How to Easily Clone Your Disk from 500GB to 2TB SSD

So, I’m finally ditching my 500GB internal drive and the clunky 250GB external on my 2019 Razer Blade 15. Everything’s moving to a shiny new 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD. I just want less cable chaos, more space, and—let’s be honest—better speed. Who doesn’t?

The plan is to use some solid cloning software and a few handy tools to transfer all my stuff—Windows, apps, files—straight over to the new SSD. No fresh installs, no starting over. I’ll break down what I did, from picking the parts to actually getting everything up and running.

Key Takeaways

• Cloning software lets you move your whole system to a new drive—no reinstalling Windows or your programs
• A tool-free external enclosure makes prepping your new SSD a breeze
• Getting your partitions set up right after cloning means you actually get to use all that new space

Why Upgrade the Razer Blade 15 Storage

Constraints of the Factory Drives

Out of the box, my Razer Blade 15 had just 500GB inside—barely enough for modern games, let alone everything else. I ended up plugging in a 250GB USB drive for extra room, but that was never a great solution.

Honestly, juggling files between two drives (plus the mess of cables) got old fast. I always had to remember the external drive and manage where everything lived. Not ideal.

Storage Management Challenges:

• Splitting files between internal and external drives
• Managing USB cable connections
• Limited expansion options
• Fragmented storage workflow

Advantages of a Unified Large-Capacity SSD

Moving everything onto a single 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD? That means no more external drive dependency. Just the laptop—finally.

The Samsung 990 Pro boasts read speeds up to 7,450MB/s. Sure, my 2019 Blade is stuck at PCIe3 (not the drive’s full PCIe4), but the performance bump is still big enough to notice. No complaints here.

Key Performance Benefits:

• Speed: Faster load times, snappier system
• Capacity: 2TB means I can actually keep my stuff local
• Efficiency: Better power management
• Reliability: V-NAND tech and a tough controller

With this, I’ve got room to grow and don’t need to mess with external drives anymore. Samsung’s Magician software is handy for keeping tabs on the drive’s health and updating firmware, too.

No more cable clutter, no more “did I pack my drive?” Everything’s just there, ready to go, with a ton of space to spare.

Selecting the Ideal SSD

Samsung 990 Pro Specifications

I went with the Samsung 990 Pro mostly for its specs. It’s an NVMe M.2 drive and, honestly, it’s aimed at folks like me—gamers, creators, anyone who hates waiting for files to load. It’s fast.

On paper, it hits 7,450MB/s read speeds. That translates to less waiting, more doing.

Key Technical Features:

• Samsung’s latest V-NAND
• Solid, reliable controller
• Durable and efficient
• Smart power management
• Energy savings without lag

Samsung Magician sweetens the deal—easy drive health checks, optimization, and firmware updates all in one place.

PCIe3 Support and Speed Benefits

Here’s the catch—my laptop only supports PCIe3, but the 990 Pro is built for PCIe4. So, I don’t get its absolute peak speeds.

Still, it’s a huge step up from my old drive. Even running at PCIe3, everything’s noticeably faster.

The PCIe3 lane is enough for better:

• Boot times
• App launches
• File transfers
• Overall snappiness

Benefits for Gaming and Creative Work

For gaming and work, the 990 Pro just makes life easier. No more shuffling games or projects between drives.

Gaming Benefits:

• Quicker game launches
• Less texture pop-in
• Smoother sessions
• Keep the whole library local

Professional Advantages:

• Better multitasking
• Fast access to big files
• More efficient workflow
• Reliable even under stress

Essential Tools and Software

Macrium Reflect Overview

For cloning, I stuck with Macrium Reflect. It basically makes a perfect copy of your drive—Windows, apps, files, all of it.

Getting it set up was simple: enter an email, grab the verification code, and follow the usual install prompts. A quick reboot and you’re set.

