How to Move OS to SSD Without Cloning. Make It with Our Guide

Disk cloning appears to be a complex task, and you may have assumed that only professionals could handle it. When we want to relocate an operating system to a new SSD, we usually need to clone it. Users may, however, desire to relocate their operating system without cloning it.

This article will describe a method for moving data. We will recommend a tool that can complete that operation quickly. The software features an easy-to-use interface, so even if it is your first time using it, you will be able to figure it out quickly. Let's have a look at the solution. 

Is There Any Way to Move OS to SSD Without Cloning

You want to move your operating system to an SSD without cloning it. Unfortunately, Microsoft's traditional tools do not offer a method for making an identical copy of data to a new drive.

A system clone is the best option. It is the simplest, quickest, and most convenient way to migrate your operating system to a new SSD. It makes reinstalling data at a new location easier.

You can use clean installation instead of cloning if you do not want to clone. A clean installation erases everything on the hard drive before installing a fresh copy of Windows. It will not only help you with upgrade issues, but it will also allow you to start over with a new installation, which will improve system speed and solve problems.

Without Cloning: How to Clean Install Windows 11/10/8/7 on SSD

This instruction is for you if you truly want to install Windows OS on SSD yourself, even though it is a long and tedious process that requires high-tech abilities.

Below is a step-by-step guide to clean install Windows 11 on SSD. Make sure you follow each step carefully.

STEP 1

Go to Microsoft's official website and select "Create Windows 11 installation Media" and download it.

STEP 2

Check the USB flash drive because we are creating bootable media.

STEP 3

Click on the USB from the list. Make sure to select the right USB because it will erase all the data. 

STEP 4

Now, Windows installation files will start downloading.

STEP 5

When the USB is ready, click on the finish button. Now restart your system from the Windows setup. Click on the 'Install Now' button.

STEP 6

It will ask for a product key.

If it is a new installation, you need to provide a product key. If you have properly activated Windows, then you can select "I don't have a product key".

STEP 7

Select where you want to install the operating system.

STEP 8

Click on the custom option to perform a clean installation of Windows 11.

STEP 9

Select the partition where you want to download Windows OS.

STEP 10

Click on the unallocated space to begin the clean installation of Windows 11.

STEP 11

To complete the installing process and select the set up new device. 

If you want to restore some data from the previous backup here, you can select that, too. The Windows installation is complete. 

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A Better Way: Transfer OS to SSD via Cloning

Although performing a clean installation of Windows on an SSD can help move Windows to another drive without cloning, it is important to note that it has many procedures, and it is time-consuming. Therefore, it can never be your first choice.

This is no longer the case with the help of cloning, which can help you transfer OS to another drive without losing data and reinstalling Windows. We recommend using disk cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy to make the process simple and speedy.

EaseUS Disk Copy comes with both system clone and disk clone features. The system clone option makes it a one-stop solution to migrate everything in the Windows installation files and folders, boot files, and configurations from your computer to a new drive without necessarily installing the Windows operating system like the time-consuming clean install process!

EaseUS cloning software is useful software for cloning the system, drive, and data. It has simplified the cloning procedure and ensured that no data is lost. The following are some of its most prominent features.

• Copy data from one hard drive to another
• Resize disk partition during the cloning process
• Transfer Windows from HDD to SSD without losing data
• Migrate data from one PC to another
• Clone hard drives with different sizes

EaseUS disk cloning software is capable of cloning many brands of HDDs or SSDs. It's compatible with Windows systems and explores all of your hardware's characteristics to achieve a 100 percent identical clone. Download it on your computer to help you move/transfer your OS to another drive.

Let's follow the simple guide on how to clone, move, and migrate OS to SSD with ease.

Before cloning:

• If your computer has only one slot, connect the target disk to your machine via a USB-to-SATA/NVMe adapter.
• If your computer has an extra slot, install the target disk into the empty slot properly, and make sure it is compatible.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Disk Copy and choose Disk Mode.

Install EaseUS Disk Copy cloning software on your Windows computer, then launch it and select Disk Mode from the left panel.

Step 2. Select the source drive.

Select the drive you want to copy, then click Select.

Step 3. Choose the target disk.

Choose the disk that you want to clone data to, and click Select. Note that the used space of the source disk should be less than the target disk capacity.

*At this step, you can also click the option "Save as an image file" to store your disk as a compressed image file, which can be restored without any data loss.

Step 4. Adjust disk layout.

Specify the target disk layout as your preference. You can choose among:

• Autofit the disk: makes some changes by default on the destination disk layout so that it can work at its best.
• Copy as the source: create a 1-to-1 copy of your source disk; the layout is the same as the source disk.
• Edit disk layout: allows you to manually resize/move the partition layout on this destination disk.

*If the target disk is an SSD, the option "Auto-alignment to 4K" will be checked automatically to optimize the performance of your SSD.

Step 5. Start cloning.

Click Proceed, and a message will appear, warning you that data will be lost. Confirm the message by clicking Continue.

Now, it will start executing the cloning task.

*The time it takes to clone a hard drive depends on how much data is on the source disk, and it will also be affected by the disk types, USB connection, etc.

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Recap: Move OS to SSD - How to Do?

That is all about how to move OS to SSD without cloning. To summarise what has been stated so far, it is possible to move the operating system to a solid-state disc without cloning, that is to clean install Windows on SSD. However, it will take a long time to install Windows on new SSD if you choose a clean installation. In contrast, cloning is an excellent option to help you move Windows to another drive with simple steps.

Let's conclude what we talked about in this blog. Here is a brief comparison of the two methods mentioned in the text. You should choose one that suits you based on their advantages and disadvantages.

Methods	🎨Description	👨‍🦱Best for	👍Pros	👎Cons
1️⃣Clean install OS on SSD	Totally clean install the operating system from scratch	those who are tech-savvy and have enough time and patience	No need to download third-party software	complex process time-consuming Relocate everything from scratch
2️⃣Clone OS to SSD	Copy the existing operating system from the old disk to a new SSD	those who want to save time and energy, also those who have little knowledge about computers	easy to operate time and energy saving no need to relocate system all data will be copied to SSD Switch to new disk seamlessly	Need to install software

EaseUS Disk Copy is a great tool to help you transfer your OS to another drive. It will eliminate the need for long wait times and the risk of data loss. You can use this utility to build a comprehensive copy of everything so that you do not have to reinstall anything from scratch.

FAQs on How to Move OS to SSD Without Cloning

1. How do I move Windows to SSD without reinstalling?

If you want to transfer your Windows to a new SSD without reinstalling your OS or losing data, you can use a cloning tool like EaseUS Disk Copy to help move the current Windows installation and data to the new drive. Cloning can help you copy data from one hard drive to another easily and quickly without OS reinstallation and data loss.

2. Is it better to clone or fresh install SSD?

Performing an SSD clone will be a better option for you. It can save you a lot of time and effort if your present operating system, other applications, and system data are all functioning correctly.

3. Will changing SSD remove Windows?

It won't remove Windows if the drive you are switching isn't your "C:" drive because you haven't uninstalled the operating system from the device. You can copy and move all of your data from the original storage disk to the new SSD if you are concerned about losing any of it.