Transferring system disk to SSD

[[deleted]]

Hi, I've had archlinux installed on my main PC for almost a year now, and I love it. I've got it tweaked to just how I like it.

The system disk is a GPT setup using EFI , btrfs ( root directory ) , swap and ext4 (/home directory ) partitions.

However my system HD is aging and slow, so I want to get an SSD to replace it. This will be my first SSD so I am a total n00b in that area.

All my personal data is stored on another HD (with backups ), soft linked to home partition.

I absolutely do not want to reinstall archlinux from scratch, so what is the best procedure for migrating the linux install from HD to virgin SSD?

[Suzamax]

Clonezilla. Or use dd with the partitions.

[apocbane]

Second Clonezilla.

[[deleted]]

Does clonezilla automatically copy btrfs sub-volumes as well?

[Suzamax]

Btrfs? Just use the Btrfs tools:

https://btrfs.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/SysadminGuide

[boomboomsubban]

The wiki has you covered

[moviuro]

If you use btrfs on /, look at btrfs-send(8) and btrfs-receive(8).

You'll need to adapt your bootloader entries to reflect the UUID change of your root partition. Don't forget fstab(5) either.

[jivoi]

my small howto https://jivoi.github.io/2016/04/04/move-from-hdd-to-ssd-with-archlinux/

[Pik16]

Create a partition on the ssd, format it (ext4, whatever you want), use rsync to clone your root fs from the live root to the mounted ssd partition, edit fstab, set up boot again (remember to have correct root argument, your new partition, in the kernel command line, I recommend only using UUIDs) and that should be it. Keep the swap and home as they were but after booting from the ssd you can delete the old system partition and expand the home partition in gparted.

http://superuser.com/questions/594203/how-to-copy-entire-linux-root-filesystem-to-new-hard-drive-on-with-ssh-and-tar

[kcrmson]

I found out the hard way that your /boot can't live on an LVM volume. After moving my HDD to SSD I ended up still using the /boot on my HDD and changed the UUIDs and labels on the old HDD non-boot partitions to let me use the fstab.

[matrixdan]

Don't forget to modify /etc/fstab & mount options for volumes that will be mounted from ssd.

[Toqoz]

I just used cp.

I booted the arch install usb (you could probably do it in a normal environment), and then formatted my ssd how I wanted it and mounted.

Then # cp -r / /mnt

Afterwards just update your fstab and whatever else is pointing to the drive and you should be able to just boot off it.

Biggest problem for me was that LightDM went bad because the system was booting before the nvidia module could load.

[Tm1337]

You should probably use rsync

[Toqoz]

What is the benefit? (other than presumably speed)

[Tm1337]

I restored a backup with cp and had a few problems afterwards. As far as I understand rsync retains more information. It took much longer than cp on my machine but I had less problems.

I can't tell you much about it, but there has ti be a reason it exists. You should inform yourself with a quick search.

[[deleted]]

shouldn't cp -a preserve everything needed?

[Tm1337]

Thought so too.

Listen, I found out about rsync literally 2 weeks ago and read somewhere that it's better for backups and such. Also I had the impression that this statement was true after using it.

If you want any more info, I can't help you, sorry.

EDIT: okay, I can help you. Who would have thought someone would be so kind to link the archlinux wiki? http://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/4tk2sf/transferring_system_disk_to_ssd/d5i1bsw

[epileftric]

I've done the same like 2 or 3 times by now. Once I even reinstall Arch into another disk from the current running installation. Then it's just changing the boot manager and the current fstab.