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Samsung Data Migration Not Working

Migrating an existing harddrive to a new Samsung harddrive is much easier using the Samsung data migration tool. You can run the tool and once it’s finished you can instantly use your computer exactly the same from the new harddrive. But, when using the migration tool the first time it’s very possible it wont work or complete so here’s what you should do when the Samsung data migration tool isn’t working.

Run the Windows check disk function tool from the command prompt to repair any errors on the hard-drive, disable programs that are running in the background, and ensure the Samsung SSD drive you’re copying to is supported. There are also some settings that should be changed in Windows.

Guy working in his office on computer

It’s also important to note that it’s common for nothing to happen for the first 5 minutes when you start the data migration. However, if it takes longer than that to pass 0%, then there’s likely an issue. In this article I will explain how to do each of the different fixes to get the Samsung data migration tool to work.

Samsung Data Migration Not Working

To use the Samsung data migration tool requires you to perform a few steps beforehand. These are explained in the manual for it, however, like me you might have assumed that the tool would just work straight away without doing anything extra. So, here’s what to do before running the tool so that it starts and completes.

If there are any errors on the drive, it won’t complete. It’s common for a harddrive to have errors on it that don’t impact its function. To repair these, run the Windows check disk tool. Also, disable sleep mode on your computer temporarily, and close any background programs.

On top of that, there are some obscure settings in Windows that you’ll need to change that will cause the Samsung data migration tool not to work. Below are step by step instructions for each of the steps you need to do before the Samsung data migration tool will work. Note: it’s important to perform each of these steps, and if you skip any of them it has the potential to cause the Samsung SSD Data Migration Tool to not work.

1. Ensure the harddrive you’re writing to is supported

Not all Samsung SSD harddrives are supported. And it might be funny to say but if your hard drive is not a Samsung hard drive the Samsung migration tool won’t work. A list of the 20 supported Samsung SSD harddrives that a harddrive can be copied to can be found on page 4 of the user manual.

The source harddrive isn’t as strict and can be an HDD or SSD that has an operating system (OS) installed on it. However, if the Samsung SSD harddrive you’re copying to isn’t on that list it won’t work.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on November 23, 2021.

2. Run check disk and system file checker on the source harddrive

Windows has a range of inbuilt tools that work really well for fixing errors on the hardware. There are two that you should run which are check disk and system file checker. If there are any errors on the harddisk the chkdsk tool can also repair them. They are very easy to use.

Go to the start menu, which is the windows icon at the bottom left of the screen and type in ‘cmd’. This will bring up the ‘Command Prompt’ program. When it does right click on it and select ‘Run as Administrator’. You may have seen the command prompt before if you’ve ever used an old DOS computer from the 80’s and 90’s.

It allows you to input commands that directly affect the hardware.

Start by typing in:

chkdsk /f

Type this into the command prompt and hit enter. .

This will check for any errors on the harddrive and fix them for you. After that use the system file checker tool in the exact same way as the check disk tool. Instead of typing in chkdsk /f you type in:

sfc /scannow

The exact same way that you typed in chkdsk /f. That will run the system file checker and fix any errors.

3. Disable background software temporarily and Windows Bitlocker

When there is software running it can make changes to what’s on the harddrive. When that happens it can cause an error when the contents of the harddrive is being copied. Therefore, it’s best to disable all background programs so only the operating system is running. To do that right click on any apps that are running in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, and then select ‘close’ or ‘exit’.

If you’re running an antivirus software such as Avast temporarily disable it until you restart your computer. It can be risky doing that, however, because you aren’t going onto any webpages or opening any software other than the Samsung Data Migration tool there’s virtually no risk of getting a virus while it’s disabled.

Disable Windows Bitlocker

There’s also an encryption tool that is built into Windows that is likely running in the background called Windows Bitlocker. It needs to be disabled temporarily. To do that open your start menu. Then type in ‘Control panel’ and select the Control Panel app that comes up.

Once you’ve opened the control panel click on ‘System and security’. This is typically the option on the top left of the control panel. After you click that there will be some additional options. One of which will say ‘Bitlocker Drive Encryption’. Under that heading is an option that says ‘Manage Bitlocker’.

Click on that and it will show a list of drives that have Bitlocker enabled. Underneath the drive it will say either ‘Bitlocker on’ or ‘Bitlocker off’. If the harddrive you’re copying has Bitlocker turned on click on the drive and select ‘Turn Off Bitlocker’.

Here’s shorthand to make it easy to follow:

Control panel > System and security > Bitlocker Drive Encryption > Manage Bitlocker > see if the drive you’re copying says ‘Bitlocker on’ or ‘Bitlocker off’.

4. Put your computer in airplane mode

Airplane mode is a setting that can be turned on and off from the taskbar at the bottom right of the screen on the Windows operating system. It’s accessed by clicking on the network icon. If you use Wi-Fi it will be the Wi-Fi icon that you’ll be familiar with that has 3 curved lines radiating outwards from a dot. If you’re using a cable to connect to your modem it will show a computer screen.

Click on this icon and a window will pop up with some additional options. One of them has a picture of an airplane. When you click on it, it turns it on. Doing so disables the Wi-Fi, bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), and GPS.

When these are turned on they send and receive data, or connect and reconnect to devices. This can cause an error as they can make changes to the contents of the harddrive. Once you’re finished with the data migration you simply click it again to disable airplane mode. Other than doing a data migration your computer should almost always have airplane mode off.

