How to Move C Drive to New SSD (for Windows 11/10/8/7)

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Why do more and more users want to migrate C drive to SSD? This is because SSD has an advantage over HDD when used as a boot drive, and most computers usually come pre-installed with HDD. Many users also prefer to keep their HDD as a storage device since it has no write cycles limit and offers larger storage capacity at the same price.

So, whether you plan to fully replace your HDD with an SSD or use an SSD for the system drive and HDD for storage, you'll need to migrate your C drive to the new SSD. This article will walk you through how to move your C drive to a new SSD using various tools. Keep reading!

Also read: How to copy your Windows installation to an SSD

Preparing to Migrate the C Drive to an SSD on Windows

Yes, you can! But before you copy your Windows installation to the SSD, make sure to:

1. **Back up your system and data.** Data loss during the transfer is unlikely, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Additionally, back up any data on the SSD if it's not blank, as everything will be wiped. 2. **Get an SSD with sufficient capacity.** Your C drive might fit on a smaller SSD than your current hard drive, but ensure the SSD has extra space for future expansion. 3. **Connect the SSD to your computer.** If your PC has two drive bays, install it directly. Otherwise, use a USB adapter to connect it. 4. **Choose a professional migration tool.** The easiest way to migrate your C drive to a new SSD is with a third-party disk cloning software. Disk Copy is a reliable and comprehensive OS and disk cloning tool that can do the job for you.

How to Move Your C Drive to an SSD Using Disk Cloning Software Migrating your operating system's C drive to a solid-state drive (SSD) can significantly boost your computer's performance and speed. This article will guide you through the process using Acronis True Image as an example, but other similar software like tools Todo Backup or Macrium Reflect will have similar steps. ## Preparation 1. **Purchase an SSD.** Choose an SSD with enough capacity to hold all the data currently on your C drive. You can opt for slightly larger storage than your current hard drive to have extra space in the future. - For instance, if your C drive currently has 500 GB of data, consider a 512 GB or larger SSD. 2. **Back up important files.** Before cloning, ensure that all crucial files on your C drive are backed up to an external hard drive or cloud storage service. While cloning usually doesn't result in data loss, it's better to be safe. 3. **Close all programs.** Before starting the cloning process, close all running programs, including antivirus software and system settings, to avoid conflicts during cloning. 4. **Install and launch Acronis True Image.** If you don't have the software, purchase and download it from the official website. Follow the prompts to install, then start the program. ## Clone the C Drive to the SSD 1. **Connect the SSD.** Plug the SSD into your computer's SATA port or use a USB-to-SATA adapter to connect it to a USB slot. - If your computer supports M.2 SSDs, insert it directly into the motherboard's M.2 slot. 2. **Wait for Acronis True Image to recognize the new drive.** After launching the software, click on "Disk Clone" or "Clone" from the main interface. 3. **Select the source disk.** In the pop-up window, find and choose your current C drive (usually labeled "System") as the source disk. 4. **Choose the target disk.** From the drop-down menu, select the freshly connected SSD as the target disk. 5. **Configure cloning options.** You can choose from: - **Smart Clone:** Automatically adjusts partition size to utilize the full available space on the SSD. - **Physical to Physical Clone:** Ideal for direct hard drive replacement scenarios. - **Virtual to Physical Clone:** Select this option if you're migrating your system to a virtual machine. 6. **Start the cloning process.** Once you've confirmed the settings, click "Start Clone." This may take some time depending on the amount of data on your C drive. 7. **Wait for the cloning to finish.** Do not disconnect the SSD during this time, and keep Acronis True Image open. Upon completion, the software will display a success message. ## Install the SSD and Set Up BIOS 1. **Shut down your computer and unplug it.** Make sure the computer is completely turned off, then remove the power cord. 2. **Open your computer case.** Use a screwdriver or other tools, following the manufacturer's instructions to open the case. 3. **Remove the old hard drive or switch its position.** If your computer has two SATA slots, you can plug the SSD into the other slot. If there's only one slot, you might need to temporarily remove the old hard drive. 4. **Install the SSD in the SATA slot.** Gently slide the SSD into the slot and secure it with screws. 5. **Reconnect power and data cables.** Attach the SSD's power cable and data cable, ensuring they're securely plugged in. 6. **Close the case.** Reassemble your computer in reverse order, making sure all screws are tightened. 7. **Enter BIOS.** As your computer boots, follow the on-screen prompts to press the appropriate key (usually F2, Delete, or Esc) to access BIOS settings. 8. **Change the boot order.** Locate the "Boot" or "Startup" option and set the SSD as the first boot device. 9. **Save and exit.** Press F10 (or the key indicated by your BIOS prompt) to save changes and exit. Your computer will restart and boot from the SSD. 10. **Verify proper operation.** If everything went smoothly, your computer should start from the SSD, and your operating system should run normally. ## Tips - After cloning, you might need to reinstall drivers since they may not be compatible with the new drive. - If you encounter issues during cloning, try using a different cloning software or create an image backup of your C drive, then restore it to the SSD. - To maintain optimal SSD performance, defragmentation is unnecessary since SSDs function differently from traditional hard drives. - If your computer supports UEFI booting, enable UEFI mode in BIOS to take advantage of faster startup times with the SSD.

As mentioned above, the easiest way to migrate C drive to new SSD is to clone C drive to SSD. However, since Windows doesn't have a built-in cloning tool, you have to turn to a professional cloning software. In this case, Disk Copy Tool can help you. This is a professional disk cloning utility.

