How to Clone Hard Drive to SanDisk SSD in Windows 10/11
Need: Replace hard drive with SanDisk SSD
Compared to traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs) offer faster startup and read/write speeds, making them a popular choice for upgrading old hard drives. SanDisk SSDs, in particular, are known for their outstanding performance and compatibility, making them a top pick for many users.
Reinstalling Windows and all apps on a new SanDisk SSD can be a hassle, especially when you have years of accumulated data. Fortunately, you can clone everything from your hard drive to the SanDisk SSD, making the transition smoother and preserving all your files.
Yes, you can make an exact copy of the source hard drive, transfer it to the SanDisk drive, and then boot Windows from the cloned SSD. This can be achieved using professional SanDisk SSD clone software.
Does SanDisk SSD come with cloning software?
SanDisk SSDs don't come with a cloning software, but you can download Acronis True Image for Western Digital, which allows you to back up and clone files, programs, and operating systems from a Western Digital disk (WD, SanDisk, G-Technology) within a 90-day time frame or by December 31, 2023.
This product is designed for use with Western Digital storage devices and is limited to detecting them. However, some users have reported issues with detecting SanDisk SSDs connected via an external dock or adapter.
✍Other limitations of Acronis True Image for Western Digital:
- The system doesn't support cloning the operating system to an external USB drive, nor does it allow for cloning to an internal drive located within an external drive enclosure.
- The source and target disks must have the same logical sector size.
- The cloning process will fail if the original drive has errors or bad sectors.
- The software only allows cloning an entire disk, and does not support cloning a single partition.
If any of the above factors prevent you from using, we recommended you an alternative SanDisk cloning software, Qiling Disk Master, which is much less restrictive and supports any brand of HDDs and SSDs that can be detected by Windows.
The best SanDisk cloning software to migrate data and OS
Qiling Disk Master Professional is a tool that allows users to clone their SanDisk hard drive to a solid-state drive (SSD) with ease. It offers a simple yet professional approach, enabling users to clone their entire disk, selected partitions, or just their operating system. This software is not limited to SanDisk devices, as it also supports other brands of SSDs, hard drives, USB drives, network-attached storage (NAS), and solid-state hybrid drives (SSHD).
In practical use, it also has the following advantages:
✔ Support all Windows editions. Qiling Disk Master can be used in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11.
✔ Make an exact copy of hard drive and ensure secure boot. The "Clone" feature allows users to avoid reinstalling their system, programs, and data, making it a more efficient and less intrusive alternative to a fresh install.
✔ Clone hard drive to SanDisk SSD regardless of disk size. In this software, you can clone a hard disk between the same size or different sizes.
✔ Advanced cloning features. To optimize your disk usage, use Sector By Sector Clone to clone all sectors, whether used or not, and accelerate target SSDs with SSD Alignment. Additionally, use Edit Partitions to change partition size and make full use of your disk capacity.
To try cloning your HDD to a SanDisk SSD, hit the download button below and follow the guide to demonstrate the process.
Steps of SanDisk clone hard drive to SSD
To prepare for cloning your SanDisk HDD to an SSD, you need to connect the SanDisk SSD to your computer via either a SATA cable or a USB adapter, allowing you to access and clone the data from the HDD to the SSD.
- If your computer only has one SATA slot, you'll need a SATA to USB adapter or an SSD enclosure to connect the target drive externally to your PC.
- If your computer has more than one slot, you can add the SSD as a secondary disk, allowing you to clone your HDD to the SSD without needing a SATA to USB cable.
Then try the following steps for SanDisk data migration:
This software clones only used sectors by default, allowing you to clone a larger HDD to a smaller SSD successfully, as long as the target disk has enough space to hold all the data on the source disk.
1. Install the HDD to SSD cloning software, and launch its main interface.
2. Select Disk Clone under the Clone tab, which also includes a System Clone option to clone only the system partition.
Note: This software allows cloning of data disks and system disks from MBR to MBR, MBR to GPT, or GPT to GPT, and also GPT to MBR, ensuring the target disk's partition style is compatible with the boot mode (MBR for legacy BIOS and GPT for UEFI).
3. Select the current HDD as the source disk, and click Next to continue.
4. Select your SanDisk SSD (here is disk 2) as the destination disk to receive the disk copy. Click Next.
5. Select the option to accelerate the target SanDisk SSD, then click Proceed to continue.
✍More useful options:
- Edit partitions: When cloning to a larger disk without adjusting partition size, you'll have unallocated space that can't be used. To utilize the full storage space, this feature allows you to resize partitions and assign the unallocated space.
- SSD Alignment: When cloning a hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid-state drive (SSD), checking the option to accelerate reading and writing speed can significantly improve the cloning process. This feature takes advantage of the SSD's capabilities to provide faster data access and transfer rates, making the cloning process much quicker and more efficient.
- Sector-By-Sector Clone: The cloning process should include all sectors, whether used or not, to ensure maximum data security. Additionally, if cloning the system reserved recovery partition is desired, it's essential to verify that it will function properly on the target disk.
Frequently asked questions about HDD clone to SanDisk SSD
💬Why is it essential to clone a hard disk to SSD?
Cloning a hard disk to an SSD can upgrade your computer's performance and speed, and transfer all data without losing any.
💬Can I clone a hard drive to SanDisk SSD without losing data?
You can clone a hard drive to a SanDisk SSD without losing any data. Software like Qiling Disk Master can help transfer all your data from the old hard drive to the new one.
💬How long does it take to clone a hard drive to SanDisk SSD?
Cloning a hard drive to a SanDisk SSD can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the hard drive size and computer speed.
💬What should I do after cloning my hard drive to SanDisk SSD?
After cloning your hard drive to a SanDisk SSD, verify that the cloned disk is bootable. If necessary, update your BIOS settings. If you no longer need the old hard drive, format it to free up space.
Wrapping things up
With SanDisk cloning software, such as Qiling Disk Master, you can easily clone a hard drive to a SanDisk SSD. However, this software can also be used to clone to other branded SSDs, similar to OCZ, ADATA, WD, and .2 SSD cloners, and offers the same features. All SSDs can be cloned using this software.M.2 SSD cloners, and offers the same features. All SSDs can be cloned using this software.
To successfully clone a hard drive to a smaller SSD without reinstalling, download Qiling Disk Master and follow these steps.
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