How to Cloning Hardisk and SSD

Cloning disk is copying all files in the disk (operating system, application, data, and system partition) to another disk so that the disk becomes a duplicate of the master disk. In this post, I use the AOMEI Partition Assistant software.

To clone a disk with AOMEI Partition Assistant software, use the "Copy Partition" menu. Copy Partition is a backup of all data on the drive including recoverable data which means data that has been deleted or formatted or virus affection, etc.

Cloning disk is done for several purposes

1.  Make a hard disk backup

Hard disk backup by "copy and paste" is different from "copy partition". Copy and paste are copying all highlighted data and pasting it to another disk. Whereas "Copy Partition" is to back up all data on a C / D / E / F drive to another hard drive, including the operating system and applications, and all data that can be recovered which means the data has been deleted or formatted or virus affection, etc.

2.  Upgrade hard drive capacity

For example; your PC hard drive 320GB. You bought a new hard drive with a capacity of 1T. You want to move all data (operating systems and applications, all files and drive partitions) from a 320GB disk to a 1T disk. With the help of Copy Partition, this job will become easier.

3.  Upgrade PC hardware

For example; I have a PC with specifications: Gigabytes Mainboard, Intel Core i3, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive. Then I bought a new PC with specifications: Asus mainboard, Intel core i7 processor, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1 terra hard drive. I want to move all data from a 500GB hard drive to 1T. After copying the partition from 500gb to 1T is complete, insert the 1T hard drive into a new PC, then turn it on. When the Desktop appears, the operating system will detect new hardware. Install the appropriate mainboard driver, then restart.

About disk cloning

1. Cloning can be done on a disk that uses a single partition (Drive C only), and many partitions (Drive C / D / E / F).

2. Cloning can be performed on disks with Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7/8 / 8.1 / 10, Small Business Server 2011/2003/2008, Windows Home Server 2011 and Windows Server 2003/2008/2012 (both 32bit and 64bit).

3. If the disk cloning is done in order to upgrade PC hardware, the type of RAM / Memory from the old PC must be the same as the new PC. Example: Old PC using DDR3 RAM. Cloned disks can be installed on a new PC that uses DDR3 RAM, even though the Processor and Mainboard types are different. If the cloned Disk is installed on a new PC with DDR2 or DDR4 RAM, a boot failure or a bluescreen error will occur.

4. Disk cloning capacity does not have to be the same as the master disk. Example: 500gb disk master, you can use disks with different capacities such as 320gb, 640gb, 1T.

5. How to clone disk on PC. Connect the new disk to the master disk as SATA 2, or connect as an external disk with an external USB cable.

6. How to clone disk on Notebook. Connect the new disk with a USB cable as an external disk.

7. Disk cloned results can be directly used on other PCs, although the mainboard and processor types are different, as long as the RAM / Memory type is the same.

8. If the cloned disk is installed on a new PC with a different mainboard type, when the computer is turned on, the operating system will detect the new driver. Download and install the required driver then restart.

9. Cloning Disk or Copy Partition is backing up all data on the C / D / E / F drive to another disk, including the operating system and applications, and all data that can be recovered which means the data has been deleted or formatted or virus affection, etc.

How to do a Cloning Hardisk and SSD with AOMEI Partition Assistant

1. Select a partition to copy as the source partition. Right-click the partition and select Copy Partition.

2. In the pop-up window, there are 2 methods: Copy Partition Quickly and Sector-by-Sector Copy. Copy Partition Quickly is only enabled to copy used space of the partition. Sector-by-Sector Copy allows copying all sectors of the partition, no matter whether it is used or not.

1)  Copy Partition Quickly: the unallocated space could be smaller than the source partition but must be larger than the used space.

2)  Sector-by-Sector Copy: the unallocated space must be equal or larger than source partition.
Choose the method you want and click Next to continue.

3. Select the appropriate unallocated space as destination partition. Note: there is an option. Optimize performance for SSD. This feature could help you speeding up Solid State Drive’s (SSD) read and write speeds, improving SSD performance. If you fit that detail, select this option, and then click Next to continue.

4. Adjust the destination partition and click Finish.

Note: if there were three primary partitions, you could only create an as logical partition.

5. Click the Apply button on the top left toolbar to commit the copy operation. Click Proceed and Yes to restart.

Note

- Only un-allocated could be set as destination partition.

- Partition copy has a wizard that could help you automatically perform more complex copying partition. You can invoke the wizard by clicking Wizard -> Partition Copy Wizard in the menu bar.

6. Please wait until the process is complete

7. When the process is complete, the computer will restart automatically and return to the Desktop. Finish.

How to Cloning Hardisk and SSD Tutorial Video