How to Clone Windows OS from HDD/SSD to M.2 SSD

Transfer OS from SSD to M.2 SSD Problem

Most people are looking for effective ways to clone SSD to M.2. Here is the real user case from a technology forum: 

"I am trying to clone my boot drive from 500GB Samsung 840 Evo SSD to M.2 1TB Samsung 961. There are too many applications, settings, and licenses on that system that I don't want to re-download or re-activate. Instead, I want to clone Windows 10 from SATA SSD to M.2 NVMe SSD. How can I do it?"

You are in the right place if you also need to upgrade your SATA SSD or HDD and don't know how to clone SSD to M.2 or NVMe M.2 SSD. In this article, we will show you how to clone an HDD/SSD to M.2 SSD with professional disk cloning software - EaseUS Disk Copy.

What's more, if you clone Windows 10 to M.2 SSD, you'll also need to know how to boot your computer from the cloned M.2 SSD. You can learn all the information here.

🚩Extend Reading: How to Clone M.2 SSD with Only One Slot | Migrate OS to Samsung M.2 NVMe SSD

How to Clone SSD to M.2 SSD/ NVMe M.2 SSD in Windows 10

M.2 SSDs are better than ordinary solid-state drives. The speed of M.2 with NVMe protocol is very fast. For example, Samsung's SM960/961 has a reading speed of up to 3200MB/S, more than 6 times that of an ordinary SSD. Therefore, some users with large file transfer and high-performance operation requirements will upgrade HDD or SSD to M.2 or NVMe M.2 SSD.

Can't wait to upgrade to M.2 SSD? Next, we will explain how to clone an HDD/SSD to an M.2 SSD in five steps. Keep reading and make sure your follow each step correctly.

Part 1. Install M.2 SSD or NVMe M.2 SSD on Your Computer

💻For Laptop:

If your laptop has an extra SSD slot, turn off the laptop and disconnect the power cable and any other cables. Unscrew and remove the back panel to install the new NVMe SSD properly into the M.2 slot on the motherboard. If it has only one SSD slot, you'll need an M.2 SSD adapter or enclosure, and connect the SSD to the laptop via the adapter.

🖥️For Desktop

If you are using a desktop, open the computer host, and install the M.2 SSD into the SSD slot properly. Make sure your computer detects the newly added M.2 SSD. If your SSD is not showing up in Windows 10, fix the issue in time.

Part 2. Start Windows 10 from the Source/Original SSD

In general, after you connect the M.2 SSD to your computer, it won't boot from the empty new M.2 SSD. However, there is a situation in which some users will connect both the original SSD and M.2 SSD to another computer. In this case, the computer may start from the blank M.2 SSD and cannot boot.

To avoid this startup problem, you need to go to the BIOS to confirm whether your computer has booted from the original SSD.

Part 3. Free Download Disk Cloning Software to Clone Hard Drive to M.2

Whether you want to clone a system disk with Windows OS or a data/source disk to M.2 SSD, disk cloning tool can help you avoid all the tedious jobs of reinstalling Windows and all your applications. You can clone SSD or HDD for disk upgrade, system migration, data transfer, file backup, or other purposes.

EaseUS Disk Copy has a powerful cloning capacity and advanced & flexible cloning features. It can help you easily clone SSD to M.2 SSD or other destination disk without cloned HDD won't boot issue, which you might suffer while using other disk cloning tools. Download this software to enjoy these highlights:

Part 4. Clone SSD to M.2 SSD with Step-by-Step

Download and activate this software, and follow these steps to clone a hard drive to M.2 NVMe SSD.

🎥Video tutorial on how to HDD to M.2 SSD:

You may follow this video as a guide to make things easy and smooth. 

 

Steps to clone an HDD to M.2 SSD

Prior Notice:

• The "Sector by sector copy" asks the size of your destination disk to be at least equal to or larger than that of the source disk. Leave this feature unchecked if you wish to clone a larger hard disk to a smaller hard disk.
• All data on the destination disk will be completely erased, so take care.

Step 1. To start copying/cloning an entire disk to another, choose this disk as the source disk under "Disk Mode" and click "Next".

Step 2. Choose the other disk as the destination disk.

