Secure Boot | How to Clone Lenovo HDD to SSD Without Reinstalling OS and Apps

Updated by Linda on Sep 14, 2021 to Disk/Partition Clone | User Guide

Applicable models: All Lenovo computers, such as Lenovo G70, Lenovo y580, Lenovo z510, Lenovo IdeaPad, and so on.

Lenovo is a globally recognized manufacturer of laptops, tablets, personal computers, and other electronic devices. Among these products, Lenovo laptops are particularly popular. Previously, most laptops came with an onboard HDD as the system disk, but the available space wasn't substantial. Over time, as data volume increases and the device ages, your computer might start to run slowly.

Under such circumstances, many users choose to upgrade their Lenovo laptop HDD to SSD or a larger HDD without replacing the computer to improve its performance.

Clone HDD to SSD with Lenovo - Free Download Disk Clone Software

As we all know, SSD outperforms HDD in terms of speed, data security, reliability, and durability. Besides, SSD is more lightweight and occupies less space compared to HDD. If you want to upgrade your computer performance by replacing the current HDD with an SSD without reinstalling the Windows OS and apps, then using a professional disk cloning software to clone Lenovo laptop hard drive is your best bet.

With the help of the easy-to-use tool - AOMEI Backupper Disk Clone, you can easily upgrade your Lenovo hard drive from an old one to a new one, or clone HDD to SSD. This disk cloning software allows you to:

• Migrate the OS to SSD or HDD without reinstalling the system and all apps
• Clone Lenovo hard drive to a smaller SSD
• Clone Lenovo laptop hard drive to a larger one
• Back up Windows OS for future use

Download the ultimate disk cloning software for free now to replace the hard drive in your Lenovo computer.

How to Clone Lenovo Hard Drive to SSD in Windows 10/8/7

Follow the step-by-step guide below to clone Lenovo laptop hard drive from HDD to SSD or HDD with a disk cloning tool. This disk/partition cloning software enables you to clone a hard drive with bad sectors.

The tools you will need

You'll need:
1. An SSD (solid state drive)
2. A SATA data cable to connect the SSD to your laptop
3. Disk cloning software – for example, Disk Copy

Requirements for SSD (Solid State Drive)

• Make sure the SSD has more capacity than the used space on the HDD. If the used space is larger than the total space of the SSD, it's recommended to clone only the operating system instead of the entire disk to the SSD using the "System Clone" feature. • Ensure in Disk Management (right-click "This PC" > "Manage" > "Disk Management") that the SSD is shown as Unallocated space. If not, back up the SSD first with tools like Todo Backup, then delete all partitions on the SSD (right-click the volume and choose "Delete"). • Make sure the SSD and HDD have the same partition style. If not, you should convert the MBR disk to GPT disk or vice versa.

Check the disk partition style:

Step 1: Connect the HDD/SSD to your computer.

Step 2. Right-click on "This PC" and select "Manage" > "Disk Management".

Step 3: Right-click on your drive and select “Properties.”

Step 4. Switch to the “Volumes” tab. Under Disk Information, you should see the partition style of your disk.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Clone Lenovo HDD to SSD

After the preparation, you can follow the detailed steps below to clone Lenovo hard drive to SSD.

If you're cloning a Lenovo system, you may need to manually set your computer to boot from the cloned SSD after the process. If it's a data drive clone, no boot settings need to be changed.

Step 1: In the Disk Mode, select the HDD you want to clone.

Step 2: Select SSD as the destination disk.

If there's no important data on the target disk, the warning message will inform you that the data on the SSD will be erased. Click “OK” to proceed.

Step 3: Edit the disk layout as you wish, and click “Continue” to proceed.

Since the target is an SSD, check the box that says “If the target is an SSD, check this option.”

Step 4: Wait for the process to complete.

Set up booting from SSD in Lenovo

If you cloned your data disk to the SSD, you can skip this step. If you cloned your system disk, you'll need to set your computer to boot from it. Here's how:

Step 1. Restart your computer and press F2 or F8 to enter the BIOS settings.

Step 2. In the Boot section, select the new HDD/SSD as the new boot drive and save all changes.

Step 3. Exit the BIOS and restart your computer.

Possible Lenovo Issues When Cloning HDD to SSD

Although it's a minority, some of you might encounter the following issue after cloning your Lenovo hard drive to an SSD.

Question 1: Disk Booting Issue

Boot problems are the most common issue after cloning. There are three main causes:

1. You manually selected the system drive (only Drive C) for cloning. 2. You connected the HDD to the computer and made it function as a USB drive. 3. The computer is lacking necessary drivers.

