Question from Reddit：
I bought a brand-new M.2 SSD with 128GB storage, but my OS is still on my old HDD. Is there a way to transfer it over without having to install all my files again?
If you’re someone who’s finding ways on how to move Windows to another hard drive, you’re at the right place! Moving Windows to a different hard drive can be a difficult task for those who are not tech-savvy. Sometimes it can even result in corruption the of Windows or the accidental deletion of their precious data. If you’re such a user, you don’t have to worry! There are several user-friendly and efficient ways through which the process to move WindowsIt to another hard drive can be quick, safe, and hassle-free.
If doesn’t matter if you’re using an HDD or an SSD, this step-by-step guide about migrating Windows 10 to a new hard drive is for you! In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of transferring Windows 10/11 to another drive or a brand-new hard drive.
Part 1: Before You Move Windows 10/11 to a New Hard Drive
Part 2: How to Move Windows to Another Drive Free?
Part 3: How to Move Windows to Another Drive Without Losing Data?
- Solution 2. PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool: Transfer Windows 10/11 to New Hard DriveHot
- Tip: Restoring to a Smaller Hard Disk or SSD
Part 4: FAQs About Windows 11/10 OS Migration to Another Drive
- Q1: Can I Move My Windows Boot Drive to Another Drive?
- Q2: How do I transfer Windows 11/10 to a USB flash drive?
- Q3: Can You Relocate Windows to Another Drive?
- Q4: How Do I Assign an SSD in Windows 11?
- Q5: Do I Need to Reinstall Windows When Moving to an SSD?
Final Words
Part 1: Before You Move Windows 10/11 to a New Hard Drive
To move Windows to new hard drive, there are certain prerequisite steps and precautions that you need to take care of to ensure that the whole process goes smoothly and without any unforeseen hurdles. These precautions are as follows:
1. Back-up Your Essential Files
While the methods explained in this article are thoroughly test and make use of the industry leading tools and techniques, there can still be problems due to human error. To make sure that you don’t lose your precious data due to any unforeseen events, it’s highly recommended to backup your data. You can back up your data on a USB drive, on cloud storage, or on another external hard drive.
2. Prepare the New Hard Drive
To make sure the whole process of moving Windows 10/11 to another hard drive goes perfectly, make sure your destination hard drive has more space than the C drive of your current one. To ensure a proper transfer, your C drive (the one that contains Windows files) needs to be fully copied into the new drive.
3. Initialize/Format the New Disk
Sometimes the hard drives cause issues due to errors or junk files from the previous use. When you transfer Windows to new hard drive, make sure that you format the hard drive in NTFS. Also, if you are using a brand-new hard drive, make sure to initialize it using the Windows Disk Management Tool.
Part 2: How to Move Windows to Another Drive Free?
If you’re wondering how to move Windows to SSD or HDD, there are many ways how to move Windows from HDD to SSD. Some of these processes are simple and easy to follow while others are a total mess. Let’s get started on how to transfer Windows to another drive free!
| Windows System Image Tool | PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool | |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Moderate to Difficult | Easy |
| Technical Skills | Technical Skills Required | No Technical Skills Required |
| Risk | Yes | No |
Solution 1. Windows System Image Tool: Backup and Restore Windows 10 /11 to New Hard Drive
The first method through which you can move Windows to another drive is using the Windows System Image Tool. It’s a built-in tool that does the job done but may require expert knowledge of the Windows operating system. Below are the steps you need to follow to move Windows 10/11 to another hard drive.
Part One: Creating Backup
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Press on the screen's left or right side to enter edit mode.Insert your new hard drive (where you want to transfer Windows) into your PC.
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Go to start menu and in the search bar type “Control Panel” and open it.
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Type “Backup” in the Control Panel search bar and open “Back up and Restore Windows 7”.
Now click on “Create a System Image”.
Click on “Hard Drive” and select the Hard drive where you want to move your Windows. Once done, press “Next”.
The system drive will automatically be selected. Click “Next” to start the backup process.
Part Two: Restoring Backup
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Create a Windows Installation disk and boot your PC using that installation media.
