[Windows Clone] How to Clone Operating System in Windows 11/10/8/7

This article is for users who have the following questions:

• How to clone OS to SSD without reinstalling Windows operating system?
• How to clone OS to a larger HDD in Windows 10?
• How to clone system disk with no boot issues?

Do you have insufficient space on your system disk and want to upgrade to a larger hard drive or new SSD for better computer performance? Or do you plan to back up a personalized system with multiple licensed applications and settings in case of unexpected system crashes? If so, one of the most efficient ways is to use a disk cloning software to clone Windows 10/8/7 operating system to HDD or SSD.

Before embarking on the journey to learn how to clone an operating system on Windows 11/10/8/7, it's essential to know what preparations are needed for this process. Here's a checklist for your reference.

Download an excellent System Migration Software - Hard Disk Cloning Tool

Free Download OS Clone Software - Disk Copy Tools

How can you clone an operating system to a new hard drive without reinstalling it and make sure it boots properly? Cloning an OS is not the same as copying data and cannot be accomplished with a simple copy-paste method. But don't worry – there are OS cloning tools that can do the job for you. All you need to do is choose a professional and trustworthy application.

The Hard Disk Copy tool comes with a disk cloning feature that lets you easily clone your files, operating system, and apps to another HDD or SSD without losing data. You can use this Windows cloning utility to:

• Clone systems, disks, and partitions
• Transfer Windows 10 from HDD to SSD without losing data
• Migrate Windows 10 to a USB flash drive
• Clone OS from HDD to a smaller SSD for free
• Backup the Windows operating system for future use

Now download the free software and follow this step-by-step guide to clone your operating system.

Video Tutorial: How to Clone Your Operating System Disk to a New Hard Drive/Solid State Drive

Here, you will learn how to clone an operating system disk under boot issues to another new HDD or SSD. Let's see:

 

Step-by-Step Guide to Clone Operating System to HDD/SSD in Windows 10/8/7

Follow the step-by-step guide below to quickly clone your operating system to a new hard drive using a disk cloning tool. To boot from the cloned hard drive, you'll need to restart your computer, enter the BIOS, change the boot order, and set the new drive as the first boot device.

Click the button below to activate the tool system cloning software in advance.

1. Use an operating system cloning software to clone the system disk to a new hard drive Using an operating system cloning tool is a convenient way to copy your system disk to a new hard drive. Here are the general steps: 1. Choose a cloning tool: There are various reliable cloning software options available, such as Acronis True Image, tools Todo Backup, Clonezilla, and others. Make sure the software you choose is compatible with your operating system (e.g., Windows, Mac, or Linux). 2. Prepare the new hard drive: Purchase a new hard drive with a capacity equal to or larger than the original system disk. Ensure that the new drive is correctly connected to your computer. 3. Install and run the cloning software: Install the chosen cloning software on your computer and launch it according to the instructions provided. 4. Select source and target disks: In the software interface, specify the system disk you want to clone as the source disk and the new hard drive as the target disk. 5. Start the cloning process: After confirming all settings, initiate the cloning process. This may take some time, depending on the size of the source disk and its transfer speed. 6. Monitor progress: During the cloning, the software typically displays a progress bar and an estimated remaining time. Do not power off or shut down your computer during this process. 7. Verify the clone: Once the cloning is complete, check if the system on the new hard drive boots up and runs normally. If everything functions correctly, you can consider setting the new hard drive as the boot drive, replacing the old system disk. Please note that different cloning software may have specific interfaces and procedures, so refer to the software's specific instructions for actual usage.

Advance notice:

• "Clone by sector" requires the target disk to be at least as large as the source disk or larger. Do not check this option if you want to clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one. • All data on the target disk will be completely erased. Exercise caution when proceeding.

Step 1: To start copying/ cloning an entire disk to another, select the disk under “Disk Mode” here and click “Next”.

Step 2: Select another disk as the target disk.

Step 3. Check the disk layout of both disks. You can manage the target disk's layout by choosing “Adapt to target disk,” “Same as source,” or “Edit disk layout.”

• "Automatic disk adaptation" will make some changes to the target disk layout for optimal performance.
• "Copy as source" will not modify the target disk and its layout will be identical to the source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" allows you to manually adjust/move partitions on the target disk.

Check Optimize for SSD if you want to get the best performance out of your SSD.

A warning message appears, alerting you to the fact that your data will be lost. Confirm the message by clicking OK, and then click Next.

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to officially kick off the task.

2. Boot the Windows operating system from the cloned hard drive.

After cloning, you need to perform the remaining steps to ensure a smooth startup.

Step 1: Restart your computer and press F2/F12/Delete to enter BIOS.

Step 2: Choose the boot option, change the boot order, and start the operating system from the new disk.

Step 3. Save the changes, exit the BIOS, and restart your computer.

Conclusions

The OS Clone feature provides the easiest solution to clone Windows operating system to a new disk (including larger HDD or smaller SSD). It also supports cloning a partition to move data from an old disk to a new one, or cloning MBR disk to GPT disk or GPT disk to MBR disk.

For any issues while using the tools, you can reach out to our technical support team for assistance through live chat or email at support@tools.com.

FAQs on How to Clone an Operating System

Here are a few issues that can arise with Windows cloning. If you've encountered any of these, you'll find the fixes here.

Can an operating system be cloned?

You can clone the Windows operating system with a powerful disk partition cloning software, like a disk cloning tool. This drive cloning utility lets you migrate your OS and apps to another hard drive without a reinstallation.

Can I clone just the operating system?

To clone an operating system, you need to clone both the system partition and the boot partition. To avoid issues with the system partition and boot partition not being on the same disk or the computer failing to start after cloning, it's best to use disk cloning to clone a Windows OS.

Does cloning a hard drive clone the operating system?

By using professional disk cloning software, you can easily clone the operating system in Windows 10, 8, and 7 by selecting to clone the system disk drive.

How do I clone my operating system drive?

Please download and install the Disk Copy tool on your Windows computer, then:

Run the program and select “Disk Mode”. Take the system disk as the source disk and click “Next”.

Step 2: Choose the target disk as your destination disk.

Step 3: Check the disk layout of two hard drives and click "Start" to begin the task.

Step 4. Boot the Windows operating system from the cloned hard drive.

What is the best free cloning software?

You can use a free disk cloning tool for a trial to help you clone a disk or partition. It can assist you in easily upgrading your hard drive from an old disk to a new one or cloning an MBR disk to a GPT disk or vice versa.

How do I clone my operating system to a new SSD?

To improve performance by cloning your operating system to an SSD or from an HDD to an SSD, follow these steps:

Step 1. In Disk Mode, select the operating system disk that you want to clone.

Step 2: Select the SSD as the destination disk.

Step 3: Change the disk layout if needed, and click “Continue” to proceed with the installation.