How to get migration tool software to recognize my X25-M 120GB drive so it will install?

[idata]

I've got an HP notebook computer (dm3-1030US) and bought a new X25-M 120GB drive to replace the notebook's SATA drive. The product code is SSDSA2MH120G2K5. I've got the SSD plugged into an external SATA drive dock, connected to the notebook via USB. Windows 7 sees the unformatted drive connected via USB. However, when I try to install the Intel data migration software, it reports that it can't find an Intel drive, and refuses to install. How do I get the migration tool to install?

Thanks for any help!

[idata]

According to this site: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19324 http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19324, it should be detected since it says "If you're installing on a laptop computer, a third-party SATA-to-USB cable adaptor is needed." The documentation also says it is supported.

Can Windows identify the SSD as an Intel SSD or does it just see it as removable storage?

As a workaround, do you have access to a desktop with two free SATA ports?

[idata]

When I open up the disk management in Win 7, it sees an unformatted drive (the SSD), but I'm not sure how to tell if it can identify it as an Intel drive vs. generic USB attached drive. As you note, this seems to be a supported configuration, so it's frustrating not to have it work out-of-box (one of the reasons I bought an Intel drive was to avoid such issues).

Unfortunately, currently no desktop with two free SATA ports. Were you thinking that I could attach both the current notebook HDD and the SSD to a desktop's SATA ports, then install the migration tool software on the desktop's own HDD and copy the notebook's HDD contents to the SSD?

[idata]

The built in Windows 7 System Image back up option is an effective and quick way to transfer a system image if you have got a spare drive or blank DVD's to write it to.

Personally I would always go with a fresh installation. I know it can take a lot of time and effort, but it's hard to beat a fresh install.

Also notebooks/laptops quite often have hidden recovery partitions, which can take up a lot of space on an SSD. If you don't intend to use the recovery partition it is a waste of premium space. (It only recovers the OS and drivers, it doesn't recover data).

[idata]

Unfortunately, I have so many things installed that it's not practical for me to do a fresh install (I agree that that's the ideal way to go). I'm very disappointed at the apparent flakiness of Intel's migration software drive-maker-ID checking, as one of my main reasons for buying Intel vs. others was an expectation of a solid product with solid support. I still expect that the SSD itself is solid, but it sure would be nice to be able to use it!

Along that line:

1) Is there any telephone tech support available for this migration software issue, or just the volunteer forum here?

2) I have used another program (R-Drive Image) to clone HDDs before, but I wanted to use the Intel migration software in the expectation that it would properly align data on sector (or whatever) boundaries on the SSD, as the Win 7 installer apparently does. I'm pretty sure R-Drive Image won't do any such alignment. Is this a real issue (i.e. does the Intel migration tool do any alignment?)?

3) redux: yes, I was already planning on not transferring the recovery partition.