It was necessary to look for ways and programs to transfer the system from HDD to SSD, since I had a lot of data on the current operating system and there was no way to perform a clean installation of the system. It is definitely best in this situation to install the Windows 10 operating system again and simply configure it; if you do not know which programs are best to use to transfer the system, then it will be even a little faster.
We decided to look into this issue and tell you how to transfer a Windows 10 system from HDD to SSD without reinstallation. In this article, we have selected the best programs for cloning a Windows 10 hard drive. We also note that with the help of these programs you can transfer the system even in previous versions of Windows.
Before using any of the programs on our list, you need to allocate SSD disk memory. Because after connecting a new SSD drive, the memory is not allocated by default. In this situation, the built-in Windows operating system disk management tool will help us.
Now you can see the new partition on my computer and use it in the future. How to add the My Computer icon to the desktop in Windows 10 can be found in ours.
Programs for cloning Windows 10 hard drive
There are many programs that allow you to transfer the Windows 10 operating system to an SSD drive without reinstallation. The transfer process itself is not complicated, but since I had a very weak HDD drive, some programs that everyone recommends for this simply took a very long time to determine the size of the system.
Therefore, our list of programs will start from the best and simplest to the more complex.
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Quickly transfer data from HDD to SSD
- Automatic search for installed operating systems
- Russian interface language
Using unique technology that allows you to move Windows to a smaller drive in one operation, you can quickly and easily migrate Windows from a large hard drive to a high-speed SSD. There is also support for all Windows operating systems and different system configurations.
It was this program that made it possible to transfer the system to an SSD drive the fastest. Due to the narrow focus of the program purely on transferring the operating system from HDD to SSD, the transfer is carried out in just a few clicks. A good bonus is that the program interface is in Russian, which will greatly please beginners. In fact, you can open the program and simply follow the OS migration wizard, it will do everything itself, you only need permission.
The downside of the program is the need to buy it, in principle, like most programs of this kind. Well, if you try, you can find an already activated version of the program.
- Free analogue of cloning programs (license for 30 days)
- Only English language of the program interface
- Intuitive and simple user interface
A good tool for transferring an operating system to an SSD drive. The program will not do everything automatically, like our previous software product. This will be a little more difficult to figure out, but the transfer can be done without purchasing a program license.
- Download and install the program.
- In the window that opens, select the license type Trial And Home, then press Dowmload to download the entire program.
- After installing the program, you will be asked to create a backup copy of the system in the form of a bootable USB flash drive.
- Next select the tab Create a backup, in which specify the system drive and select Clone this disk.
- Here we indicate which sections we want to transfer and select the option Select a disk to clone to to choose where to transfer.
- Next you will be shown how the transfer will be carried out, if everything suits you, then click Next and wait for the process to complete.
Although there is nothing complicated here, a beginner can get confused, so the first program on our list is Paragon Migrate OS to SSD, which we recommend that beginners use.
- Wide functionality of the program
- Availability of Russian interface language
- Simple user interface
To transfer the system, most inexperienced users recommend this particular program. Acronis True Image has the ability to perform direct disk cloning (a license is required), and disk cloning by creating a copy of the system (can be done in the free version).
The downside of the program, besides the need to buy or look for alternative ways to obtain a license, is that it behaves very strangely with very old hard drives. For some reason, the wrong size of the system disk was constantly displayed, or the program took a very long time to calculate. While she was trying to do something, she managed to try several other programs.
conclusions
In this article, we showed how to transfer a Windows 10 system from an HDD to an SSD drive without reinstallation. And also pay attention to the point in our article that Windows 10 does not see the SSD, since this must be done before transferring in any case.
All the programs on our list are good and can solve this issue, but we still recommend using Paragon Migrate OS to SSD, since it beats its competitors in speed and does almost everything automatically.
Good day, readers of my blog.
SSD drives are becoming more and more popular every year among ordinary computer users. This was achieved thanks to a significant reduction in price and an increase in basic characteristics. This type of equipment is in great demand as a device on which the operating system is installed. But in order not to waste time restoring all functionality again, you can simply transfer Windows 10 to an SSD. This procedure will restore system functionality in the shortest possible time. At the same time, all functionality will be fully preserved. But unlike working with a HDD, the system speed will increase noticeably.
