How to Transfer Windows 8 from HDD to SSD on New Laptop, Help
Hello everyone, I'm planning to buy an MSI GE60 laptop, but it doesn't have an SSD. I want to buy a 120GB SATA SSD separately to install on my laptop and use my HDD as storage. My question is, how can I take the Windows 8.1 that came with my laptop on the HDD and put it on the new SSD?
Best Answered by
Sherly· Answered on Mar 28, 2025
Yes, it is a correct choice to install Windows on an SSD and store data on the HDD. You can have more storage space and enjoy better performance. Hence, what you need to do is to transfer Windows 8.1 from HDD to SSD on your new laptop. However, Windows doesn't come with a tool that can transfer or clone Windows to another drive, so selecting a reliable cloning tool is of vital importance.
Based on my past experience, I recommend you use EaseUS Partition Master. It helped me to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD many times via cloning it. I have to say; cloning OS doesn't impact its performance; instead, cloning OS to an SSD will provide better performance.
The operation of migrating an operating system to SSD or HDD will delete and delete existing partitions and data on the target disk. If you keep important data there, back them up to an external hard drive in advance.
Step 1. Select Clone from the left menu. Select Migrate Operating System and click Next to continue.
Step 2. Select the target disk to clone.
Step 3. Click Yes after checking the warning message. Data and partitions on the target disk will be deleted. Please make sure you have backed up important data in advance.
Step 4. Preview the layout of the target disk. Then click "Start" to start migrating the OS to the new disk.
After this process, you need to set the new SSD as the boot drive to start your OS. Click the link below to learn more.
How to Set SSD as Boot Drive [2023 Updated]
On this page, we covered the complete process of how to prepare an SSD disk, migrate Windows OS to a new SSD, and make SSD the boot drive in Windows 11/10/8/7, etc.