Key Features:

• Direct Drive Cloning: One-step copy, no fuss
• Accuracy Verification: Checks for errors as it goes
• Professional Reliability: Feels solid, not sketchy
• 30-Day Free Trial: Full features, no money down

The UI shows all your connected drives—my internal showed up as Disk 1, external as Disk 2, and the new Samsung as Disk 3. Easy to keep track of what’s what.

Sabrent Tool-Free Enclosure

The Sabrent USB-C enclosure was a lifesaver. No screws, no hassle. Just slide in the M.2 SSD and plug it in.

My laptop picked up the drive instantly. I love when stuff just works.

Benefits:

• No tools needed
• Immediate recognition via USB-C
• Fits standard M.2 drives
• Makes cloning straightforward

Samsung Magician Software

Samsung Magician keeps the 990 Pro in check. It monitors health and performance, and handles firmware updates without me having to think about it.

It tracks all the important stats and lets me know if something’s off. Updates are painless, which I appreciate.

Core Functions:

• Live health tracking
• Tune-up tools
• Easy firmware updates
• Diagnostics and reports

It’s nice having a dashboard where I can tweak settings or just see how the drive’s holding up.

Jorest 38-Piece Precision Screwdriver Set

Couldn’t have opened the laptop without the Joris precision screwdriver kit. It’s got all the bits you might need, and they lock into the handle so nothing slips.

Everything fits in a tidy little box. I used the right bits to avoid stripping screws—always a worry with laptops.

Set Contents:

• 38 precision bits
• Handle with good grip
• Organized case
• Heads for all sorts of screws

Using the right bit kept my laptop’s case intact. Once inside, swapping the SSD was just a matter of one more screw. The same set worked for putting the new drive in, too.

Step-by-Step Cloning Process

Setting Up the New SSD

I started by popping the Samsung 990 Pro into the Sabrent tool-free enclosure. No screws, no drama.

Plugged it in via USB-C, and the laptop saw it right away as a new drive (disk 3 in Macrium Reflect).

Cloning the Internal Drive

Launched Macrium Reflect and double-checked the drives: internal as Disc 1, external USB as Disc 2, new SSD as Disc 3.

Clicked clone on disc 1, set disc 3 as the target, and moved through the prompts. I deleted the partitions Windows had auto-created on the new SSD, skipped scheduling, and went straight to cloning.

After confirming everything, I hit finish. Macrium gave me the usual warning about erasing the target—no surprises there.

The cloning ran, and I kept an eye out for errors. Thankfully, none popped up.

Installing the New SSD in the Laptop

Once cloning wrapped up, I shut down the laptop. Out came the screwdriver set to remove the back cover screws.

With all screws out, I used a plastic pry tool to gently lift the case. Found the old SSD, removed its single screw, and slid it out.

Popped the new Samsung 990 in, secured it, then put the back cover and screws back in place. Always double-check you’re using the right screwdriver—stripped screws are the worst.

Cloning the External USB Drive

After rebooting, I fired up Macrium Reflect again. Now, disc 1 was the Samsung 990 and disc 2 was the old 250GB external.

Selected disc 2, hit clone, picked disk 1 as the destination, and dragged the data partition over. The rest was just clicking through, same as before.

Waited for the cloning to finish, then rebooted and finally unplugged the external drive for good.

Verifying Data Integrity

The last thing I do is expand the partition to actually use all that extra space. I pop open Computer Management from the Windows Control Panel.

In Disk Management, I right-click the D partition, hit extend volume, and just follow along with the prompts.

I intentionally leave a chunk of space unallocated, just in case I want to use it for the C partition down the line. Once the D partition’s done expanding, Windows Explorer shows the extra terabyte right away.

Expanding and Managing Storage Partitions

Utilizing Windows Computer Management Tool

After cloning and putting in the new Samsung 990 drive, I’ve got to expand the partitions so I can actually use all the space. So, back to the Windows Control Panel, then into Computer Management to get to disk management.

The disk management tool lays out all the drives and their partitions. I can see the newly cloned drive, still set up just like the old one.

