Here is how I did it:
PROLOGUE
Just to be on the safe side I make two system images (see part 2), one before I do anything else as insurance in case anything goes wrong. Then I make another one after the shrink disk and partition rearrangement under Part 1. This latter system image is used under point 6 and 7.
1)
I bought a Crucial 256gb 7mm SSD. Measured in gigabytes this drive is smaller than the original HDD inside the Vivobook so I used EaseUS Partition Manager on the original HDD in order to shrink the Data partition and to move the recovery partition from the end of the disk to the middle of the disk. The point is to make the size of the HDD to appear less than the size of the SSD. I shrank the HDD to approx. 200gb
-Shrink disk alone will not suffice when the recovery partition is at the end of the HDD, it must be moved. EaseUS Partition Manager will do the job smoothly.
2)
Now, With a HDD that in gigabytes appears smaller than the SSD, I use Windows own system image feature to make a system image on an external hard drive:
Control panel -> System and Security -> File History -> Windows 7 File Recovery -> Create System Image
Next I create a "System Repair Disk" on an external DVD RW
3)
I Connect the brand New SSD to the Vivobook via a SATA to USB cable and go to disk management in order to initialize and format the SSD so that it becomes detectable by the BIOS.
Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools / create and format hard disk partitions
4)
Turn off the PC, unplug everything, take of the back panel - slow and careful ! it can break, mine got a slight tear because I was too quick
remove the original hard drive and insert the New.
Connect the external DVD Reader with the "System repair disk" DVD inside it.
Connect the external HD With the system image.
5)
Turn on the PC, push and hold Escape or F2 so you'll get into the BIOS
a) switch to "Boot" and set "Launch CSM" to enabled
b) switch to Security and set "Secure boot Control" to disabled
c) change boot sequence to boot from external DVD reader
d) Press F10 to save and exit
6) restart PC, DVD spins up and you’ll get into the Windows Recovery OS. go to Advanced Options -> System image recovery
some images:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2269-system-recovery-options-boot-windows-8-a.html
7) from here everything is smooth sailing and self explanatory, Your disk image will be copied over to the SSD and the pc will reboot, remove the external hard drive so it boots into Windows and not into the system repair DVD again.
You can now go back into the BIOS and change back the Things you altered under (5)
I really love my ASUS Vivobook now that it has a fast SSD, The boot is lightening fast :-)
Best wishes,
Oddjob