Under the graphic of the existing computer, click on Clone this disk.
Once the installation is done, double click on the Reflect icon on the Desktop of the computer.ģ. Download and install Macrium Refelct Free.Ģ. Macrium Reflect allows for cloning a drive without having to include all of the source drive's partitions. The idea is that you clone the existing hard drive into the SSD, retaining all settings.) With other versions or other cloning software, the steps will be slightly different, so follow the software's instructions, but it should be easy enough to understand. (Note that the steps given below are for Macrium Reflect. Plug the SSD into a USB port of the computer using the USB-to-SATA cable. Now that you have everything you need, let's get the process started. depending on the amount of drives you have on the machine.) Right click on the SSD then choose "Convert to GPT" (if it's currently uses MBR), or "Convert to MBR" (if it's currently uses GPT.) Just make sure it shares the same drive format type as the existing hard drive. In Disk Management window, find the SSD which will be shown as Disk 1 (or Disk 2 etc. At the command prompt window, type in diskmgmt then press Enter. Screenshot by Dong Ngo/CNETĪnd here's how to make sure the SSD has the same drive format type:Ģ. It's easy to convert a drive from MBR to GPT and vice versa. If you're using a brand new SSD, you can skip this step and move straight to the cloning process. This step is only necessary if you want to use a hand-me-down SSD (one that's been formatted before) to replace your existing hard drive on your computer. Generally, a standard small Phillips-head one will do. Pick one that works with the screws on your computer. Note that for a desktop, as an option, you can skip this adapter and install the SSD as a secondary internal drive for the cloning process, which works much faster than connecting via USB.Īnd finally, you'll need a small screwdriver. If you have a Seagate GoFlex external hard drive (a portable or desktop version), you can use the adapter part of the drive for the job. These adapters can be found online for around $15 or so. The third thing you need is a USB-to-SATA adapter. It also supports all types of hard drive formats. This software allows you to clone the existing drive to a new one without even restarting the computer. There are many of them on the market and most of them work well (some SSDs come with this software installed) but my favorite for the job is the free version of Macrium Reflect. Now that we've explored why, let's get into the guidelines for cloning your hard drive.The second thing you need is cloning software.
The cloned drive retains everything, so you can get your new PC up and running quickly. Hence, a perfect copy of your hard drive, including the operating system, file systems, hard drive partitions, and even programs.Īs such, this makes it the perfect thing to do when switching PCs. This differs from a backup, which copies your files only.įurthermore, the cloning process will duplicate the entire content of your drive, keeping it as original as the source drive. That way, you can keep your data secure when your storage drives fail.Īlso, if you want to upgrade your drive to a different one, cloning it will make data transfer easier while retaining its existing configuration. If you're already getting signs that your hard drive is failing or experiencing symptoms from an SSD that's about to give up, you should consider cloning them. Hard drives and SSDs can fail, leading to data loss. But why is this necessary in the first place, and what makes it a preferred solution? Let's dive into these questions and learn about hard drive cloning mechanisms you can use to move or copy your data.