Copy HDD to new SSD, and use HDD for storage

Hey Geeks,
Sorry so long, but I think I explained thoroughly.

I just installed an Intel 80GB SSD and I was hoping to clone my Western Digital Caviar Black HDD to the SSD and use the HDD for storage.

Both drives are physically installed, with the HDD group set to boot after the CD-ROM group, and with the SSD listed above the HDD.

Ideally I would have preferred to do a clean install of my OS to the SSD, format the HDD and install my programs to the HDD.

SO I disconnected the HDD, and tried to run my recovery disks on the SSD (I don't have a copy of Windows, just the recovery disks I made), but I got a message saying that the drive I am attempting to restore to is smaller than the original drive, so restore won't run.

So I connected both drives back up.

Windows (or is it my computer?) knows that the new drive is there, but it doesn't recognize it as a hard drive.

When I right click Computer > Manage > Storage > Disk Management, it shows:

Disk 0 Online [73.57 GB unallocated]
Disk 1 Online [ System / HP (C / Factory Image (D / Unallocated]

When I right click Computer > Properties > Device Manager > Disk Drives, it shows:

Intel SSD (model, etc)
several USB drives
Western Digital (model, etc.)

When I double-click on Intel, Device Status says this device is working properly.

BUT when I left click on Computer, it shows :

Hard Disk Drives (2)
HP (C Factory Image (D

The Intel SDD is not there.

SOOOO how do I get my system to recognize the SDD as a hard drive, and how do I clone my HDD to my SDD ?

Please help !

My specs:
HP 112y Desktop
Win 7 Pro
AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 925
8GB DDR3 RAM
XFX-ATI Radeon 5570 1BG DDR3
Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black @ 7200 rpm
Intel 80GB X25-M SATA Solid State Drive

 

If the drive shows as unallocated, I guess it will need to be formatted first and then windows will be able to detect it.

Several imaging / cloning progs to choose from. Acronis is a popular choice on this forum. I use Images for Dos solid and reliable though spartan interface.

IforD and Acronis are imaging progs.

Good Luck

 

"When I right click Computer > Properties > Device Manager > Disk Drives, it shows:

Intel SSD (model, etc)
several USB drives
Western Digital (model, etc.)"

Put your original disc in, and the ssd
In disc management, click on the ssd volume
Right click should bring up choices- choose format, then make active.

Then try copying.
I have managed to copy mine using HyperOs, but I don't know how good other copying software are with W7.
Also, before copying, turn off UAC Control, restart, and then stop antivirus from starting with windows, restart to make sure, and if you have microsofts other malware utilty- turn that off, too.
XXClone was good for up to XP, but I would not try that with W7, unless it has been updated to at least Vista capable, but, I don't think it has- that was a good free copier , for previous versions of Windows.
I found those two tended to make copies corrupt, if left on, before copying

 

Thanks guys.

@ risk_reversal: Thanks for the suggestion, but it kinda looks to me like a Catch-22 in that doesn't Windows have to recognize it as a drive before it will format it?

Believe me, I right-clicked on every line that had anything to do with the Intel SSD, and if there had been any option along the way to format it, I would have !

However when I did the original
Computer > Manage > Storage > Disk Management,
I remember seeing that it wasn't either initiated or activated (not sure what it said), so I right clicked and activated or initiated it.
That was what gave me the "online" status in that part of my question.

@ Baklogic: I don't know what you meant by 'put my original disk back in', but when I open Disk Management > Volumes, there is a line that says :

Partition Style : Master Boot Record (MBR)

So doesn't that mean that somewhere along the line it did indeed get formatted?

Do either of you guys think that it might not be playing nice because the SSD is Intel, and my processor is AMD ?

 

I meant your original hard drive- and go to disk management from there- initiated/activated ......
I have had a look around, and some of these do seem to plAy up, and I found this site, with some possible answers.
If you assigned it a drive letter, it might just make the difference.
Unfortunately, I tend to use large usb sticks (32b) , and have not yet purchased a ssd card, so I cannot be more use to you, as I cannot try any different methods.
http://forums.tweaktown.com/f78/how-format-ssd-reformat-32237/index2.html

 

I just installed my 40GB SSD. I would start fresh if it was up to me.

 

How much data is on your regular hard drive?

IF the partition is like 500gb and your SSD is only 80 I don't think you can skip some of the stuff or move only the copy of windows.

The biggest increase of a SSD is being used as a boot drive. Would try and get a copy of windows 7.

In order to use it as a normal drive you need to format it first.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Create-and-format-a-hard-disk-partition may be of help. It's vista but the steps should be the same on windows 7.

 

How big is the C: partition- can you save your data to usb stick/dvd's ?

The reason I added that link was that it appears that many people have faulty ssd's, and have to RMA them, when having problems. As audiedoggy said - no problem putting operating system on from scratch, why not try any windows disc that you can borrow, and see if it will load onto the ssd , no need to activate, just see if it will load. If it does , then once setup, try again, connecting your original drive, and making that the first boot option, and then going to disc management, and if all is o.k, then format it from there, and try copying the C; drive.
Also, I see that you have a recovery partition (factory Image) !!.Is it a laptop ?Most factory images can be used, by using special keys, especially on laptops, so, another possibility, if you could save your data, and re-install using the factory image, then you could strink the new C: partition, to the same size as the ssd card, you are closer to having a possible copy state.
There is also a tool(s) that allows you to see the hidden partition, and if accessed it can be used, but it is a while since I worked on that one, so I would not guide you that way, until I had time to re-test what I did, but copying it and using it is not easy.

 

Thanks to all you guys.
I didn't go AWOL on my own thread, had to work and sleep - you know how it is.

Anyhow, I went to the Intel support site - couldn't get any support over the weekend - and found a firmware update for that model. So I downloaded it, burned the ISO and booted to it, (the SSD was still first on the HDD group boot order) and got a screen that said something like 'No Intel SSD found - either not installed or unattached'.

This was before you guys' latest posts.
So I said screw it, whatever is wrong here is beyond my ability; so I took it back and got my $$ back.

Now the next time I have the free time available, I'm probably going to get another 1TB Caviar Black 7200 rpm and run it in RAID 0 with the one I already have.

(Probably).

So thanks again for all the help.