u/random_troublemaker's comment but with more details. (some of it is by AI)
**What You'll Need:**

*   The old hard drive (Source Drive)
*   The new SSD (Destination Drive)
*   A USB thumb drive (at least 4GB, preferably 8GB+)
*   Access to another computer to create the Linux Live USB
*   Patience: The cloning step (`dd`) can take several hours depending on the drive size and speed.

**Step 1: Create a Linux Live USB**

We'll use Ubuntu, a popular and user-friendly Linux distribution.

1.  **Download Ubuntu:** Go to the official Ubuntu Desktop download page: https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop
    *   Download the latest **LTS (Long Term Support)** version. It's usually recommended for stability. This will be an `.iso` file.
2.  **Download Rufus:** This tool will create the bootable USB drive from the Ubuntu `.iso` file. Download it from: https://rufus.ie/
    *   Download the standard portable version (doesn't require installation).
3.  **Create the Live USB:**
    *   Plug your USB thumb drive into the working computer. **Warning:** This USB drive will be erased.
    *   Run Rufus.
    *   Under "Device", select your USB thumb drive. **Double-check this is the correct drive!**
    *   Click the "SELECT" button next to "Boot selection" and choose the Ubuntu `.iso` file you downloaded.
    *   Ensure "Partition scheme" is set to **GPT** (most modern computers) and "Target system" is **UEFI (non CSM)**.
    *   Leave other options at their defaults unless you know what you're doing.
    *   Click "START".
    *   Rufus might ask about writing in ISO or DD mode. **Choose ISO mode (Recommended)**.
    *   It might also ask about downloading newer versions of `ldlinux.sys` or similar – allow it.
    *   Confirm that you understand the USB drive will be erased.
    *   Wait for Rufus to finish. It will say "READY" when done. Close Rufus.

**Step 2: Install the New SSD**

1.  **Power Down:** Completely shut down the computer you want to upgrade. Unplug the power cable. If it's a laptop, remove the battery if possible. Ground yourself by touching a metal part of the computer case to discharge static electricity.
2.  **Install Drive:** Open the computer case. Connect the new SSD alongside the old HDD. You'll need available SATA power and data ports.
    *   **Desktop:** Usually straightforward. Connect a SATA data cable from the SSD to a spare SATA port on the motherboard, and connect a SATA power cable from the power supply to the SSD.
    *   **Laptop:** This might be trickier. Some laptops have space for a second drive (e.g., replacing the optical drive with an adapter). Others might require you to temporarily connect the SSD externally using a USB-to-SATA adapter. If using an adapter, connect it *after* booting into Linux (Step 4).

**Step 3: Boot from the Linux Live USB**

1.  **Plug In:** Insert the Linux Live USB you created into the computer being upgraded.
2.  **Access Boot Menu:** Turn the computer on. Immediately start pressing the key to enter the **Boot Menu** (Common keys are `F12`, `F10`, `F8`, `ESC`, `DEL` - it often briefly appears on the screen during startup). If you enter the BIOS/UEFI setup instead, look for a "Boot Order" or "Boot Override" option.
3.  **Select USB Drive:** From the Boot Menu, select your USB thumb drive. It might be listed by its brand name or as "UEFI USB Device".
4.  **Start Ubuntu:** Choose the option like "Try Ubuntu" or "Ubuntu (Safe Graphics)". **Do NOT choose "Install Ubuntu".**
5.  **Wait:** Ubuntu will load from the USB drive. This might take a few minutes. If an "Install Ubuntu" window appears, you can minimize it, close it, or just drag it out of the way. We don't need to install it.

**Step 4: Identify Your Drives using GParted**

This is the **most critical** step for preventing data loss.

1.  **Open GParted:** Click the Ubuntu "Start" button (usually bottom-left or top-left corner, looks like 9 dots or an Ubuntu logo). Type `GParted` in the search bar and click the GParted icon. You might be asked for a password – just press Enter (there's usually no password for the live session).
2.  **Identify Drives:**
    *   In GParted, look at the top-right corner for a dropdown menu. This lists the detected drives (e.g., `/dev/sda`, `/dev/sdb`, potentially `/dev/nvme0n1` if you have NVMe drives).
    *   Select each drive one by one. Look at the **Size**, **Partitions**, and any existing **Labels**.
    *   Your **old HDD (Source Drive)** will likely show partitions with familiar sizes and possibly labels like "Windows", "Recovery", etc. Note its size precisely.
    *   Your **new SSD (Destination Drive)** will likely show as "unallocated" space or maybe have a single small partition from the factory. Note its size.
    *   **WRITE DOWN THE EXACT NAMES:** For example:
        *   Old HDD (Source): `/dev/sda` (e.g., 500 GB, has Windows partitions)
        *   New SSD (Destination): `/dev/sdb` (e.g., 1 TB, unallocated)
    *   **Device names (`/dev/sdX`) can change between boots!** The order you plugged them in doesn't guarantee `sda` is old and `sdb` is new. **Use Size and Partition layout in GParted to be 100% sure.** NVMe drives usually appear as `/dev/nvme0n1`, `/dev/nvme0n2`, etc.
3.  **Verify Size:** Double-check in GParted that the **Total Capacity** of the Destination Drive (New SSD) is **equal to or larger than** the Total Capacity of the Source Drive (Old HDD).

