Backing up 8GB cache SSD and replacing with 500GB SSD

Hi,
I have a Toshiba P50-B (PSPNUU-03S05D) with a 1TB disk and an 8GB SSD that I'd like to replace with a 500GB SSD and migrate the OS to use that, leaving the 1TB disk for storage.

I have Acronis, but it doesn't detect the 8GB disk as being available.

Can someone explain the steps for doing this, or point me to where I can find the right documentation?

 

Your SSD is a cache drive. There's no OS on it, it is on the hard drive.

I don't know what is the format of the SSD (mSATA or M2) in that Toshiba, so you'll have to wait for someone who's familiar with the model in question to chime in with the available options on replacing that 8GB drive.

 

I knew the 8GB disk was for cache, but I figured if I couldn't access it with Acronis to back it up, then I may not be able to access it to restore the OS to the new disk later. The SSD I got is the Samsung 850 EVO mSATA 500GB.

The thread previously used to reach this point is here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/replacing-hard-disk-with-ssd.774336/page-2#post-9980568

Thanks!

 

You don't need to back up the cache drive, that's the whole point.

 

I would make sure no storage devices other than the (new) one is installed when you do a clean install of Windows.

Even after installation, I would not replace the 8GB cache drive in the notebook. This is a throwaway item, imo.

 

I'm sorry I haven't been more clear. My intention was to replace the 8GB cache SSD with the 500GB SSD, but I was expecting to be able to access it from the existing OS to be able to restore the contents of the 1TB SATA disk on to it. Of course I don't expect to be able to do anything with the 8GB disk once this is done.

Is that not possible?

 

Honestly, I'm still confused but will give it my best shot...

You're planning on restoring the data from a 1TB drive onto a 8GB one? Or am I misunderstanding the entire scenario?

If you're attempting to do what I've outlined above, most likely not.

The procedure is very simple, really:

a) Remove the 8GB mSATA SSD and install the 500GB one in its place.

b) Remove the 1TB HDD.

c) Do a fresh install of the OS of your choice onto the new mSATA SSD.

d) Re-install the 1TB HDD and move any needed files - presuming there's not 500GB of them - onto the mSATA drive. Wipe the HDD clean, format it and move the files back onto it, then erase them from the mSATA drive.

That's how I'd go about this anyway.

Good luck.

 

Okay, I understand a little more now...

The 1TB SATA disk has all your information. The 8GB cache SSD only has temporary info that is not needed (it can be rebuilt from scratch from the 1TB drive if both continue to be used in your system).

If I didn't mention it before (in the linked thread you provided above) I would not recommend to use mSATA as the O/S drive... but it is your choice, if you wish. The issue is not only slower performance from half (or less) the controller channels and half the nand chips on the small mSATA drives vs. a 2.5" SATA drive, but also in reliability/availability too, ime. I have seen notebooks just freeze with mSATA boot drives installed. Removing them and leaving the system without AC and/or battery power for up to an hour would fix them eventually until it happened again. Not what I would consider a dependable situation. Coupled with the inherent performance drop, it is not a recommended install option at all.

Btw, have you seen the latest test on the MX200 SSD?

See:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/9258/crucial-mx200-250gb-500gb-1tb-ssd-review


And the results above are for the 2.5" SATA3 version. I cannot see the mSATA variant faring any better.

Hope it is not too late to warn you about these issues. Sorry I could not pay as close attention before (in the other thread).

 

No, that's not it at all. It's closer to what you've described below.

I thought it made sense to first make sure that the 8GB SSD was accessible, thinking if I couldn't access that disk, perhaps I wouldn't be able to access the larger disk in its spot when it was swapped out with the 500GB SSD. I now understand that won't be a problem.

I'd also like to use Acronis to restore the image of the 1TB disk onto the 500GB SSD once it's in place instead of having to reinstall an OS because I don't have the install media and creating recovery media doesn't work with the USB stick (SanDisk) that I have.

 

How much space is currently used on the 1TB disk? It will need to be less than the formatted available capacity of the new SSD.

 

Yes, of course. It's only the base OS that's been installed, which is why I'm doing it now.

 

I think the problem here is that my comments have always been one step ahead of you - I thought it was clear from the onset that I knew what was installed on the 1TB disk.

I don't understand this at all. You're saying I'd be better off with the OS on the 1TB SATA disk over a 500GB SSD in the 8GB cache slot? I don't see how that's possible.

No. Did you read that I already had the Samsung 850 EVO?

The previous thread that I referenced, where we discussed this about a month ago, your recommendation was to do exactly what I'm now doing. Why are you now saying this is a bad idea?

 

A lot of times the cache drive in some laptops are half-size mSATA and don't always have full SATA functionality. Do you have an image of the inside of your laptop and identified the mSATA drive?

 

Sorry for the delay in responding - busy time of year for me.

1) No, a 500GB SSD used as the O/S drive is superior to a 1TB HDD (overall).

2) I already apologized for not reading last months thread better. Again, I'm sorry. (Honestly). The information I provided in the previous thread last month was on how to use both drives 'transparently' with regards to having the O/S on one drive and the specific Users folder on the other. I was not agreeing with the mSATA being the O/S drive (the 'mSATA' part is the detail I missed).

The scenario changes when that O/S drive is now an mSATA vs. a 2.5" SATA SSD (as explained in a previous post above). The 2.5" O/S install is superior to the mSATA O/S install, ime.

You can still sell or use the 850 EVO as the storage drive. But you would still need to buy a new 2.5" SSD, of course, to do it properly.