If we need to copy our entire hard disk to another disk (HDD or SSD), we will have to clone the disk in use, so as to make the copy faithful to the original (both in size and integrity of the data). A good backup program is available on Windows to create an image of the system that can then be restored, but cloning the disk is a much more complex operation that must be performed with special programs.
The classic backup must still be restored, while if we clone a disk, it is replicated perfectly and it is possible, on the same computer, to replace the old hard disk with the new one with a simple removal of the old drive.
We discover in this guide how to clone a hard disk to another disk, both mechanical (the old HDD) and the new SSD (faster).
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1) Better backup or disk cloning "> AOMEI Backupper .
Once installed on the system (just a few clicks to be immediately operational) we open the AOMEI Backupper program by clicking on its icon and, in the main interface of the software, we click on the Clone item on the side.
In the new section that will open we click the Copy Disc button, so as to make a precise copy of each part of the disk (including all partitions and the boot system).
A new screen will now appear, where we will have to choose the source disk (the one to be cloned); select the right disk from those on the computer, then click Next on the bottom.
Now the program will make us choose the destination disk, that is the one that should receive the cloning; make sure to select the right disk (which must have a capacity equal to or greater than that of the disk to be cloned) and click Next again.
The last screen will appear before proceeding: from here we can press directly on the Clone button if the two disks are identical from a technological point of view (mechanical disk towards mechanical disk, SSD towards SSD); if instead we are cloning a mechanical disk into an SSD, we recommend activating the item Align partition to be optimized for SSD so as to make cloning more effective (given the different nature of the two disks).
Once the Clone button is pressed we can relax and wait for the end of the process: the duration depends on the speed of reading and writing of the two disks (in case of SSD it will be quite fast).
At the end we can turn off the PC and detach the disk that has received the cloning (if we intend to use it as a backup) or detach the old disk so as to use only the new one (in case of hardware update).
3) EaseUS Todo Backup Free
A good alternative to AOMEI Backupper for cloning the disk is EaseUS Todo Backup Free, available for download from here -> EaseUS Todo Backup Free .
Installed this program on our computer with Windows, we will have to do is click on the bottom right icon Clone, present in the sidebar (the icon may not be easily distinguishable, in case we click on the top right on the icon with the three horizontal lines).
A new window will now open, where we will have to click on the disk we intend to clone (indicated as Hard disk 0 if it is the first disk connected to the PC) and then click Next .
In the screen that will now appear we will have to select the disk on which to place the cloning, by clicking on Hard disk 1 (or other numbering assigned by the system, if there are more disks).
We check that the chosen disk is the right one and that it has enough space, then click Next and finally Proceed .
If we are cloning from a mechanical disk to an SSD, before clicking Next in the previous screen we click on Advanced Options at the bottom left, and enable the Optimize for SSD item, so as to perform an effective cloning.
The cloning will proceed quickly, just wait for the end of the process to turn off the PC and recover the disk on which the cloning is placed (or detach the old disk and leave only the new one).
4) Alternatives to clone a disk
In this guide we have shown you what we believe to be the simplest programs to clone a disk to another disk, smoothly and without any kind of surprises.
Being programs with a graphical interface, using them is simple for anyone and the result is very good.
In addition to these programs, there are also Live CDs, that is, programs that can be played in desktop environments separate from Windows and that can be started by the player or the DVD burner.
These are excellent to use in case we don't want to operate inside Windows, but they are decidedly more complex to use (since they often rely on Linux and use different acronyms and procedures).
In another article we have already listed some of the best free programs to clone the disk and make a complete copy; among these stand out CloneZilla and Parted Magic which are certainly very effective but are difficult to use for non-professional users.
For this reason, we recommend using only AOMEI Backupper or EaseUS Todo Backup Free to clone home disks, as they perform very well and are truly within everyone's reach.