Disk Clone Tool is a versatile cloning software designed for Windows 11/10/8/7. It enables you to clone systems, hard drives, and partitions effortlessly. For instance, it can assist you in copying data from one hard drive to another. Furthermore, it allows you to upgrade to a larger hard drive without reinstalling Windows. Here are some key features of this cloning utility:

• System Clone. It enables you to migrate the boot drive to a new SSD and transfer Windows from one SSD to another SSD on Windows.
• Disk Clone. It allows you to clone an entire disk to another, like SSD to a larger SSD, USB to USB, and so on.
• Partition Clone. You can clone a specific partition/volume.
• sector-by-sector clone. It lets you clone a hard drive with bad sectors.
• Others. Support for GPT disks and creation of a WinPE bootable disk.

Here are the detailed steps to clone your C drive to a new SSD.

Advance notice:

• Sector-by-sector copy requires the target disk to be the same size or larger than the source disk. Do not select this if you want to clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one. • All data on the target disk will be erased. Proceed with caution.

Step 1: To start cloning the entire disk to another disk, select it as the “Source Disk” in this disk mode and click “Next”.

Step 2: Select another disk as the target disk.

Step 3. Check the disk layout of two disks. You can choose "Adapt to disk", "Same as source", or "Edit disk layout" to manage the disk layout of the target disk.

• "Auto adjust for disk" makes some default changes to the target disk layout to optimize it for best performance.
• "Copy as is" doesn't change anything on the target disk, and the layout will be the same as the source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" lets you manually adjust/move the partition layout on the target disk.

Check the “Optimize for SSD” box to get the best performance out of your SSD.

A warning message appears, telling you that the data will be lost. Confirm this by clicking OK, and then click Next.

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to actually carry out the task.

You may also be interested in: How to Mirror Hard Drive to SSD in Windows 11 | How to Clone C Drive to Another Drive

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How to Use Built-in Windows Tools to Clone C Drive to a New SSD

If you'd rather do all the steps manually, try the following. This is a good option if you want to do everything manually. Your second choice is to use built-in Windows tools to migrate your system drive to an SSD, as outlined below (using Windows 7 as an example).

Step 1: Since HDDs are usually much larger than SSDs, you'll need to shrink the C drive to make room for the smaller SSD.

Right-click “My Computer,” select “Manage,” then click on “Disk Management.” Right-click the C: drive and select “Shrink Volume.” In the “Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB” field, enter a number that's at least 10% less than the free space on your SSD.

Step 2: Back up the compressed C drive and the System Reserved partition to another disk.

To create a system image, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore. After you create a backup image, you will be prompted to create a recovery disk. If you have a Windows installation disc, select No; otherwise, create a CD/DVD and click Yes to continue with the process. Then, shut down your computer.

Step three: Install the SSD and restore from the backup image.

Open your computer case and remove all hard drives except the backup. Insert the Windows 7 install or repair disc, start the computer from the CD, and choose “Repair your computer” > “System Image Recovery” > “Use the latest available system image.”

Make sure that only the hard drive you want to restore is installed, as it will be erased. Unplug any others. Then click “Next” > “Finish” > “Don't restart” > “Shut down.”

Fourth, plug in only the original system disk and make sure that the computer boots up without problems. Then start the computer, right-click on the new operating-system partition in Disk Management, and select “Extend Volume,” filling up the SSD. Here, too, it is best to accept the default, because Windows does the calculation for you.

Step 5: Type a command in an elevated Command Prompt.

Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and Run as administrator. Type the command winsat disk. This command helps Windows recognize the new drive as an SSD and enable all its unique features.

The Ultimate Verdict

That's all for how to move C drive to new SSD. In short, you can use professional cloning software - Disk Copy tool and the built-in Windows tool to help you move the C drive to the new SSD.

Considering flexibility, time, and convenience, we highly recommend using AOMEI Backupper Standard, which can help you easily and quickly clone system drive C to a new SSD. Besides, AOMEI Backupper has many cloning features, allowing you to migrate the boot drive to the new SSD and even clone 2.5 inch SSD to M.2 SSD.

Frequently Asked Questions

**1. Can I install an SSD without cloning?** Yes, you can install a Solid State Drive (SSD) without cloning, but it will require manually migrating your operating system and data. Here are the basic steps: 1. **Backup important data:** Before starting, make sure to back up all essential files, documents, photos, etc., to an external storage device or cloud service. 2. **Remove the old hard drive:** Open your computer, disconnect the old hard drive, and install the new SSD. 3. **Install the system:** Boot from an installation disc or USB, and enter the operating system installer (e.g., Windows Setup Media Creation Tool or Ubuntu Live USB). 4. **Partition and format:** Partition and format the SSD as needed. 5. **Install the operating system:** Follow the prompts to install the OS onto the SSD. 6. **Drivers and updates:** After installation, visit the manufacturer's website to download and install the latest drivers and system updates. 7. **Transfer data:** Use data migration software (like Todo Backup or macOS's Migration Assistant) or manually copy files from the old hard drive to the new SSD. 8. **Configure BIOS:** Enter the BIOS settings and ensure the SSD is set as the first boot device. 9. **Save and reboot:** Save changes, exit the BIOS, and restart your computer. The operating system should now boot from the new SSD. Keep in mind that this method may take more time and might not be suitable for all scenarios, especially if your old hard drive has multiple operating systems, specific system configurations, or encryption. In those cases, cloning might be a safer and more convenient option.

If you choose not to clone, you'll need to perform a fresh install of Windows on the new SSD, because while data from your old HDD can be copied over, the operating system itself cannot. That means you'll need a copy of Windows to install.

2. Should I use an SSD or HDD for my C drive?

SSDs use less power, make no noise, are faster, more durable, and more portable. HDDs are cheaper, and, in the event of a failure, their data may be easier to recover. As long as cost is not decisive, SSDs are the better bet, especially now that modern SSDs are almost as reliable as HDDs.