. Which drive did you get? If it's a sandforce based, make sure it has the latest firmware on it before you install windows to it. You cannot update firmware (at least on the Sandforce drives) if it is the windows boot drive and that is your only OS. I bought mine 2 weeks after they released the BSOD update and didn't flash it first. Major mistake. I had to get familiar with an Ubuntu Live CD to be able to finally flash the drive. Also, if you want to set up windows so that it installs your /User and /ProgramData folders to your 500GB drive, you can do that easily during a fresh install. This make it possible to use you My Documents folders without cluttering up the SSD. Here is the link to the instructions Archive.7z It's an archive with 3 files, the pdf and the .xml are the only ones you'll need if you do a clean install. It works great, seamless. The pdf tells you where to make changes in the .xml file. Don't use it as is unless you have verified that everything is the same. If you need any more help, just ask.

 

just downloaded the guide for when I snag an SSD, +rep for making things soooo easy

 

Just a note, I posted this in another thread as well and forgot the disclaimer here.

I did not write the guide nor do I take any credit for it. I think I found it over on sevenforums. But I do stand by the fact that it works.

 

thanks again dude I just need to buy an SDD to test it now