
In the last use case, a common reason is when the free space is running out on a hard drive. Preparation for a new computer installation.Similarly, when a user is moving from HDDs to SSDs within the same laptop, cloning makes the changeover swift and relatively painless. Shifting from a PC to a laptop (or onto a new laptop) is simplified by just migrating the clone onto the new hardware platform. That offers peace of mind in the event of a disaster, theft of device, or other event.Ĭlones serve a valuable role, too, when you are moving from one device to another. A safer way is to have the clone reside on an external device or on another server.

Sometimes the clone resides within the same PC, server, or laptop.

There are various approaches and use cases for cloning. Instead of having to reinstall everything from scratch, it is all provided rapidly by the clone. It includes the data, applications, system software and related files. If the drive crashes or fails, the clone gives you fast access to everything on it as it is a duplicate of the original. If you're having problems seeing your drive, make sure you check out our troubleshooting guide on how to fix an external hard drive that won't show up.Disk cloning software rose to prominence as an alternate way to back up and restore hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state devices (SSDs). You can find out how to install and connect your drive using the manufacturer's instructions. The first step is to ensure you have your new disk or drive installed in or connected to your computer.

Read on for detailed instructions regarding each step.ġ. Ensure the new drive is installed in or connected to your computer.

īut if you're only cloning a single drive one time, it's probably better to go with the free option, right? How to clone a hard drive on Windows This app offers all the basic functionality you'll need if your goal is to simply clone one hard drive to another, though there are a number of paid apps with more advanced features such as quicker cloning speeds, including O&O DiskImage (opens in new tab) and Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office (opens in new tab). The software we would recommend using when cloning drives is Macrium Reflect Free (opens in new tab), which, as its name suggests, doesn't cost a cent.
