How to copy/install a ssd drive?

I have just purchased a Dell Lattitude 6500 and I am looking to swap the existing drive with a Corsair 256 gb ssd. However, how do I copy the data from the existing drive and to the ssd drive?

Do I need one of these?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156017

 

That will work, or if you have a flash drive or an external harddrive, you can use that as a go-between.

 

or, if you don't plan to sell your old hdd, get an enclosure where you can put the old disk in for ever. then, take the old out, put it into the enclosure. put the new into the laptop, install, and copy your files trough the enclosure back onto your system.

 

Thanks for the answers. Dont have an external drive or a flash drive, so I guess I will have to buy that adaptor.

What will I need in regard to software to copy/clone the contents of the existing drive (including OS etc.) to the new ssd drive? I have Windows XP installed.

 

do you have a desktop? you can just connect them to SATA ports and copy them over using imaging software. DriveImageXML will do that.

 

you WILL have an external drive: your old drive.

just get an enclosure for some bucks, and you have an external drive.

 

I don't have a desktop.

 

Yes, of course, but how can I have them both connected at the same time if i don't buy that USB-cable (see link in first post)?

 

You should get one of these so that you're not transporting a bare drive around

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=PRICE

You pick the one you want.

Yes, you do need to purchase something to have them both connected at the same time.

 

Thanks - so if I buy one of those enclosure, I wouldn't need the "converter"-cable, but just an ordinary USB cable?

 

by gettting an enclosure? as said?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010010092%201053807124&name=2.5%22

here, those are all empty enclosures for 2.5" disks on newegg. some of them are like 16bucks.

get one of those, plug the old disk out, put it into that, and you have an external disk. you'll use it first to copy back your data, and later, as a fully functional external disk.

 

haha, should have read till the end.


yep, then you don't need that adapter. those enclosures ARE those adapters. the adaptor just doesn't have a nice box around it (and connectors for more than one type of hdd)

 

Thanks for your help.

What software can you recommed in regard to "cloning" of the existing hdd to the ssd?

 

Acronis TrueImage is easy to use and able to clone drives to an external HDD.
The trial version (30 days) would be adequate if you only plan on using it this once.

 

Yes, Acronis, or a fresh installation, and copying of the old data.

 

Can use a $25US-delivered optical bay caddy to house your HDD in your E6500 so can have HDD+SSD working together to be able to clone them. Can hotswap back in the optical drive as needed. See here for more details.