It’s worth saying right away that transferring photos, video files or music from HDD to SSD is not entirely correct use. The fact is that the latter have a limited rewrite limit. And obviously active frequent rewriting can damage it. But the same cannot be said about standard hard drives, because they last a long time and remain in excellent condition. At the same time, regular hard drives have a relatively small clipboard - this significantly increases the response time of programs. That’s why many people purchase new drives to transfer the operating system to them.
Windows 10 on an SSD is a great combination as it has many advantages, including:
High speed of information processing.
Low heat generation.
At the same time, the operating system consists of files that do not require constant updating - they are only read. Therefore, after installing Win on a solid-state drive, the work will speed up significantly and the device’s resource will be consumed slowly.
How to choose?( )
When choosing an SSD, it is important to pay attention to several basic parameters:
possible number of rewrite times;
memory type;
company manufacturer.
It must be said right away that if you are going to install the tenth version of the OS from Microsoft on an SSD on a laptop or PC, it is better to choose models from 120 GB. There are devices from 64 GB, but it is better not to consider them as the main device. And this is confirmed by several reasons:
That is why the solid state drive for the operating system should not be less than 120 GB.
Connection and setup( )
So, let's proceed directly to the process itself:
After that, in the section " Computer"You will be able to see the new device under the letter we specified.
OS transfer( )
There are a lot of programs for completely moving the operating system from one disk to another. They are both free and offered for money. Generally speaking, the software differs only in appearance. At the same time, the operating algorithm is almost identical. Each of them simply clones the existing system onto another storage device. Therefore, there is no need to study the operating instructions for all of them - just get acquainted with one of them. At the same time, the interface is intuitive throughout, which allows almost any user to do everything that is necessary.
Software that is suitable for cloning:
Well, as you can see, there are a lot of programs that allow you to transfer information from one device to another. It is worth noting that the OS itself does not provide for cloning to an SSD using Windows. Therefore, you need to use third-party applications.
Transfer process( )
In order not to talk about each software separately, I will introduce you to the system from Acronis. First you need to find a program. It is worth immediately noting that a special key must come with it. Without it, functionality will be limited. To download this application, use my course called
So, to make a clone of your existing drive, you need to do a few steps:
After all the preliminary steps are completed, the program will ask you to reboot your device. Then the Acronis application menu will appear on the screen, showing the copying process. When the process is completed, the computer will automatically turn off.
Disc selection( )
After everything is finished, you need to set it so that Windows will now start from the solid-state drive:
Turn on the computer and go into the BIOS.
We go to the menu in which the loading order is set. We indicate the disk on which we now have a clone. You can find out how to set the disk loading order.
We save and exit.
Moving your system to an SSD is an effective way to organize your computer.
Content:Please note that depending on the version of Windows and the parameters of the purchased flash drive, transfer methods may vary.
What data can be transferred to SSD
Storing the operating system on an SSD not only speeds up its operation, but also improves the response of other programs and files that are stored on the disk.
The user can transfer the following types of data to a flash drive:
- Operating system . It is added to the SSD with all ready-made drivers and settings. In essence, a duplicate of it is created, which was previously stored on the HDD;
- Programs – choose yourself which applications you want to add to and which you want to leave on (HDD). We advise you to leave extensive programs for video editing and software development/testing on your computer - this way they will work many times faster;
- User files . This can be any of your documents, photos, music, videos and other types of data.
Components to move
To add used Windows to the SSD, the following objects are required:
If you only work with OS resources, you won't need to install a third-party utility to transfer.
Computer requirements
Before you perform any OS migration steps, make sure that your device meets all the minimum requirements that allow the utility to interact with the SSD and transfer large amounts of data.
The minimum requirements are shown in the following table:
Parameter name: | Minimum value: |
---|---|
OS | · Windows XP (32x only); · Windows Vista (all bits); · Windows 7 (all bits); · Windows 8\8.1 (all bits); · Windows 10 (all bits). |
RAM | At least 1GB |
Types of drives you carry | GPT or MBR |
Copied sections | Standard. Without the ability to transfer RAID arrays |
You can compare your computer's settings with the specifications listed above using the About window.
