Cloning OEM drive to SSD

So I have been able to run a full backup of a clean install from the SSD drive and able to restore that backup and boot successfully. When I run a complete backup of the 750GB and load it onto the SSD and try to boot up, I get "BOOTMGR is missing". Do I need to run a full backup of the whole drive, with all the partitions and restore it? The backup that I ran is only from the "OS" partition. Is the BOOTMGR on a different partition? I notice during the restore of the image from the clean install, it doesn't ask me to choose the drive to restore the MBR, but when I restore the image from the 750GB, it asks me the target location of the MBR. Since I don't have separate partitions of the SSD, I choose the SSD. I've tried restoring without choosing to restore the MBR with the same results for the OEM image. If my description is unclear, let me know.

I'm using Acronis True Image Home 2011
I am open to suggestions for a different software to use.

 

If you want to replace your primary OS drive with an SSD, which it sounds as though you do, then do a full disk backup. If using Acronis True Image Home, select the disk, not just a partition, and by selecting the disk all partitions will be included.

Yes, it's quite possible that the OS partition is not actually the boot partition. That's a common arrangement on computers, and my new Dell laptop was that way.

Do a full disk backup, and restore that full disk image to the SSD. And, check the Recover disk signature check box.

 

I'll give it a shot later tonight when I get home. I was trying to avoid swapping the OEM drive back in to avoid the hassle. Was thinking of using the Dell CD to reinstall everything but that takes longer since I'd have to reinstall Windows then load all the applications and drivers where using Acronis to backup and restore only takes 20 minutes total. Thanks for the reply.

 

You can eliminate Dell's OEM partition if you want, after moving the boot files from there to the OS partition and making the OS partition active. I did that on my Dell XPS15, to free up almost 20 GB that was used by Dell's OEM partition.

 

I should have brought the 750GB drive to work with me, than I can do all this here.

 

Actually it is suggested to make a clean install on SSD(clean windows 7 install, which will make an important configurations, suitable for SSD). So cloning may be not the best way to do it.

 

After you have cloned the OEM HDD to the new SDD, remove the HDD completely and have only the SDD in the primary bay (under the palmrest, of course).

Put the Windows 7 installation disc in the optical drive and boot the system from it. Select Windows Repair option. Click Next on the first screen and Repair on the second screen. Windows will automatically detect and repair the bootmgr problem.

Eject the installation disc and boot from primary. Once everything appears to run fine from SSD, you can reconnect the OEM HDD via a caddy and use Disk Management to delete the 3 partitions (OEM, RECOVERY and OS) and combine them into one partition, which will be your drive D: for data.

(It is a good idea to use Dell DataSafe to create the 3 System Recovery DVDs from the OEM HDD first of all.)

 

After getting the caddy, I went ahead and ran Acronis again but backing up the complete 750GB drive including all partitions. Restored it onto the SSD, choosing to include drive signature and it booted up successfully. I have everything the way I want it now and did whatever I can for optimizing it. 750gig drive is now in the optical bay as secondary. Only thing I couldn't remove was the 102MB portion of that drive using computer management, but something I can do later.

 

Is that 102MB portion the Dell Recovery partition that sits "in front of" the OS partition (C: drive)? Disk Management will allow you to delete the Recovery partition but won't extend the OS partition to "absorb" the unassigned 102MB.

Use EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition (free).