How to Clone Windows 10 for Free - Beginner's Guide

Updated by

Sherly 

Updated on Nov 18, 2024

Transferring all your data becomes essential when upgrading or replacing a hard drive. The hardest thing to move is the operating system and all its settings. Therefore, the idea of copying everything over can feel daunting to many users, especially when it comes to ensuring that the new drive boots up correctly. However, modern tools have simplified the process so that even beginners can handle it without stress.

You can effortlessly clone an entire Windows environment onto a new drive by utilizing reliable software. Learning to replicate your current setup can save time and eliminate the hassle of reinstalling everything. In this guide, EaseUS will walk you through each step of how to clone Windows 10 for free, ensuring your system remains fully functional.

How to Clone Windows 10 for Free - 3 Stages

Before starting the process, it's essential to break it down into manageable steps to ensure it goes smoothly. Cloning an entire operating system might sound complicated, but it becomes much easier to follow when tackled in stages. Focusing on each phase one at a time ensures that every detail is handled correctly. Here are the three stages you need to go through how to clone Windows 10 for free:

Stage 1. Clone the Boot Partition

The first crucial step to getting started is to focus on the core elements of your operating system. You will need to ensure a secure cloning of the boot operation, and EaseUS Partition Master Free is a reliable tool to achieve this. It is highly-rated software designed to make partition management simple and effective. Its "Partition Clone" function lets you replicate your boot partition onto a new drive without losing data.

This feature is handy when moving your system to a different drive and ensuring the Windows boot files are intact for smooth operation. Due to its user-centric approach, it greatly aids in your quest of how to clone Windows 10 for free. What makes this software an ideal choice for this task is its flexibility and efficiency. After cloning, it also ensures that the system remains bootable to ensure continued productivity.

Pros

• Clone the boot partition or any other for free.
• Compatible with all current Windows versions from 7 to the latest one.
• User-friendly interface ideal for beginners
• Offers additional features like disk partition management, including resizing, merging, and formatting.

Quick Tutorial on How to Clone Windows 10 for Free via EaseUS Partition Master

The detailed and simple steps needed to perform the process of cloning your boot partition are explained below:

Step 1. Select "Clone" from the left menu. Click "Clone Partition" and "Next".

Step 2. Select the source partition and click "Next".

Step 3. Choose your the target partition and click "Next "to continue.

• If you clone partition to the existing partition, you should transfer or back up data before cloning to prevent it being overwritten.
• Check warning message and confirm "Yes".

Step 4. Click Start and wait for the clone to complete.

You can check how to clone partition or system reserved partition on this video tutorial.

Stage 2. Create a System Partition on the New Disk

Once the boot partition is cloned, the next step is to establish a system partition to hold the operating system and essential files. It will ensure the cloned data has a designated place to reside, which is vital for managing the disk's storage. By setting it up with these steps, you allow the system to boot smoothly from the new drive once the transfer is complete:

Step 1. Approach the Disk Management utility on your PC and right-click the drive where you cloned Windows to select "Shrink Volume." Now, define the size of the new space and hit the "Shrink" button to create an unallocated space.

Step 2. Next, right-click the newly created space and utilize "New Simple Volume" to proceed. After this, follow the prompts to assign a drive letter and choose a size before formatting it using the NTFS file system to complete the process.

Step 3. Now, launch CMD on your system with elevated privileges and run the "bcdboot f: \windows /s x:" command. Here, substitute "f:" with the new boot driver letter and "x:" with the new system drive letter.

Step 4. Following this, execute the "bcdedit" instruction and examine the device details listed below: "Windows Boot Manager" and "Boot Loader." This operation is completed if both labels indicate the new volume.

Step 5. When that is not the case, utilize the "bcdedit /store x:\efi \microsoft \boot \bcd" command to correct them. Once you are done with it, close CMD and proceed to the next phase in this procedure.

Stage 3. Change the Boot Order in BIOS

At this point, the cloning process is complete while the system partition is properly set up on the new disk. The final step is to change the boot order in the BIOS to set SSD or HDD as the boot drive. Without this adjustment, your system might continue to boot from the old drive. Follow these steps to complete the last stage of how to clone Windows 10 for free operation:

Step 1. To begin, reboot your computer and press the appropriate key during the setup to enter BIOS or UEFI setup. The key varies from system to system and is usually F2, F10, Delete, or Esc.

Step 2. Once inside the BIOS settings, locate the Boot tab or Boot Order menu using your keyboard. Now, find the list of available drives and change the boot priority to set your new disk as the first boot device.

Step 3. After setting the new disk as the primary boot option, save the changes by pressing the related key and exit the BIOS. Lastly, reboot your PC so that it will boot from the newly cloned Windows 10.

Now, you've learned how to clone Windows 10 for free successfully. Don't hesitate to share this information with others. Click the buttons below to share it on your social media:

Conclusion

In summary, learning how to clone Windows 10 for free operation is a skill every computer user should know nowadays. While it may seem like a challenging task, even beginners can easily accomplish it by breaking it down into simple stages. You can employ EaseUS Partition Master to clone the boot partition for free and in no time.

This software can further aid you in all disk-related tasks and issues. The second stage involves creating a system partition on your new disk, and the last involves adjusting the boot order in the BIOS. By following these steps, you can successfully transfer your Windows environment without data loss.

FAQs About How to Clone Windows 10 for Free

Now that we’ve covered the entire cloning process, you might still have some lingering questions. Below are answers to a few queries about how to clone Windows 10 for free to help you:

1. Does Windows 10 have free cloning software?

There are no native tools available on a PC to clone disks or operating systems to new locations. Third-party software like EaseUS Partition Master is the recommended choice when you need an exact copy of your OS and partitions.

2. Is it illegal to clone Windows 10?

It is not wrong or against the law to replicate your OS from one drive to another. As long as you have bought the Windows 10 OS, you can use it on any hard disk or machine without any legal issues. However, problems can arise if you attempt to use it on multiple machines without the proper licenses.

3. How do I clone Windows 10 to an external hard drive for free?

Utilize the detailed guidelines given below to achieve this goal without a hitch:

1. After ensuring the external drive is connected to the computer, run EaseUS Partition Master and approach the "Disk Clone" tab. Now, opt for "Clone Partition" and hit “Next” to choose the system partition before clicking "Next."

2. Following this, select the targeted external disk and tap "Next" to confirm "Yes" on the warning prompt. Finally, employ "Start" to kick off the cloning operation and wait for it to complete before selecting "Done."