It displays correct data about the main hardware and software components of the device:
We use the built-in capabilities of Windows
Follow the instructions to transfer the operating system to a flash device:
- Open the window "Disk Management". To do this, enter the command diskmgmt.msc in the Run window and confirm the action;
Fig.3 - launching disk management tool
- Now you need to reduce the size of the OS on the disk. You can perform this action using the Shrink Volume function. All data will remain in the same state, only the space occupied on the HDD will decrease. Right-click on the “System” section, and then on “Shrink Volume”;
Fig. 4 – Volume compression
- After successfully reducing the size of the OS, a free partition will appear in the disk layout. This means that everything was done correctly;
- Connect the drive to your computer and reboot the window "Disk Management";
- Now click on the “Wizard” tab and select “OS SSD Transfer” from the list;
Fig.5 - “Master” tab
- The standard utility for . Click on the "Next" button to go to the settings;
- Click on the item "Unoccupied space" and go to the next window;
Fig.6 – disk space selection
- Now you can independently change the size of the future disk or leave all parameters unchanged;
Fig.7 - changing the disk partition size
- After clicking the “Next” button, the wizard will begin moving the system. After completing the action, you can turn off the computer and the next time you boot, select the OS that is located on the SSD.
Windows will also remain on the hard drive. You can delete it or use it as a backup copy when you need to restore the system.
Fig. 8 - the result of a successful Windows move
Don't forget to click on the "Apply" button in the upper left part of the window "Disk Management", otherwise all changes made will not be saved.
If you encounter error windows or freezes during the transfer, you should reset the settings, restart your PC, and try the transfer again.
Fig.9 - applying changes
Instructions for SSD from Samsung
The company has released an official utility that allows you to quickly move the OS from your hard drive to a purchased flash drive.
The utility is called Samsung Data Migration. You can download it for free from the company’s official website (section “Memory” - “SSD”) or using the disk that comes with the device.
The initial program window looks like this:
Fig. 10 – Samsung Data Migration utility window
Immediately after launching the utility, connect the SSD to your computer using the appropriate adapter. Click on the “Start” button.
Fig. 11 – analysis of a disk with an installed copy of Windows
After analysis, the program will automatically detect the SSD connected to the computer and display it on the screen:
Fig. 12 – reconciliation of the source and destination disk
If the space occupied by Windows on the HDD does not exceed the available space on the SSD, you can immediately begin the transfer by clicking on the “Start” button.
The automatic movement of all components will begin. The procedure can take from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the version of Windows used.
Fig. 13 - successful system transfer
As a result, you will receive a success notification. Close the window and delete all Windows data from the HDD.
The advantage of using Samsung Data Migration is its simple interface. The program will do all the work for you and minimize the likelihood of errors or bugs appearing after transferring the OS.
What to do if during the analysis stage you find that there is not enough space for the OS on the SSD? In this case, you need to clean Windows of unused data and applications.
You can do this directly in the Samsung Data Migration utility window.
Fig. 14 - Error. Not enough SSD space
After the error text appears (highlighted in red), click on the “Next” button and in a new window, delete all library files that are cluttering the system.
Clean the OS until the text appears in the main utility window "Ready to clone to SSD".
Fig. 15 – successful cleaning of unnecessary files
Acronis True Image utility
Acroins is the most popular utility for transferring an OS to removable media. It recognizes all SSD brands. The application is supported by all versions of Windows, so there will be no compatibility problems.
Remember, you can only use the application if your PC hardware has a disk from the manufacturer Acronis.
If a component is missing, the utility will not start, and the user will be notified that it is impossible to work with the program.
Fig. 16 – main window of the Acroins application
To move the system, connect the removable drive to the computer and click on the tile in the program window "Disk cloning"-"Copying partitions".
In the window that opens, select automatic movement mode. It is suitable for all tasks and copies data quickly.
Fig.17 - selection of cloning mode
All sections will be copied to . All data that was on the SSD before cloning will be deleted.
The disk itself will become bootable and can only be used to run operating systems installed on it.
Fig. 18 – copying process
Seagate DiscWizard utility
The utility completely replicates the Acronis interface. It must be used if your PC has at least one hard drive from the manufacturer Seagate.
To clone, you should follow the same steps as described in the previous paragraph of the article.
