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Re:Why are you not using a SSD yet? by ctide on Wednesday April 20, 2011 @02:20AM (#2465488)
I can't speak for Windows users, but on my Mac, I didn't have to do any of that.
Re:Why are you not using a SSD yet? by masklinn on Wednesday April 20, 2011 @02:26AM (#2465504)
I don't think you need to do so under Windows either, just clone from disk 1 to disk 2, maybe fiddle a bit with the drivers, and you should be done.
Re:Why are you not using a SSD yet? by stewbrew on Wednesday April 20, 2011 @02:42AM (#2465546)
IIRC good performance of ssd requires slightly modified formatting parameters. I'm not sure if this is still true, though. Anyway, with different block sizes etc. I'm not sure if cloning works, does it?

On windows, unfortunately information essential to running an app is stored in the registry and the files are scattered over several directories. So windows users might have to reinstall the stuff -- which could turn out to be a good thing anyway if you were already running your windows system for a long time of period.

Re:Why are you not using a SSD yet? by cyann on Wednesday April 20, 2011 @03:25AM (#2465639)
This is what I've done to move an existing Windows 7 installation from an HDD to a SSD.

1. SSD preparation - format the SSD with the correct alignment:

    diskpart.exe
    list disk
    select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your SSD in list disk)
    create partition primary align=1024
    active
    exit
2. Ensure that the current OS is not using drive letters to boot:

    bcdedit /set {bootmgr} device boot
    bcdedit /set {default} device boot
    bcdedit /set {default} osdevice boot
    bcdedit /set {memdiag} device boot
3. Use PartedMagic to copy the partition from the HDD to the SSD.

4. Disable the scheduled defragmentation.