For scenario 1: When cloning the system using tools like Disk Copy, make sure to select Disk Clone instead of Partition Clone. This ensures that the system partition and the boot partition remain together, preventing booting issues. If you have already performed a Partition Clone, please contact our support team (support@todo-backup.com) for remote assistance. They will assist you in creating a system partition to resolve the boot issue.

Scenario 2: You need to edit the BCD (Boot Configuration Data, which helps make the Windows system partition bootable) cloned to the SSD. For a detailed guide on how to do this, refer to Microsoft's official documentation: BCDEdit command-line options.

For case 3: You can use the built-in command-line tool DSIM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) in Windows to add the driver. You can also refer to Microsoft's official documentation for help.

If you encounter any issues that you can't handle after cloning HDD to SSD with Todo Backup, please feel free to reach out to our support team (support@tools.com) for assistance.

Question 2: Request for software reactivation

Depending on the software's design, some programs may require reactivation when they detect a hardware change. If this happens, contact the software vendor and ask them to reset your activation code to resolve the issue.

Question 3: The cloned SSD is not properly aligned

Your SSD might have an alignment issue after disk cloning. You can check the alignment of your SSD with these steps:

Step 1: Press the "Windows + R" keys, then type msinfo32.

Step 2: Go to Components > Storage > Disks.

Step 3: Check the value under "Partition Start Offset". If it's not divisible by 4096, your SSD is misaligned.

If your SSD is not aligned, its performance will be down. So when you find the SSD is not correctly aligned, you can use the free partition manager – Partition Master with its 4K alignment feature to align the sectors on SSD.

How to Make the Most of Your SSD (Solid State Drive)

Now that you've installed an SSD in your computer, here are some tips for getting the most out of it and helping it last:

Enable the Trim function

The TRIM command improves SSD write speeds and extends its lifespan. To keep your SSD performing at its best, you should enable TRIM on it.

Update firmware

SSD manufacturers frequently release updates to fix technical issues and errors, and even optimize the performance of their drives. So, it's wise to keep your SSD's firmware up-to-date.

Always keep some space free

Performance-related issues may arise when an SSD runs out of space. Additionally, if the SSD is the system drive of your computer, you should consider that the system and applications require free space to function properly. Hence, it's always advisable to leave some available space on your SSD.

There are other tips for getting the most out of an SSD, too: don't defragment it, don't store large files on it, and don't wipe the drive. Keep these in mind, and you'll both maximize your SSD's performance and extend its lifespan.

Bottom line

With software tools like Disk Copy, the process of cloning HDD to SSD on Lenovo laptop can be quite straightforward. In most cases, as long as your SSD meets the requirements mentioned above, you should be able to complete the task smoothly. If you encounter any unexpected issues and are unsure how to resolve them, feel free to reach out to our support team for assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cloning Lenovo Hard Drive to SSD

Below are a few issues highly relevant to cloning a Lenovo laptop hard drive. If you encounter any of these problems, you may find solutions here.

How do I replace the solid state drive (SSD) in my Lenovo laptop?

Follow these simple steps to replace the HDD with an SSD in your Lenovo laptop.

Tool:

• Hard drive or SSD
• Small screwdriver

Step 1: Turn off the laptop and unplug it from any power source. Remove the battery.

Step 2: Remove the screw securing the hard drive caddy.

Step 3: Connect the SSD to your laptop. Plug in the cable, then slide the drive into the slot. Screw the cover back on. Replace the battery.

How do I transfer my laptop's operating system from an HDD to an SSD?

Connect the SSD to your laptop and use a disk cloning tool to migrate the OS from the HDD to the SSD without reinstalling it.

Step 1: Run the software and choose the system disk as the source disk in "Disk Mode". Then, click "Next".

Step 2: Select the target disk as the destination disk.

Step 3: Review the disk layout of both drives and click "Proceed" to start the actual migration.

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

How do I clone Windows from HDD to SSD?

To clone Windows OS from HDD to SSD, you can easily accomplish this with a disk cloning tool. The tutorial guides you on how to clone Windows to a smaller SSD. After the cloning, you'll need to perform additional steps to ensure a smooth boot.

How to clone Lenovo hard drive?

Step 1: Download, install, and run the Disk Copy utility on your computer. Click “Disk Mode,” then select the hard drive you want to copy or clone. Click “Next” to proceed.

Step 2: Select the target disk. If prompted, confirm that you want to erase the data on the destination disk.

Step 3. Review and edit the disk layout if necessary, then click “Continue” to start the cloning process.