I'm upgrading a hand-me-down computer and the SSD is the last major part I need to replace. The system currently has a 500GB Samsung 970 EVO, and I'm considering adding a 1TB Samsung 990 Pro. My motherboard has two M.2 slots, so I could install both drives. Would it be worthwhile to move Windows and everything else to the newer SSD, and if so, should I clone the old drive or perform a fresh Windows installation?
4 Answers
If you really want the 990 Pro to become the boot drive, don’t just copy and paste the files. You’d need to clone the entire old SSD, including its boot and system partitions, using suitable disk-cloning software. Make sure the clone completed successfully before changing the boot order.
You probably don’t need to change the boot drive. The 970 EVO is still a capable SSD, and the difference between it and the 990 Pro usually won’t be noticeable during normal Windows use. Install the 990 Pro in the second M.2 slot and use it for games, applications, and storage instead.
A fresh Windows installation on the 990 Pro is another option, especially if the current system has accumulated a lot of unwanted software. Back up your personal files first, prepare a Windows installation USB, and make sure you have your hardware drivers and application installers available. It’s more work than cloning, though, and probably isn’t necessary just to gain speed.
The 970 EVO is a PCIe Gen 3 drive, while the 990 Pro is Gen 4, but that difference is most noticeable in benchmarks and demanding file transfers. For everyday booting and general use, keeping the 970 EVO as the boot drive is perfectly reasonable. Check the old drive’s health with a SMART-monitoring tool if you’re concerned about its age or wear.
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