The "To Keep Up" Wiki

This is geared toward my replacing the HDD on my Asus laptop (Asus ROG GL551JM-DH71)

Call Microsoft and get the license for my Windows 10 Back up my system

1. Connect SSD to computer
2. Clone HDD to SSD
3. Change partitions on SSD as needed
4. Physically remove HDD and replace with SSD

• How to connect SSD to computer for cloning
• Best software to use for cloning

• remove/replace HD on my Asus
• cloning disk
• PDF of how to upgrade laptop hard drive to SSD (from Will)
• Lifehacker article on the process [cmo]

Samsung 860 1TB SATA III SSD

• Ninite, select pgms and it installs them all for you [af]
• Acronis may allow cloning (backup all, restore)

Use to connect 2nd drive to computer for fast data transfer

• Thermaltake BlacX 2.5/3.5 ST0005U-D $25.48 Newegg $25.48+6.25 shipping
• Cable Matters USB 3.0 2.5/3.5 FBA-202019 $22.99
• Wavlink USB 3.0 to SATA 2.5/3.5 WL-ST333U2 $19.86 Newegg $21.99(sale) free shipping
• iDsonix USB 3.0 2.5/3.5 iDD-U3102-BK $20.99 Newegg $35.95 free shipping

• You may need a bracket for the drive - some include them - but all SSDs are 2.5” form factor so you will likely need to mount accordingly. [jht]
• You can if you try it on your existing computer and it makes your computer faster then you'll be doing better than most. Often there is no way to significantly speed up Windows without doing a clean install; registry cleaners and extra file cleaners help a little bit but a clean install help A LOT. If you're going to the effort to purchase a new hard drive and extend the life of your computer and make it faster it makes more sense to do clean install. [dk]
• I have used the Crucial website to pick memory and an ssd for my computers. I bought ssd and memory on Crucial website. SSD arrived with case, dongle for USB port. Excellent support service. [alp]
• I did buy a Samsung and I find it is not as fast as the Crucial. My Samsung is an ssd 840 EVO 500 gig [alp]
• I have been doing fresh installs with Linux, then attack old op system and copy home directory which includes docs and downloads which is all my data. A typical install is less than an hour. [alp]
• As an alternative to cloning the drive: assuming you have Windows, and you have the installers for your programs, you can likely just copy over everything from your user directory to keep all of your documents and settings (located in {Windows Drive}\Users\{UserName}\AppData, or enter %userprofile% into Explorer's address bar). Be sure to also capture the AppData folder, since it's hidden by default. It won't be an exact duplicate of your existing computer, but you'll keep the vast majority of your settings and probably all of your documents. [cdc]
• Whether you go the manual copy route or the full clone route, one option to temporarily connect your new SSD or old HDD to the system is the Thermaltake BlackX, which is around $20 at Newegg. I have an older version of it that has served me well for reading 2.5“ drives (they read 3.5” drives too, but I doubt a laptop has one of those), but I'm sure there are lots of other inexpensive options as well. [cdc]