Thinking about SSD, can I clone my OS partition from HDD?

[MmmDieselFumes]

Howdy. I just built this rig not too long ago, still very satified with it, but I've been thinking about getting a SSD to pep things up a bit, and there's really only one thing holding me back:

Having to reinstall windows and all my programs. So I'm wondering if it's possible once I get a SSD, if I can hook it up, boot into win7 like regular, then somehow clone the OS partition off my 1TB HDD, and put it on the SSD, then wipe the OS partition off the HDD and merge that partition with the data partition, and then use it as a storage HDD.

Sorry if that didn't make a whole lot of sleep. Running on 50+hours and no sleep....

[Know Nuttin]

You could clone the OS to the SSD, but it wouldn't be in proper alignment, so you're still better off doing a fresh install. Doesn't hurt to try without having proper alignment though.

Ideally, you'd clone outside of Windows onto the SSD.

[Neuromancer]

You can just align it afterwards though with diskpart

[Know Nuttin]

You can just align it afterwards though with diskpart

Is this not destructive? i wasn't aware there was a way to align using diskpart that isn't during the creation of the partition stage. Unless you're meaning to create the partition aligned, then use a copy/imaging tool to copy the drive over while keeping the alignment?

[Dermen]

I did this recently and it was more complicated that I had hoped. Your partition should already be aligned, but check with diskpar (mine wasn't aligned because I had resized the partition before).

If it is aligned there are several imaging tools that will keep the alignment. Win7 tool, ghost, acronis (you need to take extra steps), and some free ones I don't remember the names of but can be found on the OCZ forums.

Since mine wasn't aligned I used gparted. I used part of this Guide (http://www.tuxyturvy.com/blog/index.php?/archives/59-Aligning-Windows-Partitions-Without-Losing-Data.html). The guide can be adapted to cloning by ignoring the first 5 steps. Then on step 11 instead of using move/resize you would use Copy to copy the C partition from your old drive, just make sure to uncheck "Round to cylinders".

Also be careful on Step8 to make sure you use the correct drive, your SSD might not be sda but sdb or sdc. You can check which one it is in the gparted gui. Also you will have to use a Win7 DVD to fix the MBR before the drive will boot to windows.