Free OS Migration Software: Migrate OS to SSD without Reinstallation
Why need free software to migrate OS?
As the name implies, free OS migration software serves the purpose of migrating the operating system to either an SSD or an HDD at no cost. This migration process grants users increased disk space, enhanced system performance, and maintains a well-organized operating system. Additionally, it eliminates the need for time-consuming system installations.
There are several scenarios where the utilization of free OS migration software proves invaluable:
1. New computer setup: When acquiring a new computer and desiring to retain the old operating system and applications, free OS migration software comes to the rescue. It facilitates a smooth transition, sparing users from the hassle of reinstallation.
2. Hard drive upgrade: If your current disk space is insufficient or your computer's performance is suffering, upgrading to a larger HDD or an SSD becomes a viable option. With free OS migration software, you can efficiently transfer the system, ensuring a seamless transition to the new drive.
Two ways to migrate OS to SSD/HDD for free
If you want to transfer the operating system (OS) to a new hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) without reinstalling Windows, you can use the Windows built-in backup and restore tool or third party free OS migration software.
1. Migrate OS with Windows built-in tool
If you want to migrate OS without third-party tool, you can create a system backup and then restore it to the new hard drive or SSD. In Windows 11, 10 or Windows 7, you can create an image backup including all critical volumes. If you are using Windows 8 or 8.1, you can still create a system image.
However, before you do, you need to confirm the following:
1. The destination drive must be equal or large to the hard drive that you backed up.
2. Only NTFS formatted volumes can be protected. You may need to format or convert partition to NTFS file system.
3. The destination drive must have the same partition style (MBR or GPT) as the source drive.
2. Migrate OS with free OS migration software
If the first way is a little bit complicated for you, you can move the operating system to another SSD or HDD drive using a third-party free OS migration tool like Qiling Disk Master Standard. This freeware comes with "Clone Disk" feature, enabling you to clone the operating system and all applications in the boot partition (usually the C: drive) to another drive so that you don't have to spend lots of time on reinstallation. Now, free download it and see the detailed steps:
- Note:
- Qiling Disk Master Standard only supports clone OS between MBR and MBR disks. If you need to migrate OS from MBR to GPT or GPT to MBR/GPT, you can employ its Professional version.
Step 1. Download and install Qiling Disk Master Standard. Then, run it and click "Clone" -> "Clone Disk" on the main interface.
Step 2. Choose the old hard drive as the source drive in this step. Generally, we recommend not to tick the "Sector by Sector Clone" and click "Next".
Step 3. And choose a new hard drive as the destination drive. If the destination hard drive is SSD, you can check“Optimize the performance of SSD” and click "Next".
Step 4. In the "Edit Disk" window, you can resize the partition to fit the new disk.
Step 5. Finally, click "Proceed" to submit the operations.
Further Reading: Can I move just my OS from HDD to SSD?
If your new SSD is not big enough to hold the entire hard drive, Qiling software also provides you the "Migrate OS to SSD" feature to clone only OS and system-related files to the new hard drive after you upgrade to the professional edition. Here are the steps:
Step 1. Install and run Qiling Disk Master Professional. Next, click on the "Migrate OS" option under the Clone tab and read the introduction.
Step 2. Select your SSD as the destination for the OS transfer. If there are partitions on the SSD you need to check “I want to delete all partitions on the disk 2 to migrate system to the disk”. Once checked, the "Next" button will activate, you should now click on it.
Step 3. You now have to option to resize the system partition and change the drive letter on the new SSD.
Step 4. Click "Proceed" to transfer OS to continue.
Step 5. The warning message will be showed and click "Yes" to the new SSD drive.
After transferring OS and booting the computer from the destination SSD successfully, you can format the old C drive on the source disk to free up the disk space.
Verdict
When facing insufficient disk space or seeking improved performance, opting for free OS migration software such as Qiling Disk Master Standard proves to be a wise and suitable decision. This free OS migration software runs well with Windows platforms, including Window 11/10/8.1/8/7, XP and Vista. To migrate Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012/2008/2003 OS to another hard drive, you can use the Server edition.
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