Fig. 19 – Seagate Disc Wizard main window
Changing the bootloader configuration
After cloning the system, a copy of the OS will remain on the computer, and every time you boot, a window will appear with a boot selection. After the transfer, we recommend that you perform a number of actions:
- Without deleting the original copy from the HDD, test the operation of Windows on the HDD. There are times when the system starts to slow down and performance deteriorates. This happens extremely rarely and depends solely on the selected SSD. As long as the first copy is not deleted, you will always have the opportunity to return to using it and remove the OS from the SSD;
- Change your system bootloader settings.
The boot manager is a built-in component that helps your computer determine which installed operating system to run. You can also configure the startup order of hardware components.
Immediately after, the manager will show two systems with identical names - the original and the copied one.
If Windows runs normally on an SSD, you need to remove the version that remains on the computer’s hard drive. Follow the instructions:
- Restart your PC and run the version that was moved to the flash drive;
- Open ;
- Enter the command shown in the figure below, giving the OS copies on the SSD a unique name;
Fig.20 - command for renaming the bootloader component
- Now configure the dispatcher so that it always launches the new OS first. You can do this using the following command:
Fig. 21 – automatic launch of the cloned OS
- To remove the old system, enter the following command (where ID is the number of the old copy of the OS in the bootloader list):
Fig. 22 - deleting the original copy of Windows
Bottom line
As you can see, to transfer the system to a removable flash drive, you just need to use a universal utility for duplicating components or perform the move yourself.
Don't forget to delete the boot record of a disk that is no longer in use. If this is not done, errors may occur when turning on the OS.
Users who have migrated their system to an SSD note increased computer performance and faster completion of complex tasks and processes.
The loading speed of the operating system increases by 2-3 times.
Thematic videos:
How to connect an SSD to a desktop computer. Transferring Windows from HDD to SSD
Correctly connecting an SSD drive to a personal desktop computer. How to quickly transfer Windows OS from a hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD). Practical advice, performance assessment after replacing with an SSD.
Laptop hard drive HDD SSD system transfer free
Laptop hard drive HDD SSD system transfer + system cloning program
Until recently, the only option for ROM on any computer or laptop was the so-called hard drive or hdd. However, most PC and laptop users today have already heard about solid-state drives and many have chosen them. Despite the fact that the more familiar hdd has its advantages, more and more often when choosing a permanent storage device, the scales tip towards the ssd, which appeared on the market in 2009 and immediately established itself as faster and more reliable compared to its predecessor. What is the difference between ssd and hdd and in what cases should one or another drive be preferred?
Differences between ssd and hdd
Both the traditional hdd and the more modern ssd are used to store information that remains on the computer at all times, including after it is completely turned off (unlike random access memory devices). The fundamental difference between these two devices is the method of data storage: in hdd, information is stored due to the magnetization of certain parts of it, in ssd it is recorded in a special type of memory, presented in the form of microcircuits.
Externally, a hdd looks like several disks with a magnetic coating, information from which is read through a moving head. Data placed on such a disk can be read at a speed of 60–100 Mbit per second, the disk itself rotates at a speed of 5–7 thousand revolutions per minute (you can imagine the work of a hdd by looking at a vinyl record player). The disadvantages of hdd are known to any user:
- makes noise during operation. The noise is caused by electric motors and rotating disks;
- low speed of reading information due to the fact that some time is spent positioning the head;
- susceptibility to mechanical damage.
Both the traditional hdd and the more modern ssd serve as permanent storage devices
The ssd device is fundamentally different from the hdd: to be precise, the ssd disk does not have any disks at all, as well as other rotating and moving elements. Solid State Drive is a set of chips placed on one board. An ssd works roughly like a flash drive, but many times faster: information is written and read from such a device at a speed of 600 Mbit (with a SATA connection interface) to 1 GB (with an ePCI interface) per second. Obviously, such a disk is preferable to users who care about the speed of processes occurring in the computer.
In addition to high performance, ssds are quiet during operation and are less susceptible to mechanical damage. At the same time, they are capable of storing less information and are more expensive than HDDs. Thus, a computer with an ssd works faster, and a computer with an hdd stores more data: taking this into account, you can choose the most appropriate type of drive for yourself.
Pros of moving OS to ssd
Transferring Windows 10 to an SSD allows, as a rule, to make the OS more “responsive” to any user actions. The use of ssd for storing media files is controversial due to the limited rewriting limit of such devices. In this case, it is more advisable to have a hdd, which can serve the owner for a long time if its resource is used correctly. Windows components are static files that are not constantly overwritten, but only read, so working with the OS when transferring it to an ssd will speed up several times, and the device’s resource will be consumed extremely slowly. The configuration of modern PCs provides for a mixed disk interaction scheme, which eliminates the problems associated with limiting overwrites: in this case, the operating system runs on an ssd, and media file libraries are stored on a hdd.
