By
Lily
/ Last update
December 10, 2024
How do I clone Windows Server 2019?
"Hey, has anyone successfully cloned a hard drive on Windows Server 2019? I’m trying to upgrade my Dell PowerEdge server's hard drive and want to clone the system disk over to the new one. Any tips on how to make sure everything works, like getting the new drive bootable and all? Thanks!" –Reddit
Actually, you can use server cloning software to achieve this goal. It is useful in the following situations:
✅Upgrade hard drive without reinstalling Windows
If you want to replace the old hard drive with a new one without reinstalling Windows Server 2019, you can perform a hard drive cloning to transfer all data and OS to the target HDD or SSD directly.
✅Create a Windows Server 2019 copy as backup
In case of accidental data loss or system crash, you can clone the hard drive of Windows Server 2019 as an instantly usable backup. It brings faster disaster recovery than usual system image.
Best server cloning software for Server 2019/2022/2025
You may wonder, “Does Windows have a built in drive cloner?” The answer is NO. Fortunately, the professional cloning software - AOMEI Backupper Server can fill the gap of Windows features. It has a user-friendly interface and can clone disk in Windows Server 2019 with the following benefits:
💛 It provides Disk Clone, System Clone, and Partition Clone features. You can choose one based on your own needs.
💛 It allows you to clone larger drive to smaller drive as long as the target drive can hold all the used sectors.
💛 When cloning smaller drive to a larger one, you can also edit partitions to make full use of the disk capacity.
💛 It supports cloning both MBR and GPT partition styles. You can clone between different partition styles directly.
Besides Windows Server 2019, this tool also supports Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2016, 2012, 2011, 2008, 2003 (including R2), SBS 2011, 2008, 2003, and Windows PC systems. Download it to have a try now!
Best Windows Server cloning software.
Stepwise guide to clone hard drive in Windows Server 2019
Disk cloning is the easiest way to migrate Windows Server 2019 to another HDD or SSD. Here I will show you all the steps with screenshots.
#1. Connect new disk and backup
Connect the new hard drive that you want to clone Windows Server 2019 to, and make sure it can be detected.
Please note the destination HDD or SSD will be overwritten after cloning. If you have some important data on the destination disk, you’d better make a backup in advance.
#2. Copy data from HDD to SSD/larger HDD
Step 1. Install and launch this Windows Server disk cloning tool. Click Disk Clone under Clone tab.
Note: If you want to clone system or certain partitions, just click "System Clone" or "Partition Clone" instead.
Step 2. Select the original hard drive with Windows Server 2019 installed as the Source Disk (here is Disk 0). Then select the target HDD or SSD which you want to transfer Windows Server to as the Destination Disk (here is Disk 1).
Step 3. Confirm the Operation Summary. You can optimize the cloning by some additional features, or click Back to do some changes. If everything is correct, you can click Start Clone to initiate the migration of Windows Server.
💡 Useful cloning options:
👉 Sector By Sector Clone: Copy every sector, whether it is used or not. There is a requirement that the destination disk must be equal to or larger than the source disk. If you don't tick this option, the default mode is intelligent clone, which will copy only used sectors to save space.
👉 SSD Alignment: Improve the working performance of the SSD. If the destination disk is SSD, it is strongly recommended to choose this option.
👉 Edit Partitions: It allows you to adjust the partition size on the destination disk as well convert disk type if it's different from source disk.
- Copy without resizing partitions: It will not resize the partition size.
- Add unused space to all partitions: It will reallocate the unallocated space to each partition of the target disk, appropriate for the disk size.
- Manually adjust partition size: It allows you to extend unallocated space to any partition on the destination disk as you want.
- Convert the destination disk from MBR to GPT: It helps to convert the partition style of the destination disk if it is different from the source disk.
#3. Boot server from new disk
After cloning, you can shut down the machine to replace the old hard drive with the new one. Your computer should boot from the new disk successfully. If not, press the specific key (depends on manufacturer) during startup to enter BIOS, and make sure the first boot option is the cloned drive.
Notes:
🍀If you have confirmed that the server can be started from the cloned drive, you can attach the old hard drive and wipe data on it to use it as secondary storage.
🍀If the partition style of your target drive is different from the source hard drive (such as cloning MBR to GPT), then you also need to change the boot mode in BIOS to make it compatible with the partition style, Legacy for MBR and UEFI for GPT.
FAQs about cloning Windows Server disk
1. Can I clone a system disk on Windows Server?
Yes, you can clone the system disk on Windows Server. Professional tools like AOMEI Backupper can ensure the bootable system and all critical files are transferred correctly.
2. Do I need to worry about disk size when cloning in Windows Server?
Yes, ensure the target disk is large enough to hold the data from the source disk. If it's smaller, the cloning process will fail.
3. Will the cloned disk work on another server?
Generally, cloning a disk to a different server may cause compatibility issues due to hardware differences. It's best to perform a fresh installation on a new server or prepare for troubleshooting.
Start clone now
As you can see above, AOMEI Backupper Server enables you to clone hard drive in Windows Server 2019 in a very simple way. Except for disk clone, this utility is also equipped with system backup, universal restore, and automatic file sync, etc. Try it now to discover more!
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