Upgrade issues

4antom

After installing a 256GB micron m.2 SSD my computer actually seems slower.

I originally performed a clone using minitool and it went fine but minitool created an esp partition (this did show in the api window prior to clone that showed in My computer and ) which wasn't there before. So I decided to reset this PC to hopefully solve the issue. No luck, something about no recovery environment (so minitool copied the disk but didn't clone it).  So now I decided to download dev tools and clean install of windows without any acer apps or other clutter. It works, but there are issues bugging me:

• Seems slower

• Screen Tear and early after and during updates the screen kept blanking out (stopped now)

• Downloads are very slow

• Games seemed to look to have more jagged edges, even when I switched to high detail

• ACC won't complete m.2 drive check past 60%

• Feels off



So my question is, how do I go about properly cloning the m.2 drive.  I still have the original so all I need to do is replace it, then properly clone to this drive and if I feel the need, reset this PC (which should work if properly cloned).

Any advice or suggestion are welcome, not sure what to do now.

brummyfan2

Hi,
You could try creating a USB recovery disk and backing up the original image on to an external HDD, then boot with the USB recovery disk and recover the image on to the new SSD, this method is much better than cloning IMO.
1.Download and install Macrium Reflect free.
2.Run the program and insert a USB disk, create a bootable disk under other tasks(in Macrium).
3.Remove the USB disk, connect an external HDD with a USB to SATA cable or external caddy to the laptop.
4.Backup the image of the original drive in the HDD.
5.Switch off the laptop, remove the external drive.
6.Install the new SSD, connect the USB recovery disk, go to BIOS and move to Boot tab, change the boot order to make USB recovery disk as your first boot device, click F10 to save and exit.
7.When it reboots in Macrium environment, connect the HDD where you backed up the image.
8.Recover the image on to the new SSD.
9.Then you have to go to BIOS and change the boot order again to make the new SSD as your first boot device.
HTH.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree
https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-reflect-is-a-free-and-easy-to-use-backup-utility/

wis

Mazel tov.
Take the time to understand why a system image is far, far superior to a clone.  We've used system images in 5 different devices over a period of 7 years with a zero failure rate. Once you do & if you periodically create system images going forward; the next time you device has a catastrophe, the anxiety level will be minimal.

JackE

How did you clone the old m.2 onto the new m.2? That is, where was the new m.2 plugged in and where was the old m.2 plugged during the cloning operation? Jack E/NJ

4antom

external caddy using mintool

brummyfan2

Hi,
You could try creating a USB recovery disk and backing up the original image on to an external HDD, then boot with the USB recovery disk and recover the image on to the new SSD, this method is much better than cloning IMO.
1.Download and install Macrium Reflect free.
2.Run the program and insert a USB disk, create a bootable disk under other tasks(in Macrium).
3.Remove the USB disk, connect an external HDD with a USB to SATA cable or external caddy to the laptop.
4.Backup the image of the original drive in the HDD.
5.Switch off the laptop, remove the external drive.
6.Install the new SSD, connect the USB recovery disk, go to BIOS and move to Boot tab, change the boot order to make USB recovery disk as your first boot device, click F10 to save and exit.
7.When it reboots in Macrium environment, connect the HDD where you backed up the image.
8.Recover the image on to the new SSD.
9.Then you have to go to BIOS and change the boot order again to make the new SSD as your first boot device.
HTH.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree
https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-reflect-is-a-free-and-easy-to-use-backup-utility/

JackE

deleted defer to brummyfan2. Jack E/NJ

4antom

brummyfan2 said:

Thanks, I'll get on that and let you know how it goes. To believe I thought I would have this done in the morning. Too tired now lol.  Thanks again for the info, great workaround.

brummyfan2

4antom said:

brummyfan2 said:

Thanks, I'll get on that and let you know how it goes. To believe I thought I would have this done in the morning. Too tired now lol.  Thanks again for the info, great workaround.

You are welcome and good luck with the upgrade 

4antom

See the thing is, I'm not sure if the setup Acer had put in place is better or worse than what I have now. With the Acer setup I had multiple crashes where the laptop just turned off etc. and had to compile itself.  But now, without any of the extra bagage and stuff, it appears to run fine, but things like youtube takes a while to load and stutters at 1080p and the system has been feeling off, but I can't test it.


Maybe I should create a backup of what I have now and then create a back up of the original so that I switch between the two. I just don't want to keep switching in case I cause problems. 

