How to Transfer Your Windows 10 Installation to a Different Drive (SSD/HDD)

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Can You Transfer a Windows 10 Installation to a New SSD/HDD?

A hard drive (also referred to as a hard disk, hard disk drive, or HDD) is a computer storage device utilized for storing operating systems, applications, data files, and more. It is an essential component of a computer system.

However, if your hard drive space is full or inaccessible, you might need to replace the old hard disk with a larger or new HDD or SSD. This would require you to reinstall the operating system and all other applications from scratch.

This is a query from a Windows user:

"Can I simply clone my old hard drive with Windows 10 installed to the new one and make it bootable? I'd like to avoid re-installing Windows and all my programs."

Are there any functioning solutions to transfer the operating system and programs to another SSD or HDD without re-installing the OS and losing data?

Although this task might seem tricky and complicated for most users, it can be accomplished as long as you have the right tool and follow the detailed steps.

Tools Disk Copy enables you to move your Windows 10 installation to another drive without any difficulties.

It can assist in cloning HDD to SSD or a larger HDD and make it bootable. Alternatively, you can utilize the backup feature to create a system image and restore it onto the new drive.

Using either of these two methods, you won't need to re-install Windows or programs, and none of your data will be lost. Now, let's dive into the step-by-step guide with screenshots.

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2 Available Methods to Move Windows 10 Installation to Another Drive

Before commencing the process of moving your Windows 10 installation to another drive, it's essential to prepare the following aspects beforehand to ensure a seamless transition:

Preparations You Need to Make:

• Prepare a new SSD or HDD and connect it to the computer. You can use a SATA or USB cable for the connection. If your computer has multiple slots, simply install the new drive into your computer. Ensure that your computer recognizes the new hard drive. Additionally, make sure the storage capacity of the new hard disk or SSD is larger than the system space.
• Download and install the system backup and clone software on your computer. The installation process for tools like Disk Copy is quick and they occupy minimal storage space.

Translate into English:
• Initialize the new HDD/SSD if it's unallocated space. To do this, go to Disk Management and locate the disk in the list. If it's not there, restart your computer and try again.

Method 1: Clone Windows 10 Installation to a New SSD/HDD

Cloning is a practical feature for Disk Copy tools, which allows you to move a Windows 10 installation to another drive without having to reinstall the operating system and programs.

Follow the steps outlined below:

Prior Notice:

• The "Sector by sector copy" requires the destination disk to be at least the same size or larger than the source disk. If you want to clone a larger hard disk to a smaller one, do not check this option. • All data on the destination disk will be completely erased, so please exercise caution.

Step 1. To begin copying/ cloning an entire disk to another, select the disk as the source disk under "Disk Mode" and click "Next".

Step 2. Select the other disk as the destination drive.

Step 3. Check the disk layout of the two disks. You can manage the disk layout of the destination disk by selecting "Autofit the disk", "Copy as the source", or "Edit disk layout".

• "Autofit the disk" makes default adjustments to the destination disk layout to optimize its performance.
• "Copy as the source" maintains the same layout on the destination disk without any changes.
• "Edit disk layout" enables you to manually adjust and rearrange partitions on the destination disk.

Tick the "Check the option if the target is SSD" option to optimize your SSD for peak performance.

A message will now appear, cautioning you that data will be erased. Please confirm this prompt by clicking "OK," followed by "Next."

Step 4. Click "Proceed" to officially initiate the task.

Method 2: Create a Windows 10 System Image and Restore it to a New Drive

Another workable solution is to use the backup and restore functions from Todo Backup tools, but this method relates to two main features. You need to back up the system first, then restore the system image to the new hard drive or SSD.

< strong > First, create a system image of the old hard drive: < /strong >

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup tool and choose "Create Backup" on the home page, then click "Select backup contents".

Step 2. Click "OS" among the four available categories to begin the backup process.

Step 3. The system partition will be selected automatically, you just need to choose the location.

Step 4. Local Drive, Cloud, and NAS are available options for saving the backup file. You can also connect an external hard drive to store the system backup files.

Step 5. You can customize the settings in "Options" at the bottom left. After that, click "Backup Now", and the process will commence.

*After the backup is complete, you can check the backup status, recover, open, or delete it by right-clicking the backup task on the left.

Second, restore the backup to the new drive:

Todo Backup emergency disk to perform system recovery on a non-bootable machine>.

Step 1. Click Browse to Recover to launch the Todo Backup tool.

Click "Browse to Recover"

Step 2. Go to the backup location, and then select the system backup file you need. (The backup file created by Todo Backup tool is a PBD file.)

Step 3. Choose a recovery disk. Make sure the partition styles on both the source and recovery disks are identical.

Step 4. You can modify the disk layout as needed. Then, to start system backup recovery, click Proceed.

Bonus: How to Successfully Boot from the New Drive

After moving Windows 10 to a new hard drive, you need to alter the boot order in BIOS to ensure that the computer can subsequently start up successfully from this new disk.

Step 1. Turn off your computer and disconnect all attached devices except for the keyboard and mouse.

Step 2. Restart your computer and press "F2" or another key displayed on the initial screen during boot-up to enter BIOS.

Step 3. Locate and modify the "Boot Order" in BIOS to prioritize your new hard drive or SSD with Windows 10 at the top of the list.

Step 4. Press "F10" to save the changes in BIOS and exit, then restart your computer to see if it boots successfully from the new hard drive.

If you're still unable to boot it, you can refer to the post about Clone SSD Won't Boot.

Conclusion

There are two practical methods to migrate Windows 10 to another drive. You can utilize the Disk Copy tool to clone the Windows 10 system. Alternatively, you can create a system image backup and then restore it onto the new hard drive with the assistance of Todo Backup software.

Regardless of the method you choose, don't forget to set the boot order in BIOS correctly, so your computer boots from the new drive successfully.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving Windows 10 Installation to Another Drive

1. How do I transfer programs from the C drive to the D drive?

You can securely migrate programs from the C drive to the D drive using "Apps & Features" following this path: Settings > Click on "Apps" > Find the program you want to move > Select the location, where you can choose the D drive partition > Move.

2. Does Windows 10 have Windows Easy Transfer?

Windows 10 does not include Windows Easy Transfer. However, you can utilize alternative tools to migrate Windows 10 from one drive to another, for instance, tools like Todo Backup.