What Is Disk Clone?
Disk cloning is the process of creating an exact copy of a hard drive, including the operating system, applications, settings, and all files. Unlike simple file copying, disk cloning ensures that the cloned drive is bootable and functions identically to the original. This is especially useful when upgrading to a larger drive or migrating from an old HDD to a faster SSD.
However, to perform a disk clone quickly and safely, a reliable disk clone tool is necessary. On this page, we will introduce you to the top utility for the job and provide a step-by-step tutorial for error-free disk cloning.
Best Disk Clone Tool for Windows 11/10/8/7
If you are searching for a trustworthy and efficient hard drive cloning software, AOMEI Backupper is an excellent option that is designed for Windows users. It supports to run on Windows Vista/XP/7/8/10/11.
This tool can help you clone hard drive to HDD/SSD with a few clicks and maintain the bootability of the disk. Also, you can use it to clone systems and partitions. Here are why you should choose the AOMEI Backupper cloning software:
- Ease of use. It has a simple and intuitive interface; even a beginner can use it to clone a disk without any difficulties.
- One-stop cloning solution. Apart from entire disk clone, it is capable of moving only Windows OS or a specific partition of the disk to new drive, meeting diverse needs.
- Intelligent clone. It allows you to clone only the used space and skip bad sectors when cloning a disk.
- Sector-by-sector clone. It is able to to copy every sector of the disk and clone a hard disk with multiple partitions.
- Bootable media creation. It offers to create bootable USB or CD/DVD to clone hard drive without booting into the Windows system.
How to Clone Hard Drives with AOMEI Backupper
AOMEI Backupper widely supports disk cloning of HDDs/SSDs from all popular manufacturers, like Samsung, WD, Crucial, Intel, Kingston, etc. After downloading this AOMEI disk clone software, perform an HDD/SSD clone on your Windows PC with the steps below.
Step 1. Open this software, and click on the Clone tab, then choose Disk Clone.
Step 2. Select the hard drive that you are planning to clone as the source disk and click Next.
Step 3. Select a new drive as the destination disk and click Next. Be aware that all data on the destination disk will be erased, so please back up any important files beforehand.
Step 4. Then, you can configure the following cloning options according to your needs:
- SSD Alignment: use 4k technology to achieve the best performance of your target SSD disk.
- Sector by sector clone: copy all the sectors to the target disk, whether it is used or not. This demands that the destination drive have a larger or equal size to the source hard drive.
- Edit Partitions: resize the partition size per your need, and help to convert the partition style of the destination disk if it is different from the source drive.
Step 5. Preview all your cloning settings, and then click on Start Clone to copy all data from your old hard drive to the new disk.
Why Do You Need Disk Clone Software?
Disk clone software is essential for several scenarios:
- Upgrade to a larger drive: When your current drive is running out of space, cloning allows you to transfer all data to a larger drive without reinstalling the OS.
- Transfer from HDD to SSD: Cloning facilitates a smooth transition to a faster SSD, enhancing system performance.
- Data backup and recovery: Creating a clone serves as a comprehensive backup, enabling quick recovery in case of drive failure.
- System migration: When moving to a new computer, cloning your existing drive ensures all settings and files are preserved.
Bottom Line
If you are looking forward to upgrading to a new SSD, upgrading your storage, or replacing a failing HDD without data loss and with no need to reinstall the Windows operating system, you just need a trustworthy disk clone tool. With over a decade of experience in the cloning field, AOMEI Backupper can not only help you complete disk cloning quickly and easily, but also ensure the integrity of your data.
