Data Doubler - post-installation transfer question

[ManhattanPrjct]

I have a MBP 8,1 with a 750GB HDD. I just received my Data Doubler and 240GB SSD.

Pretty straightforward - I intend to have OS X and my Applications on my SSD and leave everything else on my HDD (which would be in my optical bay).

The potentially silly question is, what's the best way to transfer my salient user accounts, library, system files, and applications (with application support) to my SSD?

I have:

- A clone of my HDD... not sure how this would work, as I can't pick and choose what to restore, or can I?
- A Time Machine of my HDD... maybe the easiest?
- All the info I need on the HDD... migration assistant?

This seems like an easy issue... just not really sure what's best, fastest, most accurate, and the smallest headache!

 

[ManhattanPrjct]

almost forgot

A fair amount of my applications are Adobe CS6...

 

[wonderspark]

I have two SSDs in my 2012 cMBP, so it's a little different, but essentially it would be the same.

Install the drives as you want them using the data doubler.
Clone the HDD to the new SSD.
Format the HDD, and then copy the files you want off the SSD over to the HDD.

That is how I did my Mac Pro (desktop) with an SSD and a new 4TB HDD, and it's been flawless for over 18 months or so, even after going from 10.6.8 to 10.8.4.

 

[ManhattanPrjct]

I have two SSDs in my 2012 cMBP, so it's a little different, but essentially it would be the same.

Install the drives as you want them using the data doubler.
Clone the HDD to the new SSD.
Format the HDD, and then copy the files you want off the SSD over to the HDD.

That is how I did my Mac Pro (desktop) with an SSD and a new 4TB HDD, and it's been flawless for over 18 months or so, even after going from 10.6.8 to 10.8.4.

That would work if my drives are the same size, but my HDD is 750GB and my SSD is 240GB.

 

[wonderspark]

That would work if my drives are the same size, but my HDD is 750GB and my SSD is 240GB.

Wow, so that 750GB HDD has more than 240GB on it?

If you have a third external HHD or another computer laying around, you can use that to clone and shuttle data around. Say you have one external HDD...

- Copy all the extra data you want off the SSD to that external drive, until you only have the OS and Apps left on the internal HDD. That should be WAY less than 240GB.
- Install SSD, relocate HDD inside laptop.
- Clone HDD to SSD
- Format HDD and just copy that extra data over from the external HDD.

 

[ManhattanPrjct]

Well, that actually worked!

Now I need a way of deleting 50GB worth of pesky hidden system files of my HDD. Any suggestions?