Best HDD Cloning Software for Data Migration in Windows 11/10
What makes the best HDD cloning software
With the growing trend of DIY computer upgrades, users are seeking a reliable and free hard drive cloning tool for Windows to clone their existing hard drive to a new one, eliminating the need to purchase a new computer.
The "best" disk cloning software should include features such as high-speed data transfer, efficient disk imaging and cloning, and robust recovery options. It should also provide advanced partition management, support for multiple file systems, and the ability to clone disks with varying sizes and configurations.
- Professional. A powerful cloning software should be able to clone an entire selected disk, ensuring that all boot-related drives are also cloned, so the cloned drive can boot properly.
- Reliable. To avoid using a cloning program that may get stuck or malfunction during the cloning process, consider alternatives like Samsung Data Migration, which can clone a hard drive to an SSD. However, be aware that it may sometimes get stuck or freeze at 99% progress. In such cases, you may need to restart the program or try a different cloning software to complete the process successfully.
- Easy-to-use. The cloning operation should be straightforward and easy to follow, using a clear and user-friendly interface, making it as simple as ABC for non-tech savvy users.
- Full featured. Hard drive cloning may not be an isolated operation as it can involve cloning a larger drive to a smaller drive or fulfilling unallocated space on a larger destination disk, or cloning only one or two partitions on the disk.
- Bootable rescue solution. The feature of creating bootable media is crucial for cloning failing hard drives. This enables users to clone or backup a hard drive without needing to boot Windows, making it a vital component of a dedicated disk cloning software.
Surely, users put emphasis on different features under different circumstances. However, where is the free yet comprehensive HDD cloning software? Find the answer below.
Free HDD cloning software download for Windows PCs
I recommend using Qiling Disk Master Standard, a reliable hard drive imaging and cloning tool for Windows, which has thousands of users worldwide and is known for its ease of use and fast backup capabilities.
Qiling Disk Master Standard provides an easy way to migrate data.
>> You can clone a data disk without system using the free Disk Clone and Partition Clone feature, which directly copies all files from the HDD to the target drive, eliminating the need for restoration.
>> You can clone a Windows HDD to another HDD or SSD using the built-in Backup & Restore feature, which allows you to transfer the OS and data for free.
Qiling Disk Master Standard is compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8.1/8, 7, XP, and Vista (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions) and works perfectly in these operating systems. You can download it and test it out.
☛ Upgrading to the Professional edition of the software allows you to use the Disk Clone or System Clone feature to clone a system directly, providing a better experience for OS & data migration. This includes the ability to clone only used sectors, or perform a ector-by-sector clone in different conditions. Additionally, it supports cloning all data & system disks of all brands and partition styles (GPT and MBR).
Users clone hard drives to SSDs for better performance, and this utility helps by optimizing SSD performance and lifespan through its SSD alignment technology, also allowing users to make full use of disk capacity with its edit partitions function.
*If you are using server 2022/2019/2016/2012, etc, try erver edition.sector-by-sector clone in different conditions. Additionally, it supports cloning all data & system disks of all brands and partition styles (GPT and MBR).
Users clone hard drives to SSDs for better performance, and this utility helps by optimizing SSD performance and lifespan through its SSD alignment technology, also allowing users to make full use of disk capacity with its edit partitions function.
*If you are using server 2022/2019/2016/2012, etc, try erver edition.Server edition.
Way 1. Transfer HDD to SSD via backup and restore (Free)
To migrate your hard drive to another drive for free, you can use the Backup and Restore method. This approach is simpler than using Windows' built-in backup utility, as it doesn't require preparing an installation disk. Instead, you can connect the target drive to your computer and perform the backup and restore process using Qiling Disk Master, which offers a more user-friendly interface and operation process.
How to free clone HDD via backup and restore:
1. Download and install Qiling Disk Master. Connect the target drive to your desktop/laptop and ensure it can be detected by Windows.
2. Launch Qiling Disk Master, click on Backup, then Disk Backup to create a full backup of your entire hard drive.
3. Choose the source drive that contains your operating system, select a destination to store the backup image, and optionally password encrypt or compress the backup image.
4. Click Proceed after the configuration.
5. When the cloning process is finished, click on the "Restore" button, followed by "Select Task" or "Select Image File" to locate the disk image you created.
6. Follow the wizard to choose Restore the entire disk, and click Next.
7. Connect the target drive, select it as the destination to restore the disk image, and click Next.
8. Confirm the operation and click Proceed to execute the disk migration.
✤Tips:
- If you want to restore a system image to a different or new computer, select the "Universal Restore" option (available in the Pro edition) to ensure it boots correctly after restoration.
- If the target computer can't start properly, you can create a bootable media to start it, then perform system restore in WinRE.
Way 2. Clone hard drive directly without restoration (Easier)
If you're cloning a disk with a system and don't want to bother with backup & restore, the Pro version can provide a better HDD cloning experience.
Cloning data disks and system disks of all brands and partition styles, including MBR to MBR, MBR to GPT, GPT to GPT, and GPT to MBR, is supported, but ensure the target disk's partition style matches the boot mode, either MBR for legacy BIOS or GPT for UEFI.
The default intelligent cloning mode allows you to clone only used sectors, making it ideal for cloning a larger HDD to a smaller SSD.
1. Download and install the free demo of the software.
How to clone HDD directly without restoration:
1. Install and launch Qiling Disk Master, choose Clone, then click Disk Clone, or alternatively System Clone if you only want to transfer the operating system.
2. Select the current hard drive as the source disk and the target SSD as the destination disk.
3. Enabling SSD alignment during cloning on the target SSD will perform 4K partition alignment. Click Proceed after configuring the settings.
Now, shut down your computer, replace the original hard drive with the cloned solid-state drive, and boot from the new SSD.
Tips:
- Qiling Disk Master will clone only used part of a SSD by default, but allows editing partitions to resize them. However, if the sector-by-sector clone option is checked, it will prevent any further editing.
- Qiling Disk Master can clone a hard drive with damaged sectors as long as the cloning method is not sector-by-sector, allowing for some minor damage to the original hard drive.
- If you want to replace a hard drive with an SSD on a laptop, it's best to do it through a backup and restore method to ensure success. On a desktop, you can simply replace the hard drive with the SSD and use the old hard drive as a secondary storage after reformatting it.
Conclusion
Qiling Disk Master is a top-rated, free HDD cloning software for Windows computers that simplifies complicated cloning processes into a few easy steps, making it also an excellent choice for SSD cloning.
Qiling Disk Master offers cloning features and serves as a good backup solution for personal users. It allows automatic backup of Windows 10 to an external hard drive for disaster recovery, and also enables backup of a hard drive without booting Windows by creating bootable media in Utilities.
If you're looking for more advanced features, such as backup storage management, command line backup/restore/clone, real-time file sync, and more, consider upgrading to a higher edition.
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