One-click system cloning to HDD/SSD

The distinction between tool cloning and system cloning comes down to their scope and intent: 1. Tool Cloning: Tool cloning means duplicating a particular software tool or app, preserving its settings, configurations, and preferences. This is commonly used when you need multiple copies of the same tool for different users or environments, ensuring each one has the same tailored setup. Like cloning a code editor with all its plugins, themes, and settings intact. 2. System Cloning: System cloning entails creating an exact copy of the entire operating system – the OS, apps, user data, settings, and the underlying file system. This is often done to move to new hardware, create a backup, or set up identical systems on multiple devices. System clones are bootable and enable a swift restore or installation on another computer. In short, tool cloning targets a single app or tool, whereas system cloning covers the entire operating environment.

Customers who download the latest version of Disk Copy will be able to take advantage of its powerful “system cloning” capabilities.

What makes a “Cloning Software” special? Apart from the common file backup, disk/partition backup, and email backup, the HDD/SSD cloning feature of a disk copying software can help users solve many complicated migration issues, especially when they need to upgrade from an old hard drive to a new one, from a smaller capacity drive to a larger one, or migrate from a hard drive to a solid-state drive without having to reinstall the OS.

That's why Todo Backup provides users with a smart option to clone the system. Whether they're trying to migrate the OS from the original hard drive to a Samsung, Kingston, Seagate, Crucial, or SanDisk SSD, the task can be accomplished with a single click.

How to Migrate an Operating System to an HDD/SSD or Clone a System Drive to HDD/SSD

There are a few things to consider when cloning a system to two separate disk partitions.

If the source disk contains a system partition, shut down the computer after cloning. If the source disk contains a boot partition, to allow normal startup of the computer, you can remove either the source disk or target disk from the computer. If you want to boot from the target disk, it is recommended to replace the source disk with the target disk. If the computer fails to start from the target disk after cloning, it is recommended to clone the source disk to another disk with the same hard disk interface. If you choose to clone a hidden partition, the cloned partition will no longer be hidden.

Video Tutorial:

 

The detailed steps for migrating to a new operating system are as follows: 1. **Back up data**: Before starting the migration, ensure that all important files and data are backed up. This can be done by creating a system image or using cloud backup services. 2. **Choose the target operating system**: Decide which operating system you want to migrate to, such as from Windows to macOS, or upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10. 3. **Check hardware compatibility**: Confirm that your hardware is supported by the new operating system. Check the manufacturer's website for relevant information. 4. **Prepare installation media**: Create an installation USB drive or DVD based on your target operating system. 5. **Boot into the installer**: Restart your computer and boot from the installation media. You may need to enter BIOS settings to change the boot order. 6. **Install the new operating system**: Follow the on-screen prompts for the operating system installation. During the process, you'll be asked to choose the language, time zone, and installation type (e.g., a clean install or upgrading an existing system). 7. **Configure the system**: After installation, set up user accounts, passwords, network connections, and so on. 8. **Restore data**: Use backup tools to restore your previously backed-up data to the new operating system. 9. **Install drivers**: You might need to download and install drivers for the new operating system, especially if it doesn't automatically recognize certain hardware. 10. **Update the system and software**: Make sure to update the operating system to its latest version and install necessary applications and tools. 11. **Test and optimize**: Run some basic tests to ensure all hardware and software is functioning correctly. Optimize the system as needed. Please note that different operating systems may have specific migration steps, so it's recommended to consult official documentation or online tutorials for more precise guidance.

Preparing for the Clone:

• A screwdriver, a power adapter cable for the HDD/SSD, an SATA cable, or a USB-to-SATA adapter. • Ensure that the target HDD/SSD has a larger capacity than the space used on the old system. • Check if the new drive's format is the same as the old one. If not, initialize the new HDD/SSD to MBR or GPT, depending on the original disk. • Download a disk cloning tool, such as Disk Copy.

Step 1. Launch the Disk Copy tool and connect the new second HDD/SSD to your computer. A new window will pop up asking, “A new drive was found on the computer. Do you want to migrate the operating system to the new drive?” Click the Yes button – it will automatically select all system partitions and files.

Step 2. Adjust the target disk layout to fit the new disk. Check "Optimize for SSD if the target is an SSD" to get the best performance from your SSD.

• Auto adjust disk: Defaults to making modifications to the target disk layout for optimal performance.
• Copy as per source disk: Leaves the target disk unmodified, retaining the same layout as the source disk.
• Edit disk layout: Allows you to manually adjust/move partition layouts on the target disk.

Clicking the Proceed button will issue a warning that your data will be lost. Confirm this by clicking Continue.

Figure 4. Warning message

Step 4: Wait for the process to finish, and then you can check the cloned disk for integrity and see if the OS has migrated over.