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Once you’re at the “Install Now” screen, click “Repair your computer” from bottom-left.
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Go to “Troubleshoot > Advanced options” and select “System Image Recovery”.
Click “Select a System Image” option and press next.
Keep the “Format and repartition disks” option checked and click “Next”.
Click “Finish” button to complete the process.
Part 3: How to Move Windows to Another Drive Without Losing Data?
While there are many ways on how to transfer Windows 10/11 to another drive, only a few are safe enough to be followed by non-techy users. Let’s present you a step-by-step method to transfer Windows to a new drive without losing data. Let’s get going!
Solution 2. PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool: Transfer Windows 10/11 to New Hard Drive
PassFab 4EasyPartition is an all-in-one disk management tool for all your needs. It’s designed in a way that everyone can comfortably use it without any problems. PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool has many features that can help you take care of all your disk management needs in one place. Some of these amazing features are as follows:
- Partition Management
With PassFab 4EasyPartion, you can create, delete, move, resize, format, and split your partition in seconds
- OS Migration
PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool makes transferring Windows to new hard drives very easy and simple. You can do all of this with just a few clicks using the PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool.
- Disk Clone
Data backup is also very simple using PassFab 4EasyPartition. You can clone disks and backup data in one go!
How to Transfer Windows to Another Drive using PassFab 4EasyPartition?
With the simple steps give below, you’ll be able to easily transfer Windows to new hard drive.
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Connect the hard drive to your PC where you want to transfer Windows and open PassFab 4EasyPartition and click “Start” to continue.
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Select the Windows system partition and click “Start” to proceed.
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Select the destination disk where you want to transfer your Windows. PassFab 4EasyPartition will show you the expected migration results.
Please wait while the Windows transfer completes.
Once done, press “Finish” to complete the setup.
Tips: Restoring to a Smaller Hard Disk or SSD
If you are transferring Windows from a larger hard drive to a smaller one, we’d suggest you clone the drive instead. For that purpose, you can use the efficient disk cloning features of the PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool. Not only that, but you can also backup or restore your existing Windows partition too.
Part 4: FAQs About Windows 11/10 OS Migration to Another Drive
Q1: Can I Move My Windows Boot Drive to Another Drive?
Yes, your Windows partition (C Drive) has all the boot files necessary to run Windows. When you transfer Windows to another drive, the boot files also get transferred. That’s how your Windows run smoothly on the new drive.
Q2: How do I transfer Windows 11/10 to a USB flash drive?
You can transfer Windows 11/10 to a USB flash drive the same as explained in the above guide. Since USB is also a storage device like a hard drive, you can run all the steps on it too.
Q3: Can You Relocate Windows to Another Drive?
Yes, you can relocate Windows to another drive efficiently in a few clicks using PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool. The full guide to the process is explained above. All you need to do is just select the source disk, and the destination disk, and wait for it to do the job for you.
Q4: How Do I Assign an SSD in Windows 11?
To assign an SSD in Windows 11, go to “Settings > System > Storage”. Click on “Manage Disks and Volumes” under “More storage settings.” In Disk Management, right-click on the SSD and select “Change Drive Letter and Paths.” Click “Add”, select a drive letter, and confirm the changes. The SSD will be assigned a letter and accessible through File Explorer.
Q5: Do I Need to Reinstall Windows When Moving to an SSD?
Transferring Windows to another hard drive without losing data is a simple task, thanks to various user-friendly methods available. You can opt for the more technical Windows System Image Tool method or the easy and intuitive PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool to get the job done. By following the step-by-step guides explained in this article, you easily migrate Windows 10/11 to a new hard drive, be it an HDD or SSD.
Conclusion
Transferring Windows to another hard drive without losing data is a simple task, thanks to various user-friendly methods available. You can opt for the more technical Windows System Image Tool method or the easy and intuitive PassFab 4EasyPartition Tool to get the job done. By following the step-by-step guides explained in this article, you easily migrate Windows 10/11 to a new hard drive, be it an HDD or SSD.