Video: features of moving the OS to an ssd
Transferring Windows 10 from hdd to ssd
You can transfer Windows 10 from hdd to ssd using the capabilities of the OS itself or using third-party software.
Using Windows 10 tools
Despite the fact that Microsoft has not provided its users with special cloning tools, certain features of Windows 10 allow you to transfer the OS from a hdd to an ssd. In this case you will need to do:
- media preparation;
- intermediate cloning;
- transfer to ssd.
SSD drives placed inside a PC are not formatted (unlike those connected via USB), and therefore they are identified by the computer, but are not reflected in the OS. To make all drives formatted and visible, you need to:
- Mount the drive into the computer. After turning on, the OS recognizes only the system partition C.
Initially, the computer sees only partition C - Press Win+X to open the custom menu. Press Win+X to call up the custom menu
- Click "Disk Management".
- In the management manager that opens, select the partition table - MBR for 32bit systems and GPT for 64bit. Press Win+X to call up the custom menu
- Click "Disk Management".
- In the management manager that opens, select the partition table - MBR for 32bit systems and GPT for 64bit.
In the management manager that opens, select the partition table - MBR for 32bit systems and GPT for 64bit - Call the context menu in the unallocated area and click “Create simple volume”.
Next, call up the context menu in the unallocated area and click “Create a simple volume” - In the wizard that opens to create simple volumes, follow the prompts.
- Of all the pop-ups, changes can only be made when setting a volume label.
Of all the pop-ups, changes can only be made when setting a volume label - At the last step, the wizard will highlight the parameters of the created volume.
At the last step, the wizard will highlight the parameters of the created volume
The same thing should be repeated with the ssd, giving it a different name.
Using third party programs
Among the programs with the most favorable user reviews:
- Acronis WD Edition, which is a convenient tool for cloning drives, as well as creating backup copies of the OS and applications. The program allows you to configure the required data and delete unnecessary information. The user of the program will be able to restore the OS if any files or folders are accidentally deleted, or if problems with accessing information arise due to errors. The program is free, to use it you need:
- . This program differs from the previous one only in that it is developed for Seagate disks (the Acronis WD Edition program is for Western Digital disks);
Seagate DW is designed to work with Seagate drives - Samsung DM. If the ssd is manufactured by Samsung, then this program is suitable for transferring Windows 10 to it; it works through the installation wizard and can perform a complete or selective data transfer;
Samsung Data Migration program is designed to work with Samsung disks - Minitool PW. This program is considered to be one of the best solutions when choosing a method for transferring an OS from hdd to ssd. MiniTool Partition Wizard Free has a convenient, intuitive interface, versatility, support for all types of hard drives recognized by Windows;
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free has a convenient, intuitive interface, versatility, support for all types of hard drives recognized by Windows - - a program designed to create and restore an image of a disk or its partitions.
Macrium Reflect is a program designed to create and restore an image of a disk or its partitions
Setting up Windows 10 after transferring to ssd
You can ensure optimal operation of the OS on an SSD drive using a number of settings that are performed after transferring Windows 10 to a solid-state drive.
Checking the parameters of the new disk
Before proceeding with settings (or optimization), you should check whether the following are enabled:
- ACHI SATA mode;
- TRIM support on Windows.
To perform these checks, you will need to enter the BIOS and verify that the drive is running in ACHI. You can open the BIOS in Windows 10:
- restarting the PC while holding down the Shift button;
- When you turn on the PC, press and hold the F2 button in this position.
Once in the BIOS, you should find the SATA Configuration line, click on it and select the required mode. If it turns out that the ATA mode is activated, you need to make the appropriate switches.
To perform the checks, you will need to enter the BIOS and ensure that the drive is running in ACHI
In this case, the system may refuse to boot due to the lack of necessary drivers. You can solve this problem by installing the drivers first or reinstalling Windows. In addition, older computers may not have ACHI mode at all: in this case, you need to update the BIOS.