5. Disable virtual memory paging file

A cause for a failed Samsung data migration is virtual memory paging is turned on. It can be disabled from the Settings on your computer temporarily while you do a data migration.

6. Check that the motherboard drivers are up to date

The motherboard drivers should be updated to the latest version, as if they aren’t it can stop the Samsung data migration from completing, or starting at all. To do so, open the start menu and type in ‘device manager’. This will bring up the ‘Device Manager’ app. Click on it, and you will see a window that lists all of the components of your computer such as the ram, motherboard, and devices that are plugged in such as the mouth and keyboard.

One of these components will be your motherboard. It’s named ‘Processors’ in this list. When you click on it once with the mouse it will show 4 entries that all say the same thing. It will say the name of what your motherboard is, for example ‘Intel Core i5’.

Right click on the top entry from this list and select the option that says ‘Update Drivers’. It will search for whether there are any updates to the motherboard, and follow the prompts that come up to install them. Or, it will say that your motherboard is up to date. Just bear in mind that the internet needs to be connected.

So, if you’ve put it into airplane mode in the previous step, temporarily turn airplane mode off so that your computer can connect to the internet to check for an updated driver. Then turn airplane mode on again once it’s finished.

7. Defrag the drive that your migrating

Defragging a drive optimizes how all the files are stored on a drive. It tends to take some time which is the reason I have left to the last step. If the migration failed, then you should defrag the drive before migrating it using the Samsung migration tool. To do that open the start menu and search for ‘defrag’.

This will bring up two apps, one is ‘defrag’ and the other is ‘defragment and optimize drives’. This will open up a new window that will list the different drives on your computer. Highlight the drive you’re migrating and select the option ‘Analyze’ and then ‘Optimize’.

Samsung Data Migration Stuck at 0 Percent

Man typing using his laptop and monitor

When you start a data migration using the Samsung data migration tool it can be stuck loading, and won’t go past 0 percent. Here’s what causes this to happen and how to get it to migrate successfully.

If Samsung Data Migration is stuck at 0%, it could be due to the software not recognizing the SSD correctly. Ensure the Samsung SSD is properly connected and recognized by your computer. If it’s an external SSD, try using a different USB port or cable. For internal SSDs, check the SATA connection and ensure it’s secure.

Another possible cause could be conflicting software or services running in the background. Sometimes, other programs can interfere with the data migration process. To resolve this, try performing a clean boot of your computer, which starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This can help identify if a background program is causing the issue.

In some cases, outdated drivers or firmware for the SSD can lead to this problem. Ensuring that you have the latest drivers and firmware for your Samsung SSD can make a difference. Visit the Samsung website to download the latest versions. Updating these components can enhance compatibility and performance, potentially resolving the data migration issue.

Samsung Data Migration Not Responding

Man typing in the monitor keyboard

When you open the Samsung data migration tool, or as it’s running it can freeze and nothing happens. You can’t click any buttons on it, and it says at the top of the window ‘not responding’. Here’s what to do when this happens.

Press the ‘Ctrl’, ‘Alt’, and ‘Delete’ buttons on the keyboards at the same time. This will bring up 5 options, select the bottom option which is ‘Task Manager’. Right click on the Samsung migration tool and press the ‘end task’ option near the bottom. This will close it.

After that, reopen it and try again. This happens from time to time with all programs on Windows computers when they ‘crash’. If it continues to happen then there are some troubleshooting steps you should take. I’ve explained these at the top of this article.

Start with step ‘1. Ensure the harddrive you’re writing to is supported.’ And work your way through each of the subsequent steps you should do before trying to use the Samsung data migration tool again.

Samsung Data Migration Not Starting

Man typing in the monitor keyboard

Using the Samsung data migration tool is simple and easy. However, if you’ve run into an issue where it won’t start, and therefore you can’t get it to work. Here’s the troubleshooting steps you should take when this happens.

The start button does need to be pressed once. When you press start once, it brings up a screen that shows the details of the disk you’re copying from and the disk you’re copying too. Then you need to press start again to begin the data migration.

If that didn’t get it to start then you need to perform a few steps that will stop various things from causing the Samsung data migration tool not to work. I’ve explained these steps in easy to follow instructions at the beginning of this article. Scroll to the top of this article and do each of the steps starting with ‘1. Ensure the harddrive you’re writing to is supported.’

Samsung Data Migration Not Showing Files

Frustrated man while looking at the monitor

After the Samsung data migration tool has successfully cloned everything from one harddrive to another the files will show on the new drive. If the data migration did not complete then none of the files will show on the harddrive you’re copying them too. Here’s what to do when none of the files are showing.

If it has completed successfully you’ll get a message that says ‘The data on the Source Disk has been successfully cloned to your Samsung SSD.’ If you didn’t get that message you need to do some steps (described below) for it to complete and so the files will show on the destination harddrive.

I’ve explained what these steps are at the start of this article. They are broken down into individual steps. Scroll to the top and complete each of them starting with step 1.

There are a range of steps that you need to do on your computer beforehand. When they haven’t been done it will cause the Samsung data migration tool to not complete the data migration. Such as, turning off background programs, fixing any disk errors, and doing a disk defrag.

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on November 23, 2021.

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