Upgrading boot SSD in dual boot system

Having the system in signature with two SSD, the primary with Win10 and grub2 and the second with Kubuntu.
The first one is almost full, and wanting to upgrade the boot SSD in my ignorance I didn't know what can create problems with grub2. Here my current options

• New 1TB NVMe, clone there the primary SSD with Win and grub2, hoping all is working the same as before
• New 256GB NVMe + new 1TB SATA SSD, clone primary SSD on the new bigger SATA, use StoreMI (cost free from AMD) and let him make his work in shifting most used data on the faster NVMe.

Can't make my mind on what solution can be the safest, since I didn't want to re-install anything, due the fact as beginner cost me days in trial and error before being able to achieve current status.

I'd put windows 10 on smaller drive, depending on how much extra space you need for windows, then I'd put root part of linux on the at least 15GB of it as well, then use the primary, 1tb for user space or data or both. either way I'd put win on the lesser one, and linux to use the greater one, if you are a Linux mostly person. reverse it if you're a windows mostly person. or divide some of 1tb and make it ntfs for a share between win and linux.

as far as getting back into your linux or reestablishing grub that can be done two ways that I know of, supergrub2 to boot into your Linux , or usb live chroot install grub .

so, basically as long as your clone process goes without a hitch you should still be able to get in if grub bails out on you. do don't sink the boat too quickly.

you can also sda whatever, and sdb whatever and make sdb your main boot with grub. that is BIOS driven.

if your UEFI then gpt boot partition on whichever one you want boot. but look into that or wait for others with more experience with uefi booting for info on that.

Thanks for your answer.
From what you wrote is clear you are way more expert than me.
The idea re-installaing anything is make me sweat, so to remain in the min friction path, you think just cloning current sda into a bigger disk will maintain grub2 working as currently?

I don't clone, I just try to remember all of my customized scripts and such then back them up then reinstall, even windows I just reinstall it if I need to.

got windows usb install stick and my key is on there server so I do not need to worry about putting that in while installing windows 10.

so for cloning and grub being put back into the MBR I'd think it should being that it is cloning everything. your UUIDs are what you then would need to worry about, boot a usb live and check and fix any UUID in your fstab and current partitions to make sure that they match.

do you have UEFI or BIOS boot for both windows and linux.

I have no need for UEFI boot, and my window 10 install only installs BIOS boot, but cloning a drive to drive it should if you set it up right to clone all partitions from smaller to another larger drive. It should work, what software to use, you ask?


I have no idea. I usually used windows free stuff, I forget the name but it worked like a charm when I used it, but it was for cloning just windows I didn't try that with linux, and it was many years ago. I just stopped cloning because I got my linux customizations down to what I want, so I just know what to do to get it back, and have a lot already set up to get me back to that state if I do have to re-install.
with scripts, and back up files..

I have BIOS boot, for disk cloning I use Paragon Drive Copy
https://www.paragon-software.com/home/drive-copy/
Used it many times for various disk upgrades, but this time my concern is the presence of grub2.

If it's the windows drive which also has some Grub files on it (in the MBR only? or on a boot partition?) that is the problem, why not boot into Kubuntu and install Grub to the MBR of the drive on which Kubuntu resides and set it to first boot priority in the BIOS? When you finish moving your windows data, just run update-grub from Kubuntu.

that too is a good Idea, if I did not mention it too, I once had windows and Linux on separate drives, windows had its boot on the one, and I had grub installed on my other drive with Linux and its was boot priority 1, and it still booted windows while windows still had its boot list installed on its same drive for itself.

Apologize for the stupid question, but there is a way to check where GRUB is actually installed? In Win or Linux.
If as I suppose it's on the Win disk, will be for sure better to move it to the Linux disk considering the fact the Paragon clone software didn't manage grub and so his entry will be deleted in the migration.
There are any guided (aka idiot proof) procedure for migrating grub from win to linux disk?
Also after doing that I suppose I can simply use F8 to choose from what disk booting? Now using F8 is not working choosing to boot from the Linux disk there is no boot just a black screen.

Originally Posted by davide445 Apologize for the stupid question, but there is a way to check where GRUB is actually installed? In Win or Linux. If as I suppose it's on the Win disk, will be for sure better to move it to the Linux disk considering the fact the Paragon clone software didn't manage grub and so his entry will be deleted in the migration. There are any guided (aka idiot proof) procedure for migrating grub from win to linux disk? Also after doing that I suppose I can simply use F8 to choose from what disk booting? Now using F8 is not working choosing to boot from the Linux disk there is no boot just a black screen.

I don't know about "checking it" per se` , but if you got everything moved, and your grub is not intact, ie showing you a boot list, you can use a live linux usb stick chroot and install and update grub then you're in like flint. Captain Jack Flint that is.


make sure you know what disk and partition you're going to install grub to. so that second line can be anything as long as it is the one pointing to what drive you want grub on.

fdisk -l
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/
mount -t proc none /mnt/proc
mount -o bind /dev /mnt/dev
mount -t sysfs sys /mnt/sys
chroot /mnt/ /bin/bash
update-grub
/usr/sbin/grub-install --recheck --no-floppy /dev/sda
sync & reboot

SUSE Syntax:
update-grub is debian and ubuntu little helper this execute the same as:

grub2-install --recheck --no-floppy /dev/sda
grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
mkinitrd

https://zeldor.biz/2010/12/install-grub-from-chroot/

Depending on your distro is the update-grub command .
the basic commands after you've chroot

grub-install /dev/sdx
update-grub
exit
reboot & cross fingers

x = drive letter

You don't need to move Grub to the Linux disk if in fact you have some Grub code on the windows disk which we don't know. Since you can still boot Kubuntu, all you need to do is install Grub to the MBR of the drive which Kubuntu is on while you are booted into Kubuntu. If you have not resolved this situation, I would suggest you run either of the commands below and post the output here so we have some actual facts on your drives/partitions. That's a lower case letter L in both commands.

sudo fdisk -l
sudo parted -l

If you have Grub code on the windows drive, it would be in the MBR. Grub is not to be installed on an ntfs partition and if someone did that, windows boot files would likely be overwritten and you would not be able to boot windows. Posting the output of either command above will tell us on which partition of which drive you have Kubuntu and windows and then it is a simple command to install Grub to its drive.

Also after doing that I suppose I can simply use F8 to choose from what disk booting? Now using F8 is not working choosing to boot from the Linux disk there is no boot just a black screen.

If that is your current situation, it is a pretty good indicator that there is no boot code in the MBR of that drive so Grub is likely in the MBR of the other drive. You need to install Grub to the Kubuntu drive first.

exalty I didn't know you were getting into Linux, it is just a simple install grub to your boot drive, or either one actually, update-grub and let it pick up the other OS'es. it is installed in the MBR partition of the drive. if on a windows install, it over writes it. well I don't think I should get into all of the particulars to maybe confuse you. just focus on installing grub on a drive you want it to boot from.