Adding new boot drive?

[SuzyCreamcheese]

Apologies if there is a thread on this already. I could not find the information after a search. If so, please link and disregard this post.

I have a fully functional MacOS Mojave installed to a single HDD, but finding it to be a tad sluggish at times. I am considering adding an SSD boot drive, but unsure of the process. Would the below steps work?

1. Disconnect the existing HDD with MacOS.
2. Do a fresh install of MacOS to SSD.
3. Reconnect HDD drive.
4. Boot in to the SSD MacOS install.
5. Add user and link to the HDD user folder.
6. Delete MacOS folders from HDD, leaving only user profile.

Would this process work well, considering it would be a fresh install on the SSD? Would I have to worry about the HDD EFI partition? Or can I simply delete the contents and leave as-is?

Thanks!

 

[itwas]

no special steps, you may
(a) format your SSD first, clone the HDD to the SSD using Carbon Copy Cloner / Time Machine, or similar backup software
(b) or fresh install, restore your user files
(c) copy the HDD EFI partiton to the SSD EFI partition, or you can just boot from the HDD Clover, then select the SSD to boot, it's just up to you.

 

[Ploddles]

I'd just go with cloning to the new SSD (inc copying the EFI stuff) and then wiping the HDD and use it as a backup.

 

[chiefhowie]

you don't have too clone just restore HD to the SSD with Disk utilities, after partion/format SSD> what like about Mojave Disk utility.

 

[SuzyCreamcheese]

Thanks all.

Any problems with using the SSD as my boot drive and for applications, while keeping my main user profile and storage (desktop/documents) on the HDD? I'd like to save a bit of money and get an SSD that's in the 250GB range. I'd simply clone the OS and EFI to SSD and delete the HDD EFI contents or delete that partition all together with Gparted live.

I can have a guest user profile on the SSD, in case the HDD fails before the SSD.