Because SSDs don’t rely on moving parts, they offer quicker access times, lower latency, and less noise than HDDs. It's like comparing a sports car to a bicycle!
How to Install Windows 10 on a New SSD: A User’s Story
Case: Installing Windows 10 on a New SSD
"I want to do a clean install of Windows 10 on a new SSD and use it as the boot drive. I also want to keep my old WD 1TB hard drive for storage. What's the best and easiest way to move the old Windows 10 OS from the old hard drive? I'm not sure how to properly identify the OS files."
- Question from Microsoft.com
Why SSDs Are the Ultimate Upgrade for Your PC
So, you've probably heard that SSDs (solid-state drives) blow traditional HDDs out of the water when it comes to performance, especially as boot drives. Here's the scoop: SSDs use NAND flash memory and integrated circuits to store data, making them lightning-fast compared to the old-school spinning disks and moving read-write heads of HDDs.
Because SSDs don’t rely on moving parts, they