Cloning hard drive from old HDD to new HDD.

So, I picked up a new laptop, which comes with a 250GB HDD. I still have the old 160GB HDD from my old laptop. I want to clone the old HDD (Files and OS) onto the larger HDD. I have a 2.5 inch SATA enclosure. So, here are my two questions. What software should I use? And, should I put the old HDD in my old laptop and clone from there to my new HDD, or leave my new HDD in, and move the old HDD onto it. For reference, old laptop is an m11x R1, new is an m15x, and the m11x is still with me. Thanks!

 

Why would you do this?

You can't put your O/S, utilities and drivers from one machine to another and expect it to work...

Just buy a new HDD for your old system and leave/enjoy your new system alone.

 

I would do this because that way all my programs are installed still, saving me time. Also, I know the drivers wouldn't work, and it wouldn't install any of them on the HDD anyways, since theres almost no matching hardware. I'd just download the new ones.

 

Depending on the program and how great the differences between the chipsets - the computer may not even boot - the programs may need to be registered/activated again - but, if you didn't 'unauthorize' them from the original system, you may need to repurchase them for the author to give a new licence.

With all those possible headaches above, your Windows installation may not be as stable as it could/should be either.

Get a new HDD (~$50) and do a clean install.

Good luck.

 

Probably not even gonna boot. Windows maintains some low level files tailored for the specific laptop on which it's installed. Cloning to a different model won't work(as far as I know). I've even encountered this same problem going from same model laptop, early version to same model, later version.

 

Factory installed OEM copies of Windows are tied to specific motherboard models, so this will not work, even before we get into all of the other issues mentioned above.

 

if it will boot, this will result in greater problem in missing, conflicting and wrong drivers due to different system specifications including motherboard, GPU, ... etc. unless using two identical systems.

 

Lol, I just installed from the Win7 USB I had from Alienware, took like 20 minutes. Just dealed with the drivers, hah. Let this drop.

 

for reference , you would not be able to install your old Hdd into the m15x and achieve a stable system. 90% of the time they will not boot, and will BSOD during the windows boot. the other 10% of the time they will boot into the OS only to fail nearly instantly.

HOWEVER, you could easily clone your old Hdd onto the 250gb hdd that is installed using acronis. you will still have to install the correct drivers, but it will work. This is a common practice in Professional settings when a clean install is impossible for whatever reason. the best course OBVIOUSLY is to just re-install windows, and start from scratch to avoid any issues that may arise from cloning the Hdd, in a personal setting i, highly doubt there is ever a reason to not just rebuild the OS. its actually less work, as you noted it took all of 20 mins to install windows, and likely not much more to install the drivers.

for further reference i recently did this with my m17x-r2, trading it for an m15x, i simply cloned my old OS hdd to the hdd installed in the m15x and installed the correct drivers, no issues until i had time for a fresh install.

 

Thanks! I just figured it'd be possible, but with the USB install, it was blazingly fast. Under 10 minutes windows install to an SSD? Also, what are you getting Vantage scores on your M15x? We have very different systems, but I just wondered.

 

was abale to get the top 260 score in vantage a LOL beastly P7373....
i was able to get 14K 3d06 marks, if i get the time ill probably get one each of the other cards and top the scores there as well, possibly not the 5850 scores they went deep on that card, but i hardly ever game anymore so the 260 is fine at the moment, if i could oc the CPU on this thing id be able to crack 8K vantage & 15k 06 but my Mb is not a friendly one =)

P7373

 

Nice! I'm in a much worse spot right now, though.. Check the M15x forum for a thread titled "Royally screwed?" Any input help or anything would be greatly appreciated, in a bit of a terror right now..