How to Clone M.2 SSD with Only One Slot (Step-by-Step Guide)

Cloning an M.2 SSD with only one slot may sound complicated, but it's actually straightforward with the right method. The best solution is to use an M.2 to USB adapter to connect the new SSD externally, then clone your existing drive. This guide will walk you through how to clone M.2 SSD with only one slot available on your laptop and provide fixes for common cloning issues.

Can I Clone M.2 SSD with Only One Slot?

If you own a modern ultrabook or a compact PC, you might have noticed there is only one M.2 slot inside. This often leads to the assumption that cloning is impossible without a second internal port. Can you clone an M.2 SSD to another M.2 SSD with only one slot?

How to clone an M.2 if you only have one M.2 slot?

My Dell XPS 8940 has a 500GB M.2 SDD containing the OS, and I'd like to replace it with a 1TB or possibly even a 2TB unit. But it only has one slot. How can this be done?" - from Reddit

The short answer is yes, absolutely. You do not need two physical M.2 slots inside your computer to successfully clone your drive. The key to making this work lies in using the correct hardware to connect your new SSD externally.

By using a USB-to-M.2 adapter cable or an external M.2 enclosure, you can connect your new drive to a USB port, treat it like a large flash drive, and perform M.2 SSD cloning directly in Windows. Once the cloning is finished, you simply swap the drives.

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Tips for Cloning M.2 with a Single M.2 Slot

Before cloning an M.2 SSD to another, you need to prepare properly to ensure the process goes smoothly.

1. Get a USB adapter or enclosure for M.2

Your laptop has only one slot, so you need to make the target SSD an texternal hard drive to clone an M.2 SSD to another. You need to prepare a USB-to-M.2 adapter or an external M.2 enclosure to connect the second SSD to your PC via a USB port.

2. Ensure SSD compatibility

Generally, a SATA M.2 SSD cannot work in an NVMe-only M.2 slot, even if it physically fits. Check the physical size, interface (SATA or PCIe NVMe), and other hardware specifications to ensure the new or larger SSD will work properly after you finish the SSD cloning process.

3. Backup data

If your target SSD contains data, back it up before cloning, as it will wipe all data on the destination disk. You can also back up important files on your source drive in case something goes wrong, but the cloning process is generally safe.

4. Choose reliable cloning software

Choosing a safe and reliable SSD cloning software will ensure you have a smooth data and OS migration. Cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy is famous for its intuitive interface and powerful cloning features, which let you clone your entire disk, including the operating system, Windows settings, apps, and data, to the new SSD without issues.

🔥EaseUS Disk Copy: Best M.2 SSD Cloning Software

• Simple UI: Intuitive interface design for cloning an SSD.
• Disk Mode: Clone entire SSD to SSD or clone SSD to HDD.
• System Mode: Migrate OS to new SSD without reinstalling.
• SSD Alignment: Optimize SSD with auto 4K SSD alignment.
• Sector-by-sector copy: Clone HDD or SSD with bad sectors.

Free Download

Windows 11/10/8/7

If you are looking for a tool to clone NVMe SSD with only one slot or upgrade SSD with only one slot, EaseUS Disk Copy can be your best choice for its user-friendly UI and powerful cloning capabilities. Just download and use it to clone M.2 SSD to another M.2 SSD!

How to Clone SSD with Only One Slot on Windows 11/10/8/7

Now, let's dive into the detailed, step-by-step guidance for cloning an M.2 SSD or upgrading an M.2 SSD, even if your device has only one slot.

Step 1. Connect New SSD

• Insert the new SSD into the USB adapter and connect it to your computer via the USB port.

Step 2. Launch Cloning Software

• Download & install EaseUS Disk Copy, launch it, and select Disk Mode.

Step 3. Select Source and Target SSDs

• Select the current internal M.2 SSD as the Source Disk.
• Select the new external M.2 SSD as the Target Disk.
• Enable "Preview partition layout" to use advanced cloning features, including Sector-by-sector copy, and Aotu-4K SSD Alignment.

Step 4. Adjust Disk Layout (Optional)

• If your new M.2 SSD is larger, you can select "Auto-fit the disk" to use the bigger space.
• Select "copy as the source" to use the sector-by-sector clone feature for an exact copy of your old SSD.

Step 5. Start Cloning SSD

• Click Proceed to clone SSDs and wait for the process to complete.

Step 6. Replace SSD & Boot from New M.2 SSD

If your goal is to upgrade your old M.2 SSD with a new or larger one, you'll also need to swap SSDs after cloning. Here is how:

• After cloning, shut down your computer, locate the old SSD, remove the old SSD, and install the new SSD internally.
• Restart your computer, and it will automatically boot from the new cloned SSD.
• If not booting, enter the BIOS by pressing the BIOS key (F1, F2, Esc, Del) during startup, then choose the new SSD as the primary boot device.

This video also shows how to clone your M.2 SSD using an external enclosure and EaseUS Disk Copy:

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Troubleshooting Common M.2 SSD Cloning Issues

Here are some common issues and fixes when cloning an SSD to another SSD.

Wrapping Up

That's how to clone M.2 SSD with only one slot. Cloning an M.2 SSD with only one slot is simple when using the right approach. Just use an M.2 to USB adapter and download EaseUS SSD cloning software. This ensures:

• No data loss
• No OS reinstallation
• Fast and seamless M.2 SSD upgrade

Hope this article is helpful to you. If you have any further questions, please real contact us. Also, if you need reliable hard drive cloning software, don't forget to try EaseUS Disk Copy!

Free Download

Windows 11/10/8/7

FAQ on Cloning M.2 SSD with Only One Slot

1. Can I clone an M.2 SSD with only one slot?

Yes, you can. The best way is to use an M.2 to USB adapter to connect the new SSD externally, then clone your existing drive and replace it afterward.

According to Reddit users, you also have alternative methods, such as using a cloud service to upload the files to the cloud, then swap the drive and download files to the new M.2 SSD, and using an M.2 SSD duplicator to create a 1-to-1 copy of their disk, which is very easy and fast to operate without using a PC.

However, using a cloud service can only transfer files, and buying an external disk duplicator is somewhat expensive.

2. Can I clone SSD without enclosure?

Yes, but only if your system supports connecting a second drive internally, such as through an extra slot or SATA port. If not, an enclosure or adapter is required to complete the cloning process successfully.

3. How long does cloning take?

Cloning time typically ranges from 10 minutes to several hours, depending on the amount of data, SSD speed, and connection type. Using a USB 3.0 or faster interface can significantly reduce the total cloning time.

4. Why is the cloned SSD not booting?

A cloned SSD may fail to boot due to incorrect boot order, missing boot files, or partition style mismatch, like MBR vs GPT. You may need to adjust BIOS settings or repair the bootloader to fix the issue.

5. Can you clone an M.2 SSD to a SATA SSD?

Yes. You can clone an M.2 SSD to a SATA SSD as long as the SATA SSD is larger than the used space on your M.2 SSD. And you can use hard drive cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy to help you with that.

6. Can I swap M.2 SSD without reinstalling Windows?

Yes, you can replace M.2 ssd without reinstalling Windows. Creating a bootable clone of a disk will eliminate the hassle of reinstalling Windows and programs, saving time and money. Of course, you can also clone only the OS to the new M.2 SSD if you don't want to move everything from your old drive.