Step 3. Check the disk layout of the two disks. You can manage the disk layout of the destination disk by selecting "Autofit the disk", "Copy as the source" or "Edit disk layout". 

• "Autofit the disk" makes some changes by default on the destination disk layout so that it can work at its best status.
• "Copy as the source"does not change anything on destination disk and the layout is the same as source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" allows you to manually resize/move partition layout on this destination disk.

Tick the "Check the option if the target is SSD" option to put your SSD in its best performance.

A message now appears, warning you that data will be lost. Please confirm this message by clicking "OK" and then click "Next".

Step 4. Click "Proceed" to officially execute the task.

Part 5. Set Your Computer to Boot from Cloned M.2 SSD/NVMe M.2 SSD

If you clone Windows 10 operating system from SSD/HDD to M.2 NVMe SSD, you must manually set the boot sequence. Restart your computer and press F2, Esc, or F8 to enter BIOS. Then, set to boot from the cloned M2. SSD. You may need to disable secure boot control to see the SSD as a bootable drive. 

If your laptop boots as usual and you see all of your programs and settings like before (except much faster), all went well. 

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Additional Information About M.2 SSD

An M.2 SSD is used in internally mounted storage expansion cards of a small form factor. It enables high-performance storage in thin, power-constrained devices like ultrabooks and tablet computers. This SSD supports multiple protocols and applications such as NVMe and SATA interfaces, gaming workloads, multimedia editing, virtualization, and enterprise-level data storage. Its versatility makes it suitable for both personal upgrades and professional scenarios requiring high IOPS, low latency, and large-capacity storage.

✅Pros:

• High Speed Performance: M.2 SSDs deliver much faster read/write speeds compared to HDDs.
• Compact Size: Small, slim design ideal for ultrabooks, mini PCs, and modern desktops.
• Easy Installation: Directly connects to the motherboard without needing extra cables.
• Lower Power Consumption: Efficient design that reduces heat and extends battery life in laptops.
• Future-Proof: Supports advanced protocols (PCIe Gen3/Gen4/Gen5 NVMe), offering scalability.

⚠️Cons:

• Higher Cost: A1 TB SATA SSD can cost about $100 (expensive)
• Thermal Throttling: Small form factor can lead to overheating without proper cooling solutions.
• Storage Capacity: Larger capacities are available but can be costly compared to 2.5" SATA SSDs or HDDs.
• Data Recovery Difficulty: More complex to recover data if the drive fails compared to traditional

If a laptop is compatible with the M.2 spec, the device's operating system should already include the required Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) drivers to install the M.2 storage card. If your laptop doesn't meet your needs, give up buying this SSD. If you can fulfill your needs, enjoy the high performance of your new SSD now.

Conclusion

That is how to clone HDD to M.2 or M.2 NVMe SSD. After reading this article, cloning a hard driveor an SSD to an M.2 NVMe SSD will be easy. Since Windows has no built-in cloning tools, you must turn to third-party cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy for help.

EaseUS Disk Copy is an easy-to-use cloning program for Windows PC, which can help you clone a hard drive in several simple clicks. Feel free to download it to your PC to clone your hard drive!

If you're still unable to set SSD as a boot drive or encounter issues with the cloned SSD not booting, please contact our technical support team at techsupport@easeus.com for assistance. 

FAQs on How to Clone HDD/SSD to M.2 SSD

1. Can I clone just the operating system to NVMe SSD?

Yes, you can clone only the OS to an SSD. You need to use professional disk cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy to help you transfer the C drive to a new SSD or another destination disk. Such a tool can help you clone only Windows OS to another drive and clone a hard drive sector-by-sector.

2. How to upgrade m.2 SSD without reinstalling Windows?

To upgrade an M.2 SSD or M.2 NVMe SSD without reinstalling Windows, you can choose to clone it. Cloning can help you upgrade a disk to a larger one or a smaller one without Windows reinstallation or data loss. However, to achieve that, you will need to use professional disk cloning utilities because Windows has no preinstalled cloning features.

3. Can I transfer OS from SSD to SSD?

Yes, you can easily transfer your operating system from an SSD to another one with the help of OS migration software like EaseUS Disk Copy. It can help you to transfer an operating system from one SSD to another.