How to Change Boot Drive to SSD Easily in Windows 10

User Case

“One of the latest Microsoft updates crashed my computer. As a result, I had to get windows reinstalled in the repair shop. When I got my computer (laptop) back, I found that windows had been reinstalled on my HDD, not my SSD. I am looking to fix this now.

I've already cloned windows on to the SSD. I've been following the steps in other tutorials that tell me I have to change the boot option in the BIOS at startup. However, when I go to boot priorities, the ssd does not appear. When looking under Hard disk drive BBS priorities, it also does not appear; the only option that appears is my hard drive.

I just wanna know how can I migrate the Windows 10 to my SSD and how to change the boot drive to SSD? Any help would be appreciated.”

To migrate Windows to your SSD, you need to clone Windows 10 OS to SSD using cloning software, then change the boot drive in Windows 10 BIOS after successful cloning. If you don’t boot successfully from the disk, it is probably because the EFI system partition has not been cloned or you have enabled the secure boot in the BIOS. This article will show you how to migrate Windows 10 to SSD and how to modify the boot order after cloning. Please read on!

Why Make SSD as Bootable Drive?

When computers are having trouble in loading larger files or running multiple applications, many users will choose to replace or upgrade their hard drives to SSDs. Compared with HDD, SSD runs faster, is more stable, and works with less noise. However, SSDs usually have smaller capacities and are more expensive than HDDs. So people usually choose to use SSDs as boot drives and HDDs for storing data.

How to Install the SSD

Before migrating the Windows 10 operating system to the SSD, we need to install the SSD on the computer and make sure it can be recognized by the computer. You should prepare an SSD, a screwdriver, a SATA cable, and two screws. Then you can follow the steps below to install your SSD.

Step 1. First, unscrew and remove the case cover from your desktop. Then connect a SATA cable to the SSD and place the SSD into the SSD drive bay.

Step 2. Connect one end of the SATA cable to the SSD and the other end to a spare SATA port on the motherboard.

Step 3. Secure the SSD and replace the case cover on your desktop.

How to Migrate Windows 10 OS to SSD

After installing the SSD, you can go to the next part - migrate the Windows 10 OS to the SSD. You can select a professional cloning software to help you, For example, AOMEI Backupper Professional, which can easily clone the operating system to SSD in Windows 10, 8, 7. And It has the following advantages:

• Secure boot: After cloning, you can securely boot your system from the cloned SSD without reinstalling.
• Intelligent Clone: It not only supports cloning system to SSD with equal size or larger capacity, but also allows users to clone Windows 10 to smaller SSD.
• SSD Alignment: This feature makes the reading and writing speed of SSD become faster.
• Live clone: It allows cloning tasks to run in the background, so users can use the computer normally during the cloning process.
• Different SSD types and brands: It supports various types of SSD, such as SATA/M.2/PCI-E etc and multiple brands of SSD like WD, Acronis, Crucial, etc.

The clone will delete all data on the destination disk, so please backup files to external hard drive in advance. Next, you can follow the tutorial below to migrate Windows 10 OS to your SSD.

Step 1. Download AOMEI Backupper Professional, install and launch it. Select Clone > System Clone.

Step 2. The source drive is selected by default, so you only need to select the SSD as the destination location. All partitions needed to boot the computer will be cloned including the EFI system partition.

Step 3. Tick SSD Alignment to optimize SSD performance. Then confirm your operations and click Start Clone to migrate Windows 10 OS to SSD.

Tip:

Sector by sector clone: If you tick this option, it will clone all sectors no matter used or not. Please make sure your target disk is the same as the source disk or larger than it.

How to Change Boot Drive after Clone in Windows 10

Once the cloning process is complete, you can move on to the last part - change Windows 10 boot drive to SSD in the BIOS. Here are the specific steps.

Step 1. Restart your computer. Then keep pressing F2/F8/F11/DEL to enter BIOS.

Step 2. Go to the boot option to change the boot order. Set the SSD as the first boot option.

Step 3. Press F10 to save the changes and exit BIOS. Then restart the computer and your Windows 10 will boot from the cloned SSD.

Summary

I believe you have mastered how to change the boot drive to SSD in Windows 10. You need to clone your Windows 10 OS to SSD first. The professional cloning software AOMEI Backupper Professional is highly recommended, because it allows the disk to boot safely after cloning. Then you can easily change the boot order in the BIOS and boot your Windows 10 from SSD.

Besides, it also supports Disk Clone and Partition Clone, such as clone dynamic disk, clone MBR to GPT, clone GPT to MBR, etc. You can download it to enjoy more useful features. And if you are a Windows Server user, you can turn to AOMEI Backupper Server.