How to Transfer/Copy Data from One Internal Hard Drive to Another

Updated by Linda on February 17, 2022 | Disk/Partition Clone | How-to Guide

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These methods can be used to copy and transfer data from one internal hard drive to another on all Windows operating systems.

This post offers verified methods to easily migrate all internal hard drive data to another drive. Three effective ways can help you instantly transfer data from one internal hard drive to another:

#1. Clone data from one internal hard drive to another using disk cloning
#2. Manually copy and paste data from one drive to another
#3. Transfer data from one internal hard drive to another using Windows Easy Transfer

How to Copy Everything from One Hard Drive to Another

"Hey, does anyone know how to copy or transfer everything from an internal hard drive to another one? My data drive is almost full, so I bought a bigger one, but how do I move all my data to the new drive? I'm worried that using copy and paste might mess up the data transfer since I have around 200GB of stuff on my original drive. I need a more efficient and secure method. If you guys have a better solution, please help me out."

A high-capacity internal hard drive can breathe new life into your computer and improve system performance. Sometimes, smaller drives can fill up quickly! It's a good idea to transfer saved data or files to a larger internal hard drive.

How to transfer or copy large files quickly? Are you looking for an efficient way to copy and transfer data, including large files, to another disk? If so, you've come to the right place! In the following content, you'll find three practical solutions for transferring data between hard drives.

Note that the recommendations here are for easier and safer ways to move your data from one drive to another. Let's take a closer look.

Method 1: Clone Internal Hard Drive Data to Another Drive with Disk Copy

Works for copying partition data or cloning the entire internal hard drive to another one on Windows 10/8/7.

The fastest and safest way to transfer saved data from one internal hard drive to another is by using a reliable disk cloning software like the AOMEI Backupper Disk Copy Tool. Aside from allowing you to clone your disk data to another drive, it also lets you:

• Clone a hard drive to a new computer.
• Create a bootable CD/DVD or USB disk to clone an entire disk for upgrading to a new or larger one.
• Perform a sector-by-sector copy of the disk to ensure that the target disk/partition is 100% identical to the original disk/partition.

Please follow the instructions and tips below to clone your internal hard drive to another one using the tools provided.

Suggestion: Please enable the disk cloning tool for a seamless disk copying or cloning process.

Scenario 1 - Clone entire internal hard drive data to another drive

If you need to upgrade your internal hard drive by cloning all the data on it to a larger one, you should use the Disk Clone feature.

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 continue.

Step 2: Select the target disk.

Note: If you are copying or cloning a source disk, the target disk must be the same size or larger.

Step 3: When asked if you want to erase the data on the target disk, click “OK.”

Step 4: Check and edit the disk layout.

If the target disk is an SSD, remember to check the “Target is SSD” option.

Click “Proceed” to begin the hard drive cloning process.

Case 2 - Copying Partition Data to Another Drive

If you need to free up space on your current internal hard drive by copying the partition data to another disk, you can use the Partition Copy feature.

1. Download, install, and run a disk cloning tool on your computer.

Click “Partition Mode” and select the source partition you want to copy or clone. Then, click “Next” to proceed.

2. Select the target partition to clone/copy the source partition, then click “Next” to proceed.

3. Check and edit the partition layout: resize partitions automatically, copy the source disk, or edit the disk layout. It is recommended to select “Resize partitions automatically”.

• The "Copy Source" option will clone the same partition layout from the source disk to the target disk.
• The "Edit Disk Layout" allows you to manually adjust the partition sizes or move the partition layout on the target disk.

Click Continue to start the partition cloning or partition copying process.

After cloning is complete, you can erase the data on the original internal drive to free up storage space and optimize disk performance.

Method 2: Copy and Paste Data from One Drive to Another Manually

Copying the small files one by one. Any interruption could result in data loss.

For large files, copying and pasting can waste a lot of time and effort, and a simple copy and paste might miss some data. If you need to transfer files or data from one internal hard drive to another that's less than 30GB, you can simply choose the “Copy” and “Paste” options. It's free and straightforward.

Step 1: Browse and select an empty partition, or create a new one on the new drive to save your data.

Step Two: With the old internal drive open, select all of its existing data with Ctrl-A, or copy over individual files by right-clicking on them.

Step Three: Paste the selected files to a new drive.

Wait for the Copy & Paste process to finish. The only way to be sure you've copied everything is to check it all manually, which is very time-consuming.

Method 3: Transfer Data from Your Internal Hard Drive to an External Disk with Windows Easy Transfer

Works for transferring data from an internal hard drive to an external one on Windows 8/7 systems. Not compatible with Windows 10.

If you want to free up internal hard drive space on your Windows 8/7 by transferring data to an external hard drive, you may try using Windows Easy Transfer:

Step 1: Click Start, type Windows Easy Transfer in the Search box, and then click Windows Easy Transfer to open it.

Step 2: Choose an external hard drive as the target disk.

Step 3: Choose “No” if you want to install to an external drive.

Windows will copy your data and settings to the external hard drive right away.

Bottom line

This tutorial article will introduce you to three practical methods to efficiently transfer data from one internal hard drive to another internal hard drive on Windows 10/8/7.

1. Disk Cloning Utility - It allows you to clone an entire disk or a single partition to another drive without losing any data.

2. Manual Copy-Paste – You can copy files for free. However, any interruption or mistake when copying large files can result in loss of data.

3. Windows Easy Transfer - This is an efficient built-in Windows file transfer tool, available only for Windows 7/8. It works only for PC-to-PC or internal hard drive to external hard drive file transfers.

For an all-in-one solution, a disk cloning tool is the best bet.