Want to know how to clone OS to new hard drive? In this article, learn how to clone your OS to a new hard drive or SSD effortlessly with a detailed guide, the best os clone software, and troubleshooting tips.
Cloning your operating system to a new hard drive or SSD is the fastest way to upgrade your storage, replace a failing drive, or change to a faster SSD without reinstalling Windows or apps or losing files. Whether you're a tech novice or a seasoned user, this guide will walk you through how to clone OS to new hard drive without reinstalling Windows and help you avoid common pitfalls.
| Key Takeaways: How to Clone OS to New Hard Drive | |
| 1️⃣Step 1. Download & install EaseUS Disk Copy. 2️⃣Step 2. Connect the new drive to your PC. 3️⃣Step 3. Run EaseUS cloning software. 4️⃣Step 4. Select source and target drives. 5️⃣Step 5. Adjust disk layout (Optional). 6️⃣Step 6. Start the cloning process. 7️⃣Step 7. Boot from the new drive. |
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When you want to upgrade your hard drive to a larger one, change an HDD with an SSD, or replace a failing hard drive without reinstalling Windows, cloning your Windows to another drive is always a good practice. Can I copy my operating system to a new hard drive? Yes, you can copy OS to new hard drive or clone a PC, but before that, you need to prepare some items:
A new hard drive:
Whether you want an HDD or SSD, ensure it's equal to or larger in capacity than your current OS drive. Generally, an SSD with a capacity of 500GB or above (1TB) is preferred.
Manage the disk before cloning for a safe and successful disk cloning, such as cleaning up the source disk, verifying the drive connection, etc.
A connection method:
For a laptop, prepare a SATA-to-USB adapter, external drive enclosure, or HDD & SSD dock station; for a desktop, alternatively, install the new drive alongside the old drive. Also, a screwdriver is needed.
Download OS migration tool:
Cloning is the best and easiest way to move OS to another drive, but Windows lacks disk cloning tools, so you need to download and install a drive-cloning tool to clone an entire OS drive to another.
As mentioned above, performing disk cloning makes it easier to transfer an operating system from one hard drive to another than performing a clean install on your new HDD or SSD. Some hard drive brands, like Samsung and Western Digital, have cloning solutions, leaving much to be desired. Here is a list of the top 3 disk cloning software you can try:
| OS clone software | Best for | Price | Pros | Cons |
|
EaseUS Disk Copy |
Beginners |
Paid |
|
|
|
Clonezilla |
Advanced users |
Free |
|
|
|
Acronis True Image |
Intermediate |
Paid |
|
|
You can choose one of the disk clone software to transfer OS to a new hard drive. Indeed, Clonezilla can let you move Windows to another SSD drive or HDD drive for free, but it requires a high learning curve, which is unsuitable for beginners. If you want an easy-to-use yet powerful cloning software, try EaseUS Disk Copy, a dedicated and reliable clone tool for Windows 11/10/8/7.
EaseUS cloning software lets you clone hard drives from different manufacturers and clone HDD to SSD with different sizes without any trouble. It can help you clone the entire OS disk to another drive or clone C drive to SSD without reinstalling Windows or losing data. Get this best OS migration tool to move the entire operating system to the new drive.
After downloading EaseUS Disk Copy on your PC, you can start cloning your OS drive to another.
Video Tutorial on How to Clone OS to a New Hard Drive Without Reinstalling
⏰Time Stamp:
0:18 - When you need to clone OS to a new hard drive
0:44 - The best OS cloner
1:12 - How to clone OS to a new hard drive
2:25 - How to boot OS from the clone hard drive
Steps to clone OS to another drive using EaseUS Disk Copy:
1Step 1. Connect the New Drive. Connect the new disk to the PC via the USB-to-SATA adapter.
2Step 2. Launch Cloning Software. Click Disk Mode in the left bar, and click Next.
3Step 3. Select Source and Target Drives.
(Source disk: your current OS drive. Target disk: the new drive.)
⚠️All data on the target disk will be erased after cloning.
4Step 4. Adjust Disk Layout (Optional).
5Step 5. Start the Cloning Process. Click Continue if a warning window shows up, and the cloning will begin.
6Step 6. Boot from the New Drive.
Articles about how to replace hard drive and boot from a new disk:
1️⃣Not Enough Space
Causes:
Fixes:
2️⃣Cloned Hard Drive Won't Boot
Causes:
Fixes:
More information on the cloned hard drive won't boot issue:
3️⃣Slow Computer Performance
Causes:
Fixs:
This article tells how to clone OS to new hard drive on Windows 11/10/8/7 with detailed steps and a complete guide. Following this guide, you can seamlessly upgrade to an SSD, replace a failing drive, or create a reliable backup. For a hassle-free cloning process, choosing the right disk cloning program is essential. EaseUS Disk Copy can help you move Windows to another drive with its system clone feature seamlessly and effortlessly. Download the Disk Copy to start your cloning journey today and enjoy a faster, more reliable system!
Yes, if the used space on the source drive is less than the target disk's capacity. Use tools like EaseUS Disk Copy to clone to a smaller drive and resize partitions.
Yes, you can clone only the OS to another drive. Some cloning software like Paragon Hard Disk Manager can help you migrate only the OS to another disk. The system clone feature of EaseUS Disk Copy can help you clone the OS drive to another disk/USB drive.
To transfer Windows to another drive, perform disk cloning or clean install Windows. Cloning lets you transfer Windows and saved data or apps to another drive without reinstalling or losing anything. Performing a clean installation of Windows lets you have a new Windows environment, but you need to install necessary drivers and programs.
Windows 10/11 usually reactivates automatically. For older OS versions, you may need to re-enter your product key to reactivate Windows after cloning.
Clone MacOS to another drive using Disk Utility:
Step 1. Open Disk Utility > Select your current Mac drive in the sidebar.
Step 2. Click File > New Image > Image from [Drive Name].
Step 3. Restore the Image to the New Drive:
Step 4. Click Restore and wait.
Step 5. Set the new drive as the startup disk (System Preferences > Startup Disk).
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