New hard drive help

[Zonda_]

Ok I'm trying to put an SSD into my tower case. On the installation instructions it shown a large full width connector going to the front of the SSD then connecting to the computers USB port to clone the current hard drive. All that's in the box is the SSD and the instruction book, I've looked online but I can't see this cable. What do I need to be searching for?

[Matty]

Is this SSD to replace your existing drive (so you want to clone your exisiting) or as an additional drive alongside your existing?

If the former, you'll be better off doing a full 'bare metal' backup of your existing install, old drive out, new SSD in, restore.
If the latter, you just need to mount it alongside, plug an existing power adapter in from your PSU and connect a SATA lead from the SSD to a spare SATA slot on the board.

[DeskJockey]

You'll need an external drive enclosure.

Something like this

[integrale_evo]

The photo probably shows something like this
USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter Cable for 2.5"/3.5" SSD/HDD Drives, SATA to USB3.0 Cable 2.5/3.5 Inch Hard Drive Adapter Cable 0.5m, UASP Supported (0.5m)

The wide plug is just a combined power and sata socket.

[Zonda_]

Is this SSD to replace your existing drive (so you want to clone your exisiting) or as an additional drive alongside your existing?

If the former, you'll be better off doing a full 'bare metal' backup of your existing install, old drive out, new SSD in, restore.
If the latter, you just need to mount it alongside, plug an existing power adapter in from your PSU and connect a SATA lead from the SSD to a spare SATA slot on the board.

It's to replace the existing drive. I'm not clear what you mean by a bare metal backup, how does the software get to the new drive?

[Zonda_]

The photo probably shows something like this
USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter Cable for 2.5"/3.5" SSD/HDD Drives, SATA to USB3.0 Cable 2.5/3.5 Inch Hard Drive Adapter Cable 0.5m, UASP Supported (0.5m)

The wide plug is just a combined power and sata socket.

Yes, that's what the image in the instruction book shows, dammit I wanted to do it today and PC world don't show anything like it.

[Matty]

Is this SSD to replace your existing drive (so you want to clone your exisiting) or as an additional drive alongside your existing?

If the former, you'll be better off doing a full 'bare metal' backup of your existing install, old drive out, new SSD in, restore.
If the latter, you just need to mount it alongside, plug an existing power adapter in from your PSU and connect a SATA lead from the SSD to a spare SATA slot on the board.

It's to replace the existing drive. I'm not clear what you mean by a bare metal backup, how does the software get to the new drive?

Well I made the assumption it was your Windows (C) drive. If not, as Alex says you could just use a cheap enclosure (aka Caddy) from eBay, then you can put your old HDD in there, then connect it via USB. Then manually copy across to your SSD which is installed in place of your old drive.

If it is your Windows C drive, then you'll need to follow something like this:
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-crea ... indows-10/

Note you'll need *another* drive just to hold your backup.

[integrale_evo]

You can use clone software, basically load the program, use an adapter to attach the ssd to a USB port, use the software to clone the existing hard drive to the ssd.

Turn off the computer, swap the drives over.

It can be fussy if the drive you want to copy is larger than the ssd and can make things a bit more complicated.

Depending how much 'stuff' you've got its often easier just to back up your stuff and start again with a fresh install onto the new drive and start from scratch.

[Zonda_]

You can use clone software, basically load the program, use an adapter to attach the ssd to a USB port, use the software to clone the existing hard drive to the ssd.

Turn off the computer, swap the drives over.

It can be fussy if the drive you want to copy is larger than the ssd and can make things a bit more complicated.

Depending how much 'stuff' you've got its often easier just to back up your stuff and start again with a fresh install onto the new drive and start from scratch.

That'd what I want to do, I just don't have the adapter.

[Sundayjumper]

You can use clone software, basically load the program, use an adapter to attach the ssd to a USB port, use the software to clone the existing hard drive to the ssd.

Turn off the computer, swap the drives over.

It can be fussy if the drive you want to copy is larger than the ssd and can make things a bit more complicated.

That's how I've always done it. The clone software (there's lots available for free) should include facility to change partition size(s) to suit the new drive.

Does your existing tower have a spare bay / connector ? You might just need a SATA cable and plug it straight in.

[Zonda_]

You can use clone software, basically load the program, use an adapter to attach the ssd to a USB port, use the software to clone the existing hard drive to the ssd.

Turn off the computer, swap the drives over.

It can be fussy if the drive you want to copy is larger than the ssd and can make things a bit more complicated.

That's how I've always done it. The clone software (there's lots available for free) should include facility to change partition size(s) to suit the new drive.

Does your existing tower have a spare bay / connector ? You might just need a SATA cable and plug it straight in.

I'll have a look, I didn't notice one before.