How to Copy Windows to New Hard Drive or SSD (2 Quick Ways)

Gain from Copying Windows to New Hard Drive

When you plan to replace a Windows hard drive with a new HDD or SSD and don't want to lose data or reinstall OS, disk cloning (or data migration) is the easiest solution. It transfers all the boot files, system settings, personal data, and installed programs from one disk to another, and makes it bootable.

More specifically, you can clone a hard drive with Windows OS installed to a new one in the following scenarios:

• Upgrade hard drive. Running Windows 11/10/8/7 on a new disk, SSD in particular, would improve performance.
• Expand disk space. Cloning Windows to another larger drive can easily solve the low disk space issue.
• Use SSD for OS and HDD for storage. You can transfer OS to SSD and keep the old hard drive for data storage.
• Make a backup. Making a copy of the Windows system in other places is a good disaster recovery solution.

Clone Windows to Another Drive with Professional Software

You may use the powerful imaging & cloning tool AOMEI Backupper to migrate Windows to new drive in 2 ways. This software works well on all Windows OS versions and is compatible with popular disk brands, such as Samsung, Crucial, Seagate, Western Digital (WD), Kingston, etc.

AOMEI Backupper earns a good reputation around the world due to its user-friendly interface and stable performance. It will help you move Windows OS in the following ways:

🎯With the cloning feature: you can migrate Windows 11 to new hard drive, larger or smaller SSD with the Disk Clone or System Clone feature directly. This tool also offers SSD Alignment option to help you boost the performance of the target SSD if necessary.

🎯With the backup and restore feature: you can create a system or disk image of the source hard drive, and then restore the backup image to the new hard drive to realize Windows to new hard drive migration.

Besides, AOMEI Backupper is also complete backup and sync software that allows you to protect Windows important files in daily life. Download now to have a try.

*The Clone features in the free trial can only be demonstrated. Please upgrade for full functionality.

Way 1. Transfer Windows to New Hard Drive via Disk Clone (Quickest🔥)

This part shows how to clone Windows 10 to new hard drive by cloning the entire hard drive. If you want to migrate only OS to SSD, please refer to the System Clone feature.

Step 1. Connect or install the new hard drive to your computer via USB cable or external drive enclosure, and then download and install AOMEI Backupper.

Step 2. In AOMEI Backupper, go Clone > Disk Clone.

Step 3. Select the disk that installs Windows OS as the source disk, and select the new hard drive as the destination disk.

Step 4. Tick the SSD Alignment box if the target disk is an SSD. You can also edit partitions here. Confirm the operation and click Start Clone. Wait for the progress to complete.

Step 5. Shut down your PC and replace the old hard drive with the new disk manually. Or, you can enter the BIOS the change the boot priority to test the cloning progress. Then you’ll get the same Windows when you start the PC.

✍Tips:

• By default, AOMEI Backupper uses intelligent cloning mode, which allows you to clone a larger disk to smaller disk as long as the target disk has enough storage space to accommodate the used space of the source disk.
• Edit Partitions: you can adjust the partition size here to make full use of the unallocated space. It is quite helpful when you clone hard drive to larger disk.
• Sector-by-sector Clone: by ticking this option, AOMEI Backupper will copy every sector of the source disk to the destination one. It requires the target disk larger than the source disk.

📕How to change the boot priority in BIOS:

1. While starting up, press the specified key to enter the BIOS. Common keys are F2, F10, Del, or Esc.

2. In the BIOS, use the keyboard (usually arrow keys) to navigate to the Boot or Boot Order section.

3. Press + or - to move the cloned drive to the top of the list.

4. Press F10 to save the changes and exit the BIOS. Your computer will then boot from the cloned new hard drive.

Way 2. Move Windows to New Hard Drive via Backup and Restore (Free😀)

This part shows how to clone Windows 7 to new hard drive through the backup and restore method. It can be more complex and error-prone for common users. Just be careful and be patient with this free method.

The tool you need is also the AOMEI Backupper Standard edition. Please download and install it on your PC. Other preparations would be:

• A storage device that could save the disk or system backup image. Usually, the device is an external (flash) drive, network drive, or NAS device with enough space.
• A USB flash drive or CD/DVD that could used to make a bootable device before restoring.

The following content will show you how to backup system and restore it to new hard drive. It may not be as easy as the cloning method, but you can use the completely free version - AOMEI Backupper Standard to complete all the operations.

Step 1. Backup System: Launch AOMEI Backupper and click Backup > System Backup. Follow the wizard to save this backup image to a storage, external drive for example.

Step 2. Make Bootable Drive: Insert the USB flash drive. In AOMEI Backupper, go to Tools > Create Bootable Media. Follow the wizard to make a bootable device.

Step 3. Restore System Image: Shut down your PC and insert the bootable USB drive, the storage device, as well as the new hard drive. Refer to the tutorial above to make your PC boot from the USB device.

Then you’ll see the main interface of AOMEI Backupper. Click the Restore tab and follow the wizard to restore the system image to the new hard drive. Restart the computer when finished.

✍Tips:

• If you save the backup image to a network or NAS path, please make sure it can be accessed in the WinPE environment.
• AOMEI Backupper allows you to restore system image to new computer, even with dissimilar hardware installed. Just tick the Universal Restore box while restoring.

FAQs on Coping Windows to New Hard Drive💡

1. How long does it take to clone a hard drive in Windows?

The time depends on the size of the source drive and the speed of the connection/interface. Typically, it can take from a few minutes to several hours.

2. Do I need any special cables to clone a hard drive?

Yes, you may need a SATA-to-USB adapter for internal drives. And an external drive enclosure for connecting the new drive to your computer.

3. How do I protect my Windows license during cloning?

Most cloning processes retain your license key, but if issues arise, you may need to reactivate Windows. Keep your key handy just in case.

4. Can I use the computer while cloning is in progress?

Generally, it’s not recommended. Using the system during cloning could lead to errors or corrupt data. However, with AOMEI Backupper’s Hot Clone feature, you can use the computer if necessary.

5. Do I need to format the new hard drive before cloning?

Not usually. Most cloning software like AOMEI Backupper formats the target drive automatically during the process.

6. What should I do with the old drive after cloning?

You can keep it as a backup, or wipe it securely if you plan to reuse or dispose of it. You may need to label it clearly to avoid confusion with the new drive.

Conclusion

That’s all for how to copy Windows 11/10/8/7 to new hard drive. The cloning method is more quick and direct for common users, and the backup & restore method is free to transfer Windows to new hard drive. Hope you can find the most suitable way.

By the way, AOMEI Backupper also has other practical features that may help you protect or manage Windows easily. For instance, you can backup files to a Cloud drive or sync files to an external hard drive regularly or in real time. For advanced users, you can deploy system images to new computers in batches with the Technician Plus edition. Download now to discover more