2 Ways to Transfer System Image to New Hard Drive

The need to transfer system image to new hard drive

As time goes by, your hard drive space may become too small so that it runs slower and slower. Thus, you are planning to upgrade to a larger hard drive to make computer perform better. Many users will choose to re-install the operating system on the new hard drive. But system reinstallation is a time-consuming job. What’s more, some users may can’t find the installation CD anymore.

As is known to all, Windows allows users to create a system image backup that contains data and applications required for Windows to run. It includes Windows and your system settings, programs, and files. When your hard drive fails, you can restore your computer with the system image to get everything back to normal. Then an idea appears in your mind: is it possible to directly transfer system image to new hard drive? Well, the answer is Yes.

Generally, you can copy system image to new hard drive with the built-in tool of Windows. For Windows 10/8 users, you can create a recovery drive with your USB and then use it to restore Windows on your new hard drive. But for Windows 7 users, you need to prepare a CD or DVD. Because you should create a system repair disc that will be used to boot your computer normally. Or if your computer has no optical drive, one third-party software can also help you finish the job. Just refer to Method 2 to get it.

Method 1. Transfer system image to new hard drive with built-in tool

Generally, to move system image to new hard drive, you should first create a system image of your old hard drive and then restore the system image on your new hard drive.

Step 1. Search Backup and Restore in the search bar and click it. Click Create a system image on the left side. Choose the destination to save the backup. You can choose to save the system image to the DVD if you have one. Or you can save it on one external hard drive. Then click Next to continue.

Step 2. Confirm the backup settings and click Start backup to start. When the process completes, you will be asked if you want to create a system repair disc that can help to boot your computer. Please click Yes to make one if you have a CD/DVD. Or if not you can create bootable disc with your USB.

Step 3. Shutdown the computer and replace the old hard drive with the new one and boot computer from the system repair disc. Follow the guide to restore system image to new hard drive.

Note: For Windows 10/8 users, you can also refer to this create recovery disk guide to simply create a recovery drive that can help you reinstall Windows.

As you can see, it’s kind of complicated to copy system image to new hard drive with the built-in tool. If you don’t mind the trouble, it’s a workable way worth trying. In fact, there’s a simple way that can help you move your system to the new hard drive directly. If you are interested in, just keep reading to get the method.

Method 2. Transfer system to new hard drive directly

AOMEI Backupper Professional is one powerful backup tool that offers various backup & restore options to protect your data. It supports all Windows OS including Windows 10/8/7. With its simple and easy-to-use GUI, anyone, even non-technical users, can move system image to new hard drive without effort.

To achieve the goal, there are 2 solutions for you to choose.

1. Directly transfer system from old hard drive to new hard drive with the System Clone feature.

2. First create a system image and then restore it on your new hard drive with its System Backup and System Restore feature. Also a bootable media is needed.

Now install AOMEI Backupper Pro on your computer and follow the steps below to copy system image to new hard drive in a few clicks.

Transfer system to new hard drive directly

Step 1. Connect your new hard drive to your PC. Launch the tool and click Clone and then choose System Clone.

Step 2. The related system partitions are selected by default. Select a partition of the new hard drive as the new location. Then click Next to continue.

Step 3. Confirm the operation and click Start Clone to make it.

Notes:

1. If you choose Sector by sector clone, it will clone all sectors no matter it is used or not. Please make sure the destination partition is equal to or larger than the space of the system.

2. If your new hard drive is a solid-state disk (namely SSD), you can click SSD Alignment to accelerate the reading and writing speed of the SSD.

Step 4. After cloning, you can enter into BIOS and set the new hard drive as the first boot disk. Or just replace the old hard drive with the new one.

Transfer system image to new hard drive via backup and restore

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper. First create a system image and then create a bootable media for booting your computer.

Step 2. Insert the bootable media and enter the BIOS mode to select where to boot from. And then you will get into the interface of AOMEI Backupper.

Step 3. Click Restore and select a backup image. Click Next to continue.

Step 4. Confirm the restore path and click Next.

Step 5. Confirm the operation and click Start Restore.

Conclusion

That’s all for how to transfer system image to new hard drive. Indeed you can make it with the Windows built-in tool, but it’s complicated and time-consuming. If you prefer an easy and quick way, AOMEI Backupper Pro is a better choice. It can also be your best assistant in helping you backup your computer in the coming days.

If you want to protect unlimited computers within your company, you can pick AOMEI Backupper Technician. With the inbuilt AOMEI Image Deploy tool, you are also allowed to deploy/restore system image file on server-side computer to multiple client-side computers over network.