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]

parsec: the original enclosure I bought was a Gigaware 3.5" IDE/SATA Hard Drive enclosure. Picked it up at Radio Shack...it was the only SATA enclosure they had and I had no idea there would be any issues with recognition.

me: thanks for the link to Miray. I will download that and give it a try then report back here.

As a side note, I'm trying to install onto a Toshiba Portege R835-P56X.

Here's hoping I don't need to spend more money on a second enclosure!

[idata]

So the HDClone program from Miray worked beautifully! Downloaded the free version, installed, it took about 2 hours to copy to the SSD hooked up via the Gigaware USB enclosure, changed out the drives, and bada-boom, computer started up perfectly. So fast, I actually gasped out loud with pure joy. Thanks for the help!

Final question: why doesn't Intel just tell you which brands of enclosures support Intel drives right away so that those of us with only a passing knowledge of computers knows what to buy? I probably have a little bit above average knowledge, but there's no way a computer novice would ever be able to benefit from an SSD since the install would just be impossible. Too bad...will probably slow the uptake of this great tech.

Thanks again for the insight!

(No longer) SSDFrustrated

[idata]

I had done some more research and had to updgrade another laptop to SSD. Note that both laptops I upgraded started with HDD (Seagate/WD) and went to Intel SSD. Both did NOT have CD/DVD drive and I don't have external CD/DVD drive.

Again I ended up going with HDClone from Miray (free version). Took about 2.5 hours. Super simple/intuitive to use. I did notice warning that if you are going to a smaller drive free version might not work. You can probably work around this by shrinking your biggest partition on HDD so that total of all of them matches SSD size (or somewhat smaller and adjust to full size on SSD after cloning). I didn't have to do that.

I toyed around with multiple other options and they all failed:

1) decided to risk $20 and bought super simple Apricorn ASW-USB-25 usb-2-sata cable. Comes with free software which would work great if I had CD ROM but I don't. I tried to dock to see if it will identify drive as Intel SSD - no luck. Just like more fancy/complicated Voyager it shows "generic HD drive" and dumb Intel/Acronis softwared cannot tell that there is actual Intel SDD plugged in -> it refuses to install/start.

2) Once I used Miray and had Intel SSD in the Laptop I was able to install the software and it was willing to do the cloning (kind of late :-). I was also able to build bootable USB key and use it to boot laptop and again do the cloning. But again Intel SSD has to be in the laptop, NOT in the dock. That makes no sense since I had to use Miray to do the cloning first.

3) found this article, this should work if you have CD/DVD drive

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-7/replace-your-hard-drive-using-free-windows-7-tools http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-7/replace-your-hard-drive-using-free-windows-7-tools

Unfortunately there doesn't seems to be an option to create bootable / rescue USB key with windows. Not sure why since lenovo software allows this but does not know how to do image recovery (or at least I lost patience trying to figure out how to do it). Microsoft just like Intel doesn't seem to be very interested in making users life easier (or they never heard that marked has moved to laptops :=)

So basicaly software that Intel/Apricorn give you only works for desktop since you have have both drives direcly wired using SATA cables (no need for USB-2-SATA). For laptop it does not work at all since you cannot plug 2 drives into laptop. For new drive you have to use external dock and from my reading and testing *NO* external HDD dock will identify the brand of the HDD plugged in. I cannot belive no one at Intel has tested this!

SOLUTION 1: If you have CD/DVD drive and need to buy HDD dock I recommend Apricorn - simple, cheap and comes with cloning software. Warning: cheapest one only works w/ 2.5 inch drives since it has no external supply. You can find ones that support 2.5/3.5 here if you will ever need to do other things than just SSD updgrades: http://www.apricorn.com/products/notebook-hard-drive-upgrade-kits.html http://www.apricorn.com/products/notebook-hard-drive-upgrade-kits.html

SOLUTION 2: If you do NOT have CD/DVD drive you can buy any docking station you want and use Miray software.

PS - I know things would be simpler w/ external CD/DVD drive - Apricorn or Win-7/MS native tools can do the job. I just ended up buying laptops that don't have them since everything is online now so why bother with the drive. Also even with the CD/DVD drive Intel/Acronis still do NOT work as it won't build boot media untill it sees one intel drive which it can't see on HDD dock. That is the biggest irony of all. There is NO solution for laptop upgrade using "provided free softwared" from Intel.

I hope you folks find this useful ... and if you have any feedback or have found innacuracies pls. shout back 🙂

[idata]

I've spent countless hours trying to get something to work, to no avail. The provided software refuses to install on my laptop. The Miray software halts due to the drive going to sleep midway through the copy process (even when I made sure my USB ports are set to never sleep). The old SATA cables on my desktop don't fit the drive, having plastic pieces on either side that prevent connection. And "call Intel" isn't very useful since their products and documentation don't have phone numbers, just web addresses that redirect to these communities (though I only found this subject via web search, not Intel's search). And, of course, I'd rather not pay yet more money for something that likely won't work either. So now I pretty much have an overpriced external drive instead of an internal SSD. Any further advice?

[VKemp]

I emailed Intel support and they acknowledged the problem and suggested either using a SATA connection or a compatible USB HDD enclosure from the list in thread 15949, which I've reproduced here:

1. Manuf.

Model #

Specifications

Form Factor

New Egg Link

OKGear

OK250AU2S1-K

Esata and USB 2.0

1. 2.5

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817348022 OKGEAR OK250AU2S1-K External Enclosure

SABRENT

EC-UST25

USB 2.0

1. 2.5

<a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817366014" style="font-style: inherit; color: #...