If you want to create an exact copy of a hard drive, bit-by-bit copy is a great option. In this article, you'll find the best bit copy software for Windows.
Bit-by-bit copy, also known as sector-by-sector clone or a raw copy, is the process of copying every individual bit (or sector) from one storage device to another. This method duplicates the entire contents of a hard drive or SSD, including the operating system, files, applications, and even empty or unallocated space.
Bit-by-bit copy is useful in the following situations:
As Microsoft hasn’t ever included a tool for making an exact copy of a hard drive in Windows, what you need is reliable bit copy software to achieve the goal of bit-by-bit copy. AOMEI Cloner, the best disk cloning software for Windows, comes to help.
🌟It offers: System Clone, Disk Clone and Partition Clone. You may use it to clone either an entire disk or migrate OS only.
🌟It provides the Sector by sector clone feature, allowing you to run bit copy for a hard drive. If you don’t enable this feature, AOMEI Cloner defaults to intelligent sector clone, which is very helpful to clone larger drive to smaller drive.
🌟It is embedded with the SSD Alignment function. If you are cloning disk to an SSD, you can use this function to optimize SSD’s performance and prolong its life span.
All Windows PC and Server operating systems like Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP and Server 2025/2022/2019 are supported. Download right now!
Best bit copy software for Windows PC and Server
Before you start a bit copy, you need to do some prep work.
1. Check sector size. Cloning disk sector by sector requires the logical sector size of the source and target disks to be same, or the cloning process will fail. Therefore, you need to check logical sector size of both disks before cloning. To do this, you can follow the instructions below:
2. Check disk capacity. Sector-by-sector clone will copy every sector on the source disk whether it is used or not, so the destination disk must be equal to or larger than the source disk.
3. File backup. All the data in the destination will be deleted in the cloning process, so you must backup files on the destination drive in advance.
In this part, I will show you how to use this bit by bit copy software step by step in Windows 11/10/8/7.
Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Cloner. Click “Clone” on the left pane and select “Disk Clone”.
Notes: If you want to clone only OS, you can select “System Clone”.
Step 2. Select the source disk that you want to clone and click “Next”.
Step 3. Select the destination disk to store the cloned data and click “Next”.
Step 4. Tick “Sector by sector clone” to enable bit-by-bit copy. Confirm the operation and click “Start Clone”.
1. How is bit copy different from regular file copying?
Unlike regular file copying, which only transfers selected files, bit copy software copies the entire contents of a drive, including hidden or system files, unallocated space, and bad sectors, making it a more comprehensive solution.
2. Can bit copy software help recover data from a damaged drive?
Yes, bit copy software can copy data from damaged or corrupted sectors, which might be inaccessible through regular file transfer methods, offering a potential way to recover lost data.
3. Can I use bit copy software to clone a hard drive to a smaller one?
Yes, some bit copy software like AOMEI Cloner offers intelligent cloning features that allow you to clone a larger drive to a smaller one by excluding empty space. For a full sector-by-sector copy, the destination drive needs to be of equal or larger size.
With the right bit copy software - AOMEI Cloner, you can save a significant amount of time and effort when performing a bit copy of a hard drive. Bit-by-bit cloning ensures that you create an exact replica of your drive, reducing the risk of missing data and making the recovery process smoother.
