Best Free HDD Cloning Software for Windows 10/11
Quick Navigation:
- Windows HDD Cloning Overview
- Disk Imaging vs Cloning, Which is Better?
- Best Free Disk Cloning Software for Windows 10/11
- How to Clone Hard Drive in Windows 10/11
- ※ Video Tutorial
- ※ Way 1. Directly Clone Data Disk to SSD via Qiling Disk Master
- ※ Way 2. Migrate Windows 10 to SSD via Qiling Disk Master Free
- Conclusion
Windows HDD Cloning Overview
Over time, old HDDs can suffer from a lack of disk space, sluggish operation, and natural aging, making disk replacement a common solution, especially for users with high hardware demands.
To summarize, there are some possible scenarios:
- Replace HDD with larger HDD to get more capacity.
- Upgrade HDD to SSD for better read/write speed.
- To avoid the issue of a disk failure, simply install a new drive. This will provide a fresh start and eliminate the risk of data loss due to a faulty drive. ..
If you want to avoid starting from scratch, you can migrate the system and files from the old disk to the new drive directly. This would be a convenient option.
Disk Imaging vs Cloning, Which is Better?
Transferring data from an old hard drive to a new one can be done in two ways: disk imaging or disk cloning. Disk imaging creates an image file of the old disk that can be restored to the new disk later, a process that involves two main parts: backup and recovery, which can be a bit complex.
Disk cloning directly copies data from the old disk to the new disk, making it a simple and time-efficient way to migrate data, such as cloning a Windows 10 hard drive.
To transfer a hard drive (HDD) to another HDD or an SSD, I recommend using the disk cloning method, which is not natively available in Windows. Instead, you'll need to use free HDD cloning software that is compatible with Windows 10, 11, and other versions.
Best Free Disk Cloning Software for Windows 10/11
People care more about the safety, usability and simplicity of an HDD cloning program, and Qiling Disk Master Standard, a powerful yet free disk cloning software, can be one of your best choices.
- It can clone non-system HDD to SSD or another HDD for free, preserving all data you don't want to lose.
- This software enables the cloning of only used parts to another drive, utilizing the "Intelligent Clone" technology, allowing for the cloning of a larger drive to a smaller drive.
- It enables you to create an exact replica of a hard drive using the "Sector By Sector Clone" feature.
- It allows you to optimize the overall performance of SSD disk with "SSD Alignment" feature.
- This software supports various operating systems including Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, and XP, and is compatible with different disk brands and types, including Samsung, Crucial, WD, and SATA/M.2/NVMe.
Besides, the click-A free disk clone software for Windows 10, praised by worldwide users, is notable for its simple operation and user-friendly interface. To get started, users can download and install this freeware.
How to Clone Hard Drive in Windows 10/11
With the help of Qiling Disk Master, the HDD cloning process can be very simple even for a novice. You can choose to view the video tutorial or the graphic tutorial to accomplish this.
※ Video Tutorial
※ Way 1. Directly Clone Data Disk to SSD via Qiling Disk Master
Preparations before cloning hard drive in Windows 10:
◑ Install the target drive. If your computer only has one SATA slot, you may need to use a SATA-to-USB adapter or a SATA enclosure to connect your drive, as a standard SATA cable can't be used.
◑ Backup your important data. The cloning process will overwrite everything on the target disk, so any important files on it should be backed up first.
◑ Delete some programs or files (optional). If you're cloning a larger HDD to a smaller SSD, you might want to clean up the source HDD to make it fit on the smaller drive more easily.
To free clone HDD to SSD/HDD in Windows 10, follow these steps: first, ensure the target drive is empty or backed up; then, download and install a cloning software like EaseUS Todo PCTrans or Acronis True Image; next, select the source and target drives in the software; finally, click "Clone" to start the cloning process. The same steps also apply to Windows 11, 8, 7, etc.
Step 1. Launch the free clone software on Windows 10, select the Clone tab, and choose Disk Clone.
💡 Tips: The Standard edition only supports cloning non-system disks, but if you want to clone a disk containing OS, you can try the backup & restore method or upgrade to Qiling Disk Master Professional, which allows you to migrate operating system to SSD in Windows 11/10/8/7.
Step 2. Select your HDD as the source disk. Then click Next.
Step 3. Choose your new HDD or SSD as a destination disk and click Next.
Step 4. This interface allows for a preview, followed by proceeding to migrate a Windows 10/11 hard drive. It also offers the option to choose SSD alignment if the destination disk is an SSD, which can enhance the speed of the SSD.
- Practical Cloning Settings
✿ Sector By Sector Clone: Cloning all sectors on the old HDD, including used and unused space, is necessary and requires the target disk to be at least as large as the source disk.
✿ Edit Partitions: To resize the target disk's partition, select one of the three options: "Copy without resizing partitions", "Add unused space to all partitions", or "Manually adjust partition size". The second option is recommended as it is a more intelligent choice.
- Extended Reading: How to Check Disk Partition Style
Both MBR and GPT are two different disk types for data storage, and you can check their disk properties in Disk Management.
- Press Win + R to open the Run window. Then, type diskmgmt.msc and hit OK to open disk management.
- Then, right-Select the disk you want to clone and click on Properties in the pop-up window.
- In the Properties window, select the Volume tab and confirm the partition style, which can be either MBR (Master Boot Record) or GPT (GUID Partition Table).
※ Way 2. Migrate Windows 10 to SSD via Qiling Disk Master Free
With the free edition of Qiling Disk Master, you can also achieve system disk data migration on Windows 10, 11, albeit with more manual operations and some computer skills required. Let's take a closer look.
Step 1. To create a system backup image using Qiling Disk Master, go to Go Backup > System Backup, and follow the wizard to complete the process. It is recommended to store the backup image on an external drive or network path, or any location that can be accessed from the WinPE environment.
Step 2. To prepare a USB drive for the installation, insert a USB drive that has at least 16GB of free space. Then, go to Tools > Create Bootable Media and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Step 3. To restore the system image in a WinPE environment, boot up your computer with a bootable media. Once logged in, you'll see the Qiling Disk Master loaded. From there, click on "Restore" and follow the on-screen wizard to complete the process.
1. If you want to restore a system image to a new computer with different hardware, upgrade to use the Universal Restore feature.
2. Qiling Disk Master is also an SSD cloning software that allows cloning of SSD to new SSD, cloning SATA SSD, cloning system from Intel SSD to another, cloning NVMe to larger NVMe SSD, and more.
Conclusion
You can easily clone a hard drive in Windows 10/11 using free HDD cloning software, such as Qiling Disk Master, which requires only a few simple steps to transfer your Windows hard drive to a new HDD or SSD.
For IT maintenance and support engineers, using the Technician or Technician Plus edition of the software is recommended. This allows for convenient backup, restoration, or cloning on different computers without the need for a separate installation, as a portable version can be created.
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