You can make sure that ACHI is present in the system using the device manager (which can be found in the Start menu): if among the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers there is a device whose name contains SATA ACHI, nothing else should be done.
If among the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers there is a device whose name contains SATA ACHI, you do not need to do anything else
Why is ACHI mode needed? To ensure correct operation of TRIM ssd drive. What is TRIM? This is a special ATA interface command used to transfer data to the ssd about those blocks that are no longer required and can be overwritten. Using TRIM allows you to speed up the disk and ensure uniform resource consumption of its memory cells.
You can find out whether TRIM is supported by the operating system using the command line, running it as an administrator and entering the fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify command. If it turns out that DisableDeleteNotify=0, then everything is in order and you can continue working. If instead of 0 there is 1, this means that TRIM is turned off.
To enable TRIM, enter the command fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0
Disabling features
To optimize the performance of newly installed Windows 10, it is advisable to disable some functions that were used on the hdd drive.
Indexing
You can find the indexing service by sequentially clicking on the control panel icon, the “Administration” section, and the “Services” subsection. When a window opens with a list of local services, right-click on Windows Search.
You can find the indexing service by sequentially clicking on the control panel icon, the “Administration” section, the “Services” subsection
After this, the “Properties” window will open, in which you need to select the record type “Disabled” and click the “Stop” button.
In the “Properties” window, you must select the recording type “Disabled” and click the “Stop” buttonA function such as file indexing is relevant when working on a hdd, since in this case it allows you to speed up the operation of the OS. Considering that the ssd already works quite quickly, and repeated rewrites can harm the disk, indexing can be sacrificed without compromising performance. To do this, you will need to uncheck the permission to index files in the local disk properties. You can open the local disk properties window by clicking “This PC”, right-clicking on one of the disks and selecting “Properties”.
To disable indexing, in the local disk properties, uncheck the permission to index filesDefragmentation
If the OS is installed on a regular hard drive, then through defragmentation you can organize the location of files and, as a result, speed up the system. The solid-state drive provides equal access time to all files and works reliably without defragmentation. Defragmentation settings can be made by going to “This PC”, right-clicking on one of the drives, selecting “Properties” and going to the “Tools” tab, in which you should click the “Optimize” button.
Defragmentation settings can be made by going to “This PC”, right-clicking on one of the drives, selecting “Properties” and going to the “Tools” tab.
To disable defragmentation, you need to go to the optimization settings, click “Change settings” and uncheck “Run on a schedule”
Search service
The search service is designed to create file indexes to help you find them faster. The average user rarely needs this function, so you can safely disable it. One of the ways to access the search services settings can be to call up the dialog box by pressing Win + R and entering the services.msc command.
To access the search service settings, press Win+R and enter the command services.msc
In the window that opens, select Windows Search and double-click, after which properties will open, in which you should select the startup type “Disabled” and click “Apply”.
The search service can be disabled by following the following steps: Control Panel → System and Security → Administrative Tools → Services → RMB on the Windows Search service → Properties → Startup type → DisableHibernation
After turning off the PC, the image of the working OS is saved using hibernation on the internal drive, which subsequently speeds up the startup of Windows. When working on an ssd, hibernation can be disabled, since the loading speed in this case is already high, and frequent rewriting can shorten the life of the disk. You can disable this feature using the powercfg –h off command entered into the command line.
You can open Command Prompt as an administrator by right-clicking on the Start menu. After that, enter powercfg –h off and press Enter.
You can open Command Prompt as an administrator by right-clicking on the Start menu, then typing powercfg –h off and pressing Enter.
Prefetch SuperFetch
If you have frequently used software installed on your computer, Prefetch helps you launch it faster, and SuperFetch determines which program is about to launch. The OS on the ssd can run successfully without these options. To disable these options you must:
Formatting an old drive
When turning on the computer after transferring the OS to the ssd, the user will see a window asking to select a boot. After cloning the OS onto the ssd, it remains on the old disk and is used, as a rule, as storage for various kinds of files. It is not recommended to remove Windows 10 from the hard drive immediately after completing the transfer procedure to the ssd. It would be correct to first check the operation of the OS on the new disk, so that you can return to the previous state of the computer in case of any problems.
After this, you will need to change the system bootloader settings. A built-in component called the boot manager allows the computer to determine whether to start the copied or original system. If it turns out that the OS on the ssd works correctly, the old version can be uninstalled from the hard drive. To do this you need:
You can delete an OS from a hdd using the delete ID command.
