How to Create a Mirror Disk in Windows 10 [Step-by-Step Guide]

In corporate settings, a substantial amount of work that employees handle involves utilizing similar content, documents, and other elements. Frequently, they rely on a centralized hard drive where all these resources are stored. However, this central repository can be vulnerable to problems such as internal hard drive failures, viruses, or outdated software, which can lead to significant data loss.

To prevent such issues and ensure seamless organizational operations, utilizing backup software like Todo Backup or other methods is essential. Hard drive mirroring is an extremely efficient solution in this context. If you're wondering how to mirror a hard drive in Windows 10, follow this comprehensive guide to learn the correct steps.

What Is Hard Drive Mirroring? Hard drive mirroring, also known as RAID 1 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), is a data storage technology that involves maintaining identical copies of data on two or more hard drives simultaneously. This setup ensures data redundancy and increases the reliability of the storage system, as any changes made to one drive are instantly replicated to the other drive(s). The primary purpose of hard drive mirroring is to provide fault tolerance. If one of the drives in the mirrored set fails, the system can seamlessly switch to using the other drive without any data loss or interruption in operation. This makes it an essential component for critical systems where uptime and data integrity are of utmost importance, such as in financial institutions, hospitals, and other mission-critical environments. To implement hard drive mirroring, you typically need at least two hard drives and a RAID controller or a software solution that supports RAID 1 configuration. The process of setting up and maintaining the mirror involves regularly checking and synchronizing the data between the drives to ensure they remain identical. In some cases, advanced RAID controllers may offer features like automatic failover and hot-swapping, which allows for the failed drive to be replaced without shutting down the system.

Before delving into the steps involved, it's crucial to understand what hard drive mirroring means. Mirroring a hard drive essentially involves cloning a hard drive. It's worth noting that hard drives in computer systems are among their more delicate components, and failures are quite common in hard drive scenarios.

Here, one can resolve the issue by mirroring a hard drive in Windows 10. This involves automatically creating duplicate copies of data on the hard drive. Thus, should any issues arise with the drive, one's files will remain secure in another location.

Hard drive monitoring functions are associated with RAID-1 under the standard Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) levels. This setup involves maintaining an exact and detailed data copy on more than one disk, ensuring data redundancy and protection.

Moreover, the files remain synchronized across all drives where mirroring takes place. In other words, when users modify their files in the source folder, these changes are automatically updated in the mirrored sections.

Requirements for Mirroring a Hard Drive in Windows 10

Of course, before you decide to mirror a hard drive on Windows 10, it's crucial to check all compatibility factors first. The process may not succeed if the device or platform doesn't meet the proper hard drive specifications. Windows 10 typically supports drives with the Master Boot Record (MBR) partition style, whereas some newer systems utilize the GUID Partition Table (GPT) scheme.

To proceed with the hard drive mirroring process, you need to follow the steps based on the boot mode of the disks involved. It is ideal to have hard drives with identical boot modes for effective mirroring. Additionally, there are some fundamental requirements that include:

• Disable the hibernation setting before starting the mirroring process.
• Ensure similar hard drive sizes for both the original and secondary hard drives.

Thoroughly proceed with the appropriate steps to assess your device's storage and boot mode specifications. To do this, meticulously follow these steps on your Windows 10 computer: 1. Press the 'Windows key + I' to open the Settings app. 2. In the Settings window, click on 'System.' 3. From the left pane, select 'Storage.' 4. On the right side, scroll down and click on 'Advanced storage settings.' 5. Here, you'll find information about your storage, including the type of drive (HDD or SSD) and its capacity. 6. To check the boot mode, restart your PC and enter the BIOS or UEFI settings. To access BIOS, usually press 'F2,' 'Delete,' or 'Esc' during startup, depending on your system manufacturer. 7. Once in the BIOS/UEFI settings, navigate to the 'Boot' or 'Startup' section. 8. Look for an option named 'Boot Mode' or 'UEFI/Legacy Boot.' This will indicate whether your system is using UEFI or Legacy BIOS. 9. After verifying the information, save the changes (if any) and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings, allowing your PC to restart normally. Remember to consult your system's user manual if you face any issues or need assistance with specific key combinations for entering the BIOS.

How can this be achieved?

Step 1. Access the Run utility by pressing the Win + R keys simultaneously.

Step 2. In the text box, type "msc" and then press Enter.

Step 3. When the Disk Management dialog box opens, right-click on "Disk 0" and select "Properties".

Translation: Select Primary Drive Properties

Step 4. Go to Volumes > carefully evaluate the Partition Style that is mentioned.

The two types consist of:

• GPT indicates the boot mode - UEFI.
• Master Boot Record indicates the boot mode - Legacy BIOS.

Step 5. Next, connect the secondary hard drive. Follow steps 1-4 as outlined to check the drive's specifications.

Step 6. Similarly, examine the "Capacity" section for both drives.

Step 7. Right-click on "Start" and select "Windows PowerShell" (Admin).

Step 8. Under the PowerShell box, type the following command: powercfg –h off.

Press Enter.

How to Mirror a Hard Drive in Windows 10

This article presents 2 straightforward and user-friendly methods to assist you in mirroring a hard drive on your Windows 10 computers. Choose the one that best fits your requirements.

