Hi,

If your current drives from your computer has win 10, then transferring them over to a win 11 will cause problems. You need to reformat the drive from old pc as well backup data on usb thumb drive. Before using it in another computer running win 11 .

 

If your new PC has a M.2 disk with Windows 11 on it, you don't want to replace the disk. An M.2 will always be faster than a a standard SATA drive, so you should use the M.2 for Windows.
If you want to copy your Personal User Files from your old Windows 10 disk, you can use a USB Flash drive and copy them to that, not programs or apps, and then restore them to the new computer.

User files will not cause an issue being copied from Windows 10 and restored to Windows 11 you just can't copy apps.

As for your SSD in the old computer or on the new computer, with the disk attached, press the Windows key +X and choose Disk Management. In the Lower Pane, Right click the 1 TB SSD and choose Format NTFS.
If the new computer has an extra M.2 slot you can hook up your old M.2 and copy the User files that way and Format it if you like to use as a Data Drive. You can also get a M.2 to USB Adapter to hook that drive up to access the files or Format the drive to use it for another Data drive.

 

Thanks spunk.funk

Yes - it would be my intention to leave the M2 (with the OS) on the new PC alone.

On the new PC, there is a second M2 slot and I simply want to remove my existing M2 (with my user files only) from my old PC (I will back up first) and insert it in the spare slot in the new PC. Will it be automatically recognised? I realise I will need to tell the system where my user files are now stored.

Regarding the SSD in my old computer (which only has OS and program files), I was worried that if I installed that into my new PC, then boot would get confused. I'm assuming that this is NOT the case (from your advice above). My intention would be to delete all the partitions and then create a new simple volume/format and then use that disk as a backup drive for my user files.

Hope the above makes sense.

Tommy

 

Yes, this all makes sense. if you have a secondary M.2 slot on your new PC, just insert it into that and reboot the computer. The secondary M.2 will be recognized as another drive with the next available drive letter. If this is just a Data drive without Windows on it, you don't have to do anything else.

If you install your old SSD, boot into Setup (Bios) go to the Boot tab make sure the SSD is lower in the boot order then the M.2 that came with the computer, it should be by default and avoid any confusion.

With all the drives attached, boot into Windows once you have copied all the files you want to keep, make a backup just in case. Then go to Disk Management and Delete all the partitions on the SSD until the drive is all Unallocated Space, then you can right click it and choose to make a new Simple Volume taking up the whole drive. Format it. And you can save any Data to that drive too.

 

Brilliant!

Thanks again for the support spunk.funk.

Tommy

 

spunk.funk

Can I ask one final question regarding this, as things have changed slightly.

In the end, I bought the new PC with an M2 containing OS and a 2.5" HDD

I want to use the HDD as a backup drive. I will insert the M2 drive (with my user files) from my old PC into the new PC.

So, when I get the new PC, I'm assuming that the drive with OS will be C:/ and the HDD will be D:/

When I add the old M2 drive, I assume it will select the next available drive letter, so it will likely be E:/ (might be F:/, as I also will have an Optical Drive)

I would like to have the drive letters in a sequence that reflects their usage.

Is it on order for me to:-

1. Change the drive letter for the HDD from D:/ to G:/ (by right-click in Disk Management)
2. Then change the M2 drive (added from my old PC) from F:/ to D:/
3. Possibly even then change the HDD again to F:/

Thanks,
Tommy

 

Tommy:
Yes, you can change the drive letter of all your drives except for C:
With all drives plugged in, Press the Windows Key +X and choose Disk Management.
Right click the drive and choose Change Drive Letters and Paths. Choose from any available drive letter.
If you want to change one of the drives to a drive letter that is already in use (ie) D: , Right click the D: drive and change it to a Drive letter lower in the alphabet, this will Clear the D: drive letter. Now you can change the other drive (ie) F: to the D: drive letter. That will also free up Drive letter F: whatever the drive letter was, and you now can change any other drive to that Drive letter F:
If that makes sense to you.

 

Perfect!

Many thanks (again)

Tommy

 

Hi spunk.funk

I have managed to migrate from my old PC to my new one, so thanks for all your advice. It went very smoothly.

I have one last question relating to moving my M2 user files drive from the old to the new PC.

On the new PC M2 slot, there is a notification that reads "SSD Thermal Pad Area" (see photos)

I do mot have any thermal pads and have never used them with my M2 drive.

Do I need to add some pads?

Tommy

 

Thermal Pads are very inexpensive and they reduce the heat that the drive puts out making it run cooler and last longer. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=M.2+NV...mal+pad&crid=YEW9YTV58A74&sprefix=m.2+nvme+thermal+pad,aps,209&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

 

Thermal Pads are very inexpensive and they reduce the heat that the drive puts out making it run cooler and last longer. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=M.2+NVME+thermal+pad&crid=YEW9YTV58A74&sprefix=m.2+nvme+thermal+pad,aps,209&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Thanks spunk.funk (again)

 

ssd's utilize "pipes" to transfer data over PCIe.
"Pipes" is just a way to describe physical parallel tracks of data.
The more pipes that are used, the greater the speed of transfer. The faster the data transfer, the hotter the ssd becomes. Heat is recognised as being a weak link towards premature failure, from what I have read and understood. It's not too bad under x4 (450 MB/s) but it's really worthwhile either using those pads, or pads combined with a heatsink, to get the maximum life out of your ssd drive. Some people even recommend using a small fan as well. All depends upon data speeds and transfer duration.

 

Can I ask one last question on this spunk.funk

Given my pictures above, should I put the thermal pad along the full length of the M2 drive or just on the area specified on the motherboard?

Tommy

 

If the thermal pad is the length of your NVME drive, then use the whole length.

 

Many thanks again