Expanding the Data Drive Volume

A quick right-click on the D partition in disk management, then “Extend Volume” from the menu, and I’m in business.

There’s a wizard that walks me through it step by step. I just go with the prompts and double-check I’m allocating the right amount of space.

Key considerations during expansion:

• Available space: The tool shows how much unallocated space is there to use
• File system: No changes here—the file system stays the same
• Data preservation: Files and folders are safe through the process

I decide not to use up all the unallocated space for D—leaving some aside gives me options later if I want to tweak the C partition or make other changes.

Planning Future Storage Modifications

That unallocated space? I can move it over to the C partition later if I need more room for Windows or software. It’s handy, since who knows how storage needs will change as I install more stuff.

Once the extension finishes, Windows Explorer instantly shows the D drive with way more space—almost a full terabyte now, compared to the old external drive.

Honestly, partition management is a bit of a puzzle. You’ve got to think ahead to get the most out of your storage. Leaving a little unallocated space is never a bad idea if you want flexibility for later tweaks.

Gaming Laptop Specifications and Hardware

Graphics Performance with GTX 1060

The laptop uses an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, which honestly still holds up for gaming on a budget. It’s not the newest, but it’s reliable and runs most modern games well, even after all these years.

The GTX 1060 doesn’t really sweat with demanding apps, and frame rates stay solid across different games. I’ve found it works well for creative stuff too—anything that needs dedicated graphics power.

144Hz Screen Technology

The display’s got a 144Hz refresh rate, and it makes a real difference. Everything just feels smoother, and fast-paced games look great without all the blurring.

Key Display Benefits:

• Smoother gameplay, much less screen tearing
• Better responsiveness, which matters if you’re into competitive games
• Clearer visuals for anything that’s moving fast—action scenes really pop visually

The screen’s colors are sharp and vibrant, definitely matching the laptop’s overall premium feel. It’s honestly a pleasure to use day-to-day.

RGB Keyboard Customization and Software Control

The Chroma RGB lighting system is fun—tons of colors and effects to pick from. Customization happens through Razer Synapse, and there’s a lot you can tweak if you’re into that.

Available Lighting Options:

• Subtle glow – For a more low-key, professional look
• Reactive key presses – Keys light up as you type
• Rainbow wave – The full spectrum in motion
• Custom patterns – Make your own lighting schemes

The lighting’s not just for show—it actually helps with visibility in low light, and you can set up the vibe however you like. It’s one of those features that’s both cool and practical.

Switching between profiles or building new effects for different games in Synapse is pretty straightforward, though sometimes I wish the software was a little less clunky. Still, it gets the job done.

Wrapping Up and Supporting the Channel

Honestly, using Macrium Reflect with the Sabrent tool-free SSD enclosure just makes cloning your hard drive so much easier. Instead of constantly swapping drives or dealing with a mess of cables, you end up with everything tucked away on a single, speedy SSD. It’s a relief, honestly.

Key Benefits of This Upgrade:

• Consolidated Storage: No more external USB cables or drive management headaches
• Massive Space Increase: Jumping from 750GB total up to 2TB, all on one drive
• Improved Performance: Samsung 990 Pro feels faster, even if you’re still on PCIe3
• System Preservation: Everything transfers just as it was

The Samsung 990 is now handling everything that used to be split between my internal 500GB and that old external 250GB. Windows Explorer shows off the extra terabyte after I expanded the partition—always satisfying to see.

Essential Tools Used:

• Macrium Reflect (there’s a 30-day free trial if you want to try it out)
• Sabrent USB-C tool-free M.2 enclosure
• Joris 38-piece precision screwdriver set

I left a bit of space unallocated for now, since I’ll move it over to the C partition later. I’ll walk through that process in a future video, so hang tight.

If you want to check out the affiliate links in the description, it really helps the channel. They’ll take you straight to the exact gear I used for this upgrade.

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Thanks for sticking around, and see you next time.