How to Clone Boot Drive to New SSD on Windows 11/10/8/7

If you still use a traditional hard drive (HDD) as your boot drive, you are missing out! Swapping it for an SSD is one of the best upgrades to speed up your computer, since it can boot faster, programs launch instantly, and games load faster. Of course, you can reinstall Windows from scratch, and in some situations, this may be preferable.

However, this is by no means the best way out. There's a better way: clone your entire boot drive to the new SSD. We will tell you how to clone boot drive to new SSD to avoid reinstalling Windows and programs. Hurry up and learn.

What You'll Need to Copy Boot Drive to SSD

A new SSD. Obviously, to clone/upgrade a boot drive to an SSD, you will need to buy an SSD. You can pick the best SSD according to your needs. You should buy an SSD with the right form factor in line with your computer and get a big enough one to hold all your data. If you have a 500GB hard drive now, you should purchase at least a similarly sized SSD (ideally larger to accommodate future use).

A USB-to-SATA adapter. You'll need to connect the SSD to your computer during the replacement process. If you use a laptop with only one slot, you'll need an external adapter or a hard drive enclosure to connect your SSD to the computer via USB. If you are a desktop user, you may not need it. If your computer has room for 2 drives, you can install it alongside your old hard drive.

A disk cloning tool. There are many hard drive cloning tools available on the market, free and paid, such as Clonezilla and EaseUS Disk Copy. If your SSD manufacturer offers a data migration program, you can use it directly. However, if you want to avoid some issues during the cloning process, using professional disk cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy might be your best bet.

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EaseUS Disk Cloning Software Will Never Disappoint You

If you want to clone a hard drive and migrate its data to another, you must use a professional cloning program, since Windows has no built-in cloning software. EaseUS Disk Copy, an excellent disk cloning tool, comes to help you.

It is a simple yet practical HDD to SSD cloning software that can help you easily and quickly copy data from one hard drive to another and migrate your OS to another drive. In addition, it can help you clone a hard drive with bad sectors to retrieve your data from the failing hard drive.

EaseUS Disk Copy: Best Cloning Software for Windows

• Simple UI: Extremely streamlined interface for cloning a disk.
• Disk Mode: Clone the entire drive to another for a full transfer.
• System Mode: Copy Windows operating system to new drive.
• Partition Mode: Clone a partition on one hard drive to another.
• 4K Alignment: Auto-4K alignment for better SSD performance.

Free Download

Windows 11/10/8/7

No matter what you want from a disk cloning tool, EaseUS Disk Copy can meet your needs. Just download it on your computer to help you clone your boot drive to another drive or move Windows boot drive to another PC.

How to Copy Boot Drive to New SSD via EaseUS Disk Copy

After downloading EaseUS Disk Copy on your computer, you can clone your boot drive or C drive to a new or larger SSD. Here are the detailed procedures.

Part 1. Prepare Old and New SSD

• Clean your old boot drive: Run a disk cleanup utility and uninstall any unnecessary apps to save time during the cloning process.
• Connect the new SSD: Use a SATA-to-USB adapter or an external enclosure to connect the new SSD to your PC if it has only one slot.

• Backup data: If your target SSD contains data, back it up before cloning, as all data will be erased on the target disk during the cloning process. You can use a free backup tool - EaseUS Todo Backup to back up data on your hard drive.

Part 2. Clone Boot Drive Using EaseUS Disk Copy

After preparing your SSD, you can start cloning HDD to SSD or cloning boot drive to SSD. Here is how to clone boot drive to SSD using EaseUS Disk Copy:

Step 1. Run the Cloning Software

• Install and launch EaseUS Disk Copy.
• Select Disk Mode.
• Select your old boot drive as the source.
• Select the new SSD as the destination.

Adjust target disk layout (Optional). "Auto-fit the disk" ensures your system takes advantage of the new disk's larger capacity. Also, ensure SSD optimization options are enabled.

Step 2. Start the Cloning Process

Initiate the cloning process and wait for it to complete. You may need to restart your computer to complete the whole Windows and data migration, especially if cloning the main boot drive.

You can watch this video to see a step-by-step guide on cloning a boot drive with EaseUS Disk Copy:

 

Part 3. Switch to the New SSD

• Shut down the computer: Once cloning is complete, shut down your computer.
• Replace the old drive: Open your computer casing with a screwdriver and physically remove the old boot drive. Install the new SSD in its place.
• Boot up: Power on your computer. It should now boot from the new SSD with all your files and programs intact.
• Change boot order (if needed): If the computer doesn't boot from the new SSD, go into your computer's BIOS or UEFI settings by pressing a key, like F1, F2, Del, F10, F12, or Esc during the startup, and change the boot order to prioritize the new SSD.

For laptop hard drive replacement:

• Shut down your laptop.
• Disconnect all the external cables.
• Use a screwdriver to open the laptop's back cover.
• Remove the HDD and place the new SSD.
• Close the cover and reboot your laptop.

For desktop hard drive replacement:

You can keep it untouched, format it as an internal storage drive, or remove it from your computer. It's all up to you.

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To Wrap Things Up

That's all about how to clone boot drive to new SSD. You can transfer everything on your boot drive to an SSD for better computer performance. To clone a boot drive, use third-party cloning software such as EaseUS Disk Copy.

EaseUS Disk Copy makes it easy to clone a boot drive to another hard drive, whether larger or smaller, and the steps are the same. All data from the old hard drive will be transferred to the destination drive with just a few clicks. So, what are you waiting for? Just download and use it!

Free Download

Windows 11/10/8/7

FAQs on How to Move Boot SSD to Another SSD

1. How do I clone my boot drive to a new SSD for free?

To clone your boot drive to an SSD for free, you can use some free cloning tools, such as Clonezilla. However, it is important to note that Clonezilla is not friendly to beginners. Therefore, if you have some budget, you'd better use third-party cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy.

2. Why is my new SSD clone not booting?

If the disk partition style is incompatible with the boot mode, the cloned SSD won't boot. Therefore, to prevent the cloned disk from not booting, we need to enter the BIOS and choose the proper boot mode for the partition style that you have chosen.

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

SSD clones are a better option for you and can save time and effort from reinstalling if your present operating system, other applications, and system data are all functioning correctly.

4. Is there a way to safely move my boot SSD to another SSD?

Yes, just clone it. Cloning can help you safely transfer everything from one SSD to another, including the saved data and installed Windows. All you need to do is find a reliable disk cloning tool, like Clonezilla, EaseUS Disk Copy, and Acronis True Image. Some SSD brands also have their own cloning tools, such as Samsung and Seagate. After cloning, you can replace the old SSD with the new one and boot from the new SSD.