I think I screwed the registry up on the original as well so I am just not sure what to do, it works as is. Maybe I'll switch it back because I want to check if the ACC can disk check the micron (m.2) because it can't right now. But then maybe it's best to create some backups and go on as if all is well. IDK

p.s How can I check the recovery environment? I mean if I were to reset this PC now, would I have the same issues as when I had first "cloned" using minitool (i.e could not reset)?

4antom

brummyfan2 said:

Hi,
You could try creating a USB recovery disk and backing up the original image on to an external HDD, then boot with the USB recovery disk and recover the image on to the new SSD, this method is much better than cloning IMO.
1.Download and install Macrium Reflect free.
2.Run the program and insert a USB disk, create a bootable disk under other tasks(in Macrium).
3.Remove the USB disk, connect an external HDD with a USB to SATA cable or external caddy to the laptop.
4.Backup the image of the original drive in the HDD.
5.Switch off the laptop, remove the external drive.
6.Install the new SSD, 

So am I ok to use the original m.2 ssd in a caddy and create an image from there to an exteranl drive using my laptop as a medium? Because the new SSD is already in the laptop with a fresh install of Windows.

brummyfan2

I would prefer installing the original drive in the laptop and make a backup of the image, then replacing the original drive with the new drive and format it before recovering the image from backup.

4antom

Why not just clone the drive using the clone function in macrum? (i.e install the old drive then clone to the new one then reinstall) And still create an image for safe keeping.

4antom

Oh, will I be able to use the reset this pc function? I sort of want that ability. That's really what this has all been about. Also I have no way of gauging the performance difference to the prior ssd but, if it is worse then it doesn't seem so bad as to make me think I should send the ssd back (like I say, just seems like it stutters every now and again). 
 And BTW, thanks for being so active on my threads. Much a appreciated. 

brummyfan2

4antom said:

Why not just clone the drive using the clone function in macrum? (i.e install the old drive then clone to the new one then reinstall) And still create an image for safe keeping.

Yes, you could do that as well, cloning could be troublesome when the original drive is larger than new drive (destination), if you are transferring from smaller drive to large drive, you won't have any problems.

brummyfan2

4antom said:

Oh, will I be able to use the reset this pc function? I sort of want that ability. That's really what this has all been about. Also I have no way of gauging the performance difference to the prior ssd but, if it is worse then it doesn't seem so bad as to make me think I should send the ssd back (like I say, just seems like it stutters every now and again). 
 And BTW, thanks for being so active on my threads. Much a appreciated. 

No problem, Reset function deletes installed programs and apps, so you may have to start installing them again, so what I would suggest is to keep a proper working image with all your programs, apps and settings on an external HDD, so if you come across any problems with your system, you can always reinstall the image using USB recovery disk. Reset is a Windows feature, it reinstalls the fresh OS.

4antom

Ok, quick update, I just opened the laptop and took out the micron after backing up an image of the fresh win10 install and I noticed that the original kinston has the same voltage but at 1 amps whereas the new micron is 1.7 amps!

4antom

brummyfan2 said:

 Reset is a Windows feature, it reinstalls the fresh OS.

I know, but when I tried to reinstall after cloning with minitool I couldn't because it said there was no recovery environment 

4antom

I see, disk imaging is actually better in a way because I am creating (smaller, I think) backup of the OS and apps etc. while also cloning (once copied). 

I look ups amperage. It's basically the maximum output, so should be nothing to fear.

brummyfan2

4antom said:

brummyfan2 said:

 Reset is a Windows feature, it reinstalls the fresh OS.

I know, but when I tried to reinstall after cloning with minitool I couldn't because it said there was no recovery environment 

It was my mistake, I should have told you about Migrate feature in Minitool Partition wizard, migration will transfer an exact copy of the original disk.

4antom

brummyfan2 said:

Errrm, I followed the steps. It works... but I now have a boot drive showing as only 118GB when it's 256GB. I'm lost.

JackE

Yes, you probably should start cloning with a 256GB drive where the other 128GB has been unallocated. Clone it. Then expand the clone into the unallocated space. You might even be able to do it now. Jack E/NJ

4antom

JackE said:

Yes, you probably should start cloning with a 256GB drive where the other 128GB has been unallocated. Clone it. Then expand the clone into the unallocated space. You might even be able to do it now. Jack E/NJ

I don't follow. So reinstall the original drive again and clone it with macrium?