Method 1: Using Disk Cloning Software - Disk Copy Tools

As mentioned earlier, mirroring a hard drive essentially involves cloning it. Hence, you can utilize professional Windows 10 PC cloning software, such as Disk Copy tools, to assist you in copying data from one hard drive to another.

Tools Disk Copy is a versatile cloning software compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. It enables you to clone a hard drive effortlessly and efficiently. You can utilize it to mirror a hard drive to an SSD and even clone a drive with bad sectors. Furthermore, it assists in creating a WinPE bootable disk to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD without data loss. If you need to clone a hard drive, Tools Disk Copy is an ideal choice.

< strong > Here's how to clone your hard drive on Windows computers. < /strong >

Prior Notice:

• The "Sector by sector copy" requires the destination disk to be at least as large or larger than the source disk. Uncheck this option if you want to clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one. • All data on the destination disk will be completely wiped out, so 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 disk.

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

• "Autofit the disk" makes some default modifications to the destination disk layout to optimize its performance.
• "Copy as the source" preserves the original layout and does not make any changes to the destination disk, ensuring it is identical to the source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" enables you to manually adjust or move partition sizes on the destination disk according to your preferences.

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 about potential data loss. Please acknowledge this warning by clicking "OK," followed by clicking "Next."

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

Method 2: Using the Built-in Windows 10 Tool - Disk Management

When it comes to mirroring a hard drive in Windows 10, utilizing the built-in Disk Management tool is the appropriate solution for users.

You should verify that both the source hard drive and the secondary drive have identical sizes. Alternatively, a larger target hard drive will also be suitable. To proceed, you need to access the Disk Management utility, but first, ensure that any existing data on the secondary drive is erased. To do this, right-click on it and delete all data volumes. It's crucial to label the drive as unallocated. Additionally, configure your mirroring destination drive as a Dynamic Disk instead of a Basic Disk.

After this, it is appropriate to begin the mirroring process.

How to accomplish this?

Step 1. On your Windows PC, press the Windows key and the "R" key on your keyboard. This will open the Run dialog box.

Step 2. In the text field, you should enter the following command: diskmgmt.msc.

Then, press the "Enter" key on your keyboard.

Step 3. When the Disk Management window appears, right-click on your empty unallocated disk > click on the "New Mirrored Volume" option.

Step 4. A list of disk names will appear. Select the correct one you wish to mirror on the right-hand section.

Step 5. Select the desired amount of space for the mirrored volume, and then click Next.

Step 6. You can leave the default settings for the drive letter, or you can assign a custom drive letter in the next step. Click the Next button.

Step 7. You can choose to format your target mirror disk drive.

To do this, click on the "Format this volume with the following settings" option. Choose NTFS for the File System, leave the Allocation unit size as default, and pick a preferred volume label. Then, select the "Perform a quick format" option and activate it.

Step 8. Click Next > Finish.

Conclusion

That's all about how to mirror a hard drive in Windows 10. Indeed, the process of mirroring a hard drive in Windows 10 isn't complicated if you accurately follow the steps. Ensure you check the specifications of both your source and target drives, and then utilize the Disk Management utility to successfully mirror all your files.

While this is a straightforward process for most, complete beginners might encounter some difficulties with the technical steps involved. The ideal solution is to use more user-friendly cloning software such as Disk Copy Tool, which facilitates the secure copying of diverse content and drives. It's essential to carefully evaluate your options before selecting the one that best suits your needs.

"Mirror a Hard Drive" FAQs

Still unsure about how to mirror a hard drive in Windows 10? Here are some common questions and their corresponding solutions for your reference.

1. How do I clone my computer to another hard drive?

The most straightforward method to mirror all computer data to a secondary hard drive is by using the Disk Management utility in Windows. Alternatively, you can employ a reliable backup and recovery software such as Todo Backup to store your entire PC data and subsequently restore it onto another hard drive.

2. How to mirror an MBR boot drive with Windows 10 operating system?

To specifically mirror an MBR (Master Boot Record) boot drive in Windows 10, follow these steps: 1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R. 2. Type "diskmgmt.msc" in the dialog box and press Enter. 3. In the Disk Management window, right-click on your primary disk (usually Disk 0) and select "Convert to Dynamic Disk." 4. Click "OK" in the confirmation prompt and then "Convert" when asked to confirm the action. 5. Repeat this process for the secondary disk (Disk 1 or any other additional disk you want to mirror). 6. Locate the volume named "System Reserved" (this is usually a small partition on the primary disk). 7. Right-click on it and select "Add Mirror." 8. In the "Add Mirror Wizard," choose the second disk you want to mirror (e.g., Disk 1) and click "Next." 9. Wait for the mirroring process to complete. This may take some time depending on the size of the data. Once the synchronization is finished, your MBR boot drive will be mirrored on the secondary disk, providing redundancy and data protection.

3. How do I mirror a hard drive to an external hard drive?

If you wish to迁移您的硬盘数据到另一个外部硬盘，您应该使用高质量的备份和恢复软件。Todo Backup是一个可靠的选择，它允许用户安全地存储大量的硬盘数据。没有任何信息会被覆盖或损坏。然后，您可以将其转移到可用的外部硬盘进行进一步的存储。