cloning hdd onto msata ssd (im pc newb)

i just got my Lenovo y580 yesterday which comes with a 1tb 5400rpm hdd. I also got a crucial m4 256gb msata ssd. I have successfully installed the ssd into the laptop and it appears in my computer and so on . . .

I want to use the ssd as the main boot drive and for programs and such. I've read about cloning my hdd and a program called easUS which I have downloaded but it says that I cant copy a GPT partition . . . .kinda stuck on this

would it work to just copy + paste everything from the hdd to the ssd?

I also know there is a factory recovery partition on the hdd (is hidden I think) so could I just use that image but change the restore path not to the hdd but to the ssd???

HELP

 

Copy/paste won't work. You could try another cloning utility like clonezilla. It will not clone if the source partition is larger than the destination partition so you'll have to shrink things, I have never tried it with GPT though, you can also look into Acronis True Image to see whether it does GPT or not.

 

Cloning can be tricky as the drive needs to be aligned first. Also, Windows 8 and UEFI use GPT partitions by default, whereas Windows 7 and prior use MBR. So if you're trying to clone a drive with a GPT partition to a drive formatted with a MBR - or vice versa - I don't think it will work. If you want to use Windows 8 exclusively, you'll need to format the drive you want to apply the image to as GPT.

You can copy + paste your data, but programs won't carry over. It's not the same as imaging/cloning, but that's the best way to transfer personal data!

And as for recovery partitions - I don't think changing the path would work, although you can try. It would probably go over smoother for you to use recovery discs on the other drive, if you have any or can create them.

*Edit: tijo is too fast for me.

 

ya the hdd is gpt and has 6 partitions which is crazy . . . I can't convert the drive to mbr though since I would have to format and that would make things like the one key rescue key not work like u said. copy and paste I figured wouldn't work since most of the windows files are in use all the time basically. is it possible to download a copy of windows 8 digitally? if not the OKR. has a 12.6 gb factory default, could I just get that onto either some DVDs or a USB and restore that onto the SSD, and then delete everything from the C: partition on the hdd and set the ssd as the boot drive( has all windows files, program files and so on)?