**Step 5: Clone the Drive using `dd` (The Risky Part)**

1.  **Open Terminal:** Click the Ubuntu "Start" button again. Type `Terminal` and click the Terminal icon. You'll get a command prompt window.
2.  **The `dd` Command:** This command performs a block-level copy. It's powerful but unforgiving. **TRIPLE-CHECK YOUR DRIVE NAMES.**
    *   `if=` stands for "input file" (Source Drive - Old HDD).
    *   `of=` stands for "output file" (Destination Drive - New SSD).
    *   `bs=1M` sets the block size to 1 Megabyte, which is usually efficient.
    *   `status=progress` shows you the copy progress in the terminal.
3.  **Execute the Command:** Type the following command carefully, replacing `[name of old drive]` and `[name of new drive]` with the exact names you identified in GParted (e.g., `/dev/sda`, `/dev/sdb`). **DO NOT INCLUDE THE BRACKETS `[]`.**

    ```bash
    sudo dd if=[name of old drive] of=[name of new drive] bs=1M status=progress conv=noerror,sync
    ```

    **Example (DO NOT COPY THIS BLINDLY - USE YOUR OWN DRIVE NAMES):**
    If your old drive was `/dev/sda` and your new SSD was `/dev/sdb`, the command would be:
    ```bash
    sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb bs=1M status=progress conv=noerror,sync
    ```

    *   `sudo` is needed to run the command with administrator privileges. You might be asked for a password - just press Enter.
    *   `conv=noerror,sync` tells `dd` to continue if it encounters read errors on the source drive (filling corresponding blocks on the destination with zeros) and to pad the last block if necessary. This can help if the old drive has minor issues but might result in an imperfect clone if errors are significant.

4.  **WAIT:** Press Enter to start the command.
    *   **This will take a long time.** A 500GB drive might take 2-5 hours or more, depending on drive speeds.
    *   The `status=progress` flag will show how much data has been copied.
    *   **Do not** close the terminal, shut down the computer, or interrupt the process.
    *   You will see a summary message when it's finished.

**Step 6: Resize the Partition on the New Drive (Optional but Recommended)**

If your new SSD is larger than the old HDD, the clone will only use space equal to the old drive's size. You need to expand the main partition to use the full capacity.

1.  **Return to GParted:** Go back to the GParted window (or reopen it).
2.  **Select New Drive:** Use the top-right dropdown to select your **new SSD** (Destination Drive). You might need to click `Refresh Devices` under the `GParted` menu.
3.  **Identify Main Partition:** You should now see the partitions copied from your old drive on the new SSD. Identify the main Windows partition (usually the largest one, formatted as NTFS). There might be unallocated space after it.
4.  **Resize:**
    *   Right-click on the main partition you want to expand.
    *   Choose "Resize/Move".
    *   Drag the right edge of the partition all the way to the right to fill the unallocated space. Alternatively, enter the maximum possible value in the "New Size" or "Free Space Following" fields.
    *   Click "Resize/Move".
5.  **Apply Changes:** Click the green checkmark icon "Apply All Operations" in the GParted toolbar. Confirm the action. Wait for it to complete.
6.  **Close GParted.**

**Step 7: Final Steps and Testing**

1.  **Shut Down Linux:** Click the power icon (usually top-right) and choose "Power Off" or "Shut Down". Confirm the shutdown.
2.  **Remove USB:** Once the computer is fully off, remove the Linux Live USB drive.
3.  **Disconnect Old Drive:** **Important:** Do not remove the old drive completely yet. Just disconnect its SATA data cable and SATA power cable. This prevents the computer from accidentally booting from it and ensures you're testing the new SSD. Leave the old drive mounted in the case for now as a backup.
4.  **Boot from New SSD:** Turn the computer back on. It should now boot from your new SSD.
    *   Windows might run a disk check (`chkdsk`) automatically on the first boot. This is normal; let it complete.
    *   Windows might also take a little longer to boot the first time as it detects the new hardware (the SSD itself).
5.  **Test:** Log in to Windows. Check if your files, programs, and settings are there. Ensure everything works as expected.