By
Amelia
/ Last update
April 17, 2025
When your Alienware is running out of storage space, the system feels sluggish, or you want a clean slate, you may choose to upgrade your Alienware SSD. This article will provide you with the preparations before upgrading, as well as the method of upgrading your Alienware SSD without reinstalling Windows.
Preparations before Alienware SSD Upgrade
1. Identify the System and SSD Type
- Model: Know your exact Alienware model, for example, m15 R6, Aurora R13.
- SSD Slot Type: Check what kind of SSD is supported, for example, M.2 NVMe, SATA.
2. Backup Your Data
You can use Windows Backup, or you can choose to backup important files to an external drive to avoid data loss.
3. Gather the Required Tools
- Anti-static wrist strap (optional, but good practice).
- Small Phillips head screwdriver.
- Thermal pads or heatsinks (some Alienware SSD slots require thermal contact).
- External SSD enclosure or USB-to-M.2 adapters (if cloning).
4. Update BIOS & Drivers
Go to Dell Support and update:
- BIOS
- Storage Controller Drivers
- Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) drivers (if applicable)
How to do Alienware Laptop SSD Upgrade without Reinstalling Windows
The next section explains how to upgrade your Alienware SSD.
Step 1. Connect the New SSD
You can connect the new hard disk to an Alienware system via USB using a solid-state drive caddy or adapter. After connecting, the new hard drive should show up in Disk Management.
Step 2. Clone the Old SSD to the New One
To do this, you can use AOMEI Cloner, which can provide you with:
🔵Easy to use: It offers a clean, user-friendly interface, making cloning accessible to beginners.
🔵Disk Clone: It creates an exact copy of the HDD or SSD, including the operating system (OS), applications, and files, on the new hard disk.
🔵Flexible Cloning Methods: It offers a smart clone, copying only used sectors to save disk space.
🔵Fast Transfer: It offers high-speed data transfer and low system impact, allowing seamless operation without disrupting normal computer usage.
You can follow the easy steps to begin SSD cloning:
1. Download and install AOMEI Cloner. Navigate to Clone > Disk Clone.
2. Then, choose the old SSD as the source disk and the new SSD as the destination disk. And click Next.
3. Enable SSD Alignment to optimize the target SSD performance, and click Start Clone.
Step 3. Swap out the Drives
1. Power off the Alienware.
2. Remove the bottom panel (usually secured with Phillips screws).
3. Locate the existing SSD and remove it.
4. Insert the new SSD in its place.
5. Reassemble your laptop or desktop.
Step 4. Boot up
Turn on your system, and if the clone was successful, just boot it.
If the laptop or desktop fails to boot, you can check this: Cloned SSD won’t Boot. Or enter the BIOS (press F2 or DEL at startup), and make sure the new SSD is set as the primary boot drive.
Conclusion
Upgrading your SSD enhances the performance of your Alienware system, while using AOEMI Cloner makes the upgrade process seamless and easy. Whether you're looking to reduce load times or work with large volumes of files, the upgrade is a worthwhile option.
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