AppData transfer
AppData is a hidden subdirectory of the Users system folder by default. It stores files that, according to Microsoft developers, should not be of particular interest to the user. However, if AppData is transferred to an SSD, it should be taken into account that after a certain time the size of this folder may grow so large that there is a shortage of free space on the disk. You can get rid of unnecessary files using a tool such as CCleaner.
Transferring AppData to another drive entirely is problematic, because the properties of this folder do not have a “Location” tab. But this tab has the Local, Roaming and LocalLow folders, located inside AppData. Therefore, you need to transfer the contents of the AppData folder to the required disk in one of the following ways:
- making changes to the register;
- using OS Explorer tools.
If you transfer using the first method, you must:
To transfer using Windows 10, you need to do the following:
- create the AppData folder in the required location and the Local, Roaming and LocalLow folders in it;
- in the existing AppData folder, select Roaming and open its properties;
- in the “Location” tab of the next window, click “Move”;
- in the newly created Roaming folder, open the “Location” tab and click “Move” and “Apply”;
- confirm your intention to transfer files;
- do the same for the Local and LocalLow folders.
Those PC users who already use an ssd will confirm that their computer or laptop now starts up much faster, and working with programs has become much more convenient due to the fact that access to all files is available simultaneously. Supporters of the traditional hdd may say that fast startup is not the most important requirement for a PC, since it turns on 1-2 times a day, and not everyone needs speed when working with a large number of programs. In addition, for some, factors such as the cost and capacity of the ssd may be significant, in terms of which the solid-state drive is still inferior to the hard drive. Nevertheless, ssd drives have many more advantages and, above all, their reliability, efficiency, noiselessness and speed.
SSD drives are becoming more and more popular. This is due to the fact that their reliability indicators increase, cost decreases and other parameters improve. They are perfect for installing an operating system. To avoid having to reinstall the system, let's look at how to transfer Windows 10 to an SSD while preserving all data.
If the user decides to use an SSD as a disk to store multimedia files (audio and video files, photos), then this is a rather controversial issue. These devices have a limited rewrite limit. Active use will very quickly damage the drive. This is its main difference from HDD, which can work for more than 10 years and remain in excellent condition. But older hard drives use the SATA II interface for connection, which has a low response time and a small buffer volume. This is why users decide to purchase a solid-state drive in order to transfer Windows 10 to it.
To install the operating system, SSD drives are perfect. They have the following advantages:
- Low level of heat generation.
- Quiet operation.
- High read and write speed.
In addition, Windows files are static files that do not require constant rewriting; they are read-only. If you install the operating system on a solid-state drive, this will speed up its operation several times, and the device resource will be used quite slowly.
SSD selection
There are many indicators on which it depends. Let's look at the highest priority ones, on which transferring the system to an ssd will depend:
- Manufacturer.
- Memory type.
- Number of rewrite cycles before failure.
To install Windows 10, you must select a solid-state drive size of only 120 GB or more. There are certain reasons why you should not choose 64 GB drives:
- To ensure normal and stable operation of the SSD drive, it should have up to 20% free space of the total volume. If a 64 GB model is used (in fact, the volume will be 58 - 60 GB), then only 40 - 45 GB will be available for active use. Microsoft recommends using 16 GB of free disk space for Windows 10 for a 32-bit system and 20 GB for a 64-bit system. This will be half of the required space.
- When a new Windows 10 is installed or an existing one is updated, a copy of the old operating system will remain on the system hard drive, which is used for recovery. This adds another 15 – 20 GB.
- Users, in addition to browsers and video players, use various utilities and programs. There will be a lot of space required for their installation. If the user processes video or likes to spend time playing computer games, then he will need even more memory on the system disk.
Let's consider transferring Windows 10 to ssd using the example of a Kingston HyperX Savage 120GB solid-state drive:
- Turning off the computer. It must be disconnected from the network by unplugging the plug from the socket. The computer is completely de-energized in 4 seconds; to do this, you need to press and then hold the power button.
- You need to open the case and install the solid state drive. The new cases have bays where you can install an SSD in a 2.5-inch form factor. It is not available on older models, so you must have a suitable adapter frame.
- Connecting the SATA cable and power to the solid-state drive. Closing the case.
