I'm planning to clone a 1 TB drive to a 500 GB drive since only about 100 GB of the 1 TB drive is currently in use. Can I use Clonezilla to clone a larger disk to a smaller one? Please help. Thanks in advance!
To clone a larger disk to a smaller disk with Clonezilla is a good choice.
Cloning a drive to a smaller one or SSD can improve computer performance and solve space limitations and disk optimization issues. As a free and open-source disk cloning and imaging program, Clonezilla has the ability to do disk cloning, system backups, system development, etc. Besides, it supports multiple devices, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, and Chrome OS. That's why it's a popular tool for cloning disks.
Note: Make sure both partition styles of the two disks are the same, and remember to back up all the important files before cloning.
Now, the steps below will tell you how to finish the process.
Step 1. Shrink the source drive with Disk Management. (Clonezilla demands that the target partition be the same size or larger than the source partition.)
Step 2. Download and make Clonezilla bootable with a USB drive or CD/DVD.
Step 3. Install the smaller hard drive on your PC or connect it with a USB cable.
Step 4. Restart your PC and enter the BIOS menu to change the boot order to the USB drive.
Step 5. Select "Other modes of Clonezilla live" and choose "To RAM" to release the boot partition in the next interface. Then "Start Clonezilla".
Step 6. Select "device-device work directly from a disk or partition to a disk or partition". Then choose "beginner mode: Accept the default options" and "disk_to_local_disk local_disk_to_local_disk_clone".
Step 7. Choose the source and target disk.
Step 8. Select EXPERT mode and activate the "-icds" option. Then choose "Resize partitional table proportionally" in the following menus.
Step 9. Type in "y" to start cloning.
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You can also use professional cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy to skip all the complex steps. Such a dependable tool can save you a lot of time and energy in cloning a larger disk to a smaller one.
Here is how to use EaseUS Disk Copy:
Step 1. Select the larger drive as the source disk under "Disk Mode" and then click "Next".
Step 2. Select another drive as the target disk.
Step 3. Check the disk layout of the two drives and manage the destination drive layout by choosing "Autofit the disk", "Copy as the source", or "Edit disk layout".
Step 4. Execute the task by clicking "Proceed".
Whether you are a professional or an amateur, EaseUS Disk Copy is appropriate for you. It has a friendly and simple interface for you to clone disks easily.
Related article: Clone OS from HDD to Smaller SSD Without Reinstallation
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