Raspberry Pi Clone SD Card to SSD with Command Line: Full Guide

Raspberry Pi is a powerful yet compact computer, often used for projects ranging from home automation to media centers and IoT applications. However, running the OS from an SD card isn't the most reliable option, since SD cards have limited lifespans and slower read/write speeds compared to SSDs. That’s why many users look to clone Raspberry Pi SD card to SSD.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the complete guide on Raspberry Pi cloning SD card to SSD using command line. We'll also explore easier alternative ways to transfer Raspberry Pi OS from SD card to SSD, for those who prefer a graphical interface. Let's get started!

Preparation for Transferring Raspberry Pi OS SD Card to SSD

Below are some of the basic components needed to copy SD card to SSD on Raspberry Pi. Before you start, make sure you have all the necessary components ready, including:

• Raspberry Pi board, like Raspberry Pi 4, and ensure it is functioning correctly.​
• A Micro SD card that contains the current Raspberry Pi OS installation.
• An SSD drive (M.2, SATA, or NVMe/PCIe) with adequate capacity to accommodate all data from the SD card.​
• A USB to SATA adapter to connect the SSD to the Raspberry Pi.​

💡Important considerations:
Data backup: Always backup files that are essential or backup entire disk before proceeding.
System updates: Ensure your Raspberry Pi OS is up-to-date to avoid compatibility issues.
Power stability: Use a reliable power source to prevent interruptions during the cloning process.

Part 1. How to Let Raspberry Pi Clone SD Card to SSD using Command Line

Now that we are ready, let's move on to Raspberry Pi cloning SD card using the command line.

Step 1. Prepare the Raspberry Pi

Open the terminal on your Raspberry Pi, and run the following commands to disconnect all services that could write to the SD during cloning.

• sudo systemctl stop cron
• sudo systemctl stop nginx
• sudo systemctl stop docker
• sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver

Step 2. Update the OS and firmware

1. To make sure that you can boot from SSD, it is necessary to ensure that the Raspberry Pi OS and firmware are running at the latest versions with the following commands:

• sudo apt update
• sudo apt full-upgrade
• sudo rpi-update

2. Confirm the sudo rpi-update command with Y (Yes) or O (Yes). Unlike sudo apt full-upgrade, the default response to this command is No/Non.

3. Then, execute the command sudo rpi-eeprom-update -d -a to make sure your firmware is up to date.

4. After that, restart your machine with the sudo reboot command

Step 3. Connect the SSD to Your Raspberry Pi

Plug your SSD into the Raspberry Pi using a USB-to-SATA adapter. Open a terminal and run the sudo lsblk command to list connected drives.

This will display all storage devices connected to the Pi. The SD card is typically /dev/mmcblk0 or /dev/sdX(where X is a letter), and the SSD is typically /dev/sda or another /dev/sdX.

Step 4. Clone the SD Card to SSD

Now, run the following command to clone the SD card (/dev/mmcblk0) to the SSD (/dev/sda). This process can take several minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the SD card and the speed of the SSD.

• sudo dd if=/dev/mmcblk0 of=/dev/sda bs=4M status=progress

👉Explanation:
if=Specify the input file (source), here is the source SD card
of=Specify the output file (destination), here is the destination SSD (/dev/sdc)
bs=Set the block size to improve performance. In this example, it is set to 4 MB
status=progressDisplay the progress of the dd command

Step 5. Expand the Filesystem on SSD

Once the cloning process is complete, you need to expand the file system with the following command to utilize the full capacity of the SSD by selecting Advanced Options, and then Expand Filesystem.

• sudo raspi-config

That's all about how to do Raspberry Pi4/5 clone SD card to SSD with the command line. However, if you are looking for how to copy Raspberry Pi SD Card on a graphical interface or how to clone Raspberry Pi SD card on Windows, please keep reading.

Part 2. Easier Ways to Clone Raspberry Pi OS from SD Card to SSD

While the command-line method is powerful, it can be complex for beginners. If you prefer an easier method, here are two simpler ways to let Raspberry Pi migrate SD card to SSD.

Option 1. Copy OS from Micro SD to NVMe SSD with SD Card Copier

The Raspberry Pi OS includes a built-in tool called SD Card Copier, which makes it simple to do Raspberry Picopy SD card to NVMe. Here is how to use it:

Step 1. Attach the SSD to the Raspberry Pi via the USB to SATA adapter.

Step 2. Navigate to the Raspberry Pi applications Menu > Accessories > SD Card Copier.

Step 3. In the SD Card Copier, set the Copy From Device to your SD card. Set the Copy To Device to your SSD. And ensure the New Partition UUIDs option is checked to avoid conflicts.

Step 4. Click Start and confirm any prompts to begin the cloning process.

Option 2. Clone Raspberry Pi OS SD Card to SSD with AOMEI Backupper

If you want to clone Raspberry Pi SD card on a Windows PC, AOMEI Backupper is an excellent tool for the job.

Features of AOMEI Backupper:
❤User-friendly interface: Simplify the cloning process with intuitive navigation.
❤Multiple cloning options: Support disk clone, system clone, and partition clone for different cloning needs.
❤Flexible cloning: Use Intelligent Clone by default to copy only used sectors, as well as offer Sector-by-Sector Clone to copy every sector of the source disk, allowing you to clone SD card to smaller or bigger drive.
❤Supports various storage devices: Compatible with SD cards, HDDs, SSDs, and USB drives, so except for copying SD card to SSD, you can also clone SD card to USB drive, another SD card, etc.

Widely works on Windows 1/10/8/7/XP/Vista, you can download and install this software on your computer and follow the steps below to clone Raspberry Pi OS SD card to SSD:

Step 1. Use appropriate adapters to connect the Raspberry Pi SD card and the SSD to the PC.

Step 2. Open the software, select Clone and then Disk Clone.

Step 3. Choose the Raspberry Pi OS SD Card as the source disk and click Next.

Step 4. Specify the new SSD drive as the target disk.

Step 5. Tick SSD Alignment to optimize your SSD disk performance, and click Start Clone to begin the cloning process.

Part 3. Boot Raspberry Pi from SSD

To ensure a successful SSD boot, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open a terminal on your Raspberry Pi and run the sudo raspi-config command to access the configuration interface.

Step 2. Then, use the up or down arrow keys to select Advanced Options, then Enter.

Step 3. Under Advanced Options, select Boot Order. Then, choose NVMe/USB boot to let Raspberry Pi prioritize booting from USB-connected SSDs or NVMe drives.

Step 4. After setting the boot order, press Finish or Escape key to exit raspi-config.

Step 5. Reboot the Raspberry Pi with the sudo reboot command. Now, the Raspberry Pi should boot from the connected SSD.

Summary

Raspberry Pi cloning SD card to SSD with command line can be complicated for most people. Alternatively, you could try SD Card Copier (on the desktop version of Raspberry Pi) or AOMEI Backupper (on Windows PCs) to copy Raspberry Pi SD card to SSD hassle-free.