- Now you need to turn on the computer and go into the BIOS. It sets the AHCI operating mode for the SSD drive. The changes are saved and you can launch Windows 10.
- Right-click on “Start” and select “Disk Management”.
- The connected SSD drive will be displayed at the bottom of the table. It will be marked in black and labeled “Not distributed.”
- Right-click on the solid-state drive, select “Create simple volume”, click “Next”.
- We set the maximum size of a simple volume and click “Next” again.
- Select the volume letter and click “Next”.
- Now you need to set the switch to the “Format this volume...” section. Leave all values as default, click “Next” and “Finish”.
Now the new drive with the selected letter will be displayed in Explorer.
Transferring Windows 10
If you don’t know how to transfer Windows 10 to an SSD, then first you need to install the Acronis True Image program. This software has a large number of functions. Some SSD drives come with a free activation key for the program. The software itself is paid, so it is not suitable for everyone.
There are other programs (free and paid) that transfer a partition from Windows to other drives:
- Paragon Drive Copy is a paid program with the widest functionality.
- Macrium Reflect is a free software for the ssd cloning process with an English-language interface.
- Samsung Data Migration – used to work with Samsung SSDs.
- Seagate DiscWizard – works when installing a Seagate drive.
All programs have an excellent interface, but use the same operating algorithm. They transfer data from one disk to another while maintaining all settings. There is no need to study instructions for their operation; they are made at an intuitive level for users.
We perform the following actions:
- Launching Acronis True Image. Then go to the “Tools” menu and select “Clone Disk”.
- The cloning mode is selected: manually and automatically. In order not to worry about making mistakes, you can select automatic mode. In this case, the software itself will transfer all information from one disk to another. The SSD drive must have a capacity no less than the volume of files contained on the HDD. To configure the transfer parameters, you must select manual configuration. Let's choose manual setting in our example.
- Now the source disk from which data will be cloned is indicated.
- Select a drive to transfer files to.
- We exclude files that will not be needed during cloning hdd to ssd. To transfer, you will only need files with the operating system, so we select them. The process of calculating information will last a long time from 15 to 20 minutes.
- If necessary, we change the disk structure.
- We look through all the initial data and click “Proceed”.
When the preliminary operations are completed, the software will ask you to restart the computer. Then, instead of loading the operating system, the Acronis True Image utility window will open, where the process of cloning the hard drive to the ssd will be displayed. You must wait until the operation is completed, after which the personal computer will be turned off.
Selecting the main drive in BIOS
We carry out the following points:
- Turn on the computer and enter the BIOS.
- You need to set the computer to boot from a solid state drive. This is necessary so that the operating system boots from the cloned disk with Windows 10. Then we save the changes and launch Windows.
Setting up the OS after the migration process
After transferring the system to ssd, you need to check the following parameters:
- Is file indexing disabled?
- Is disk defragmentation disabled? It is not required due to the way solid-state drives operate.
- Is the TRIM function enabled?
If we consider the hibernation file, many users advise disabling it to reduce the amount of information written to the SSD disk, which will significantly extend its operating time. If you often use this mode, you can leave it on.
When cloning data, in the settings you can specify the creation of the same hard drives that were on the HDD. Let's look at the process of merging them using the Disk Management utility:
- Right-click on “Start”, select “Disk Management”, then select “SSD drive”.
- Right-click on an empty disk and select “Format.”
- RMB on this disk, select the “Delete volume” section, confirm the deletion.
- RMB on this disk, click on “Delete partition”, confirms the operation.
- Repeat similar steps with the remaining free disks. Unallocated space will appear, which is marked in black.
- RMB on the disk where the operating system is located, select “Extend volume”, click “Next”.
- We indicate the maximum free space indicator, click “Next” and “Finish”.
We delete Windows 10 files that are located on the HDD by formatting the disk. This will ensure there is no confusion in the future and will also free up space for storing information.
conclusions
The table provides information on certain points before and after transferring Windows 10 to an SSD:
Using the Winaero WEI tool utility, you can calculate the performance of the operating system. After the Windows 10 port, the “Primary Hard Drive” indicator was increased from 5.6 to 7.95.
It turns out that Windows performance has increased. The software started to launch faster, and the time for rebooting and copying files was reduced. Overall, the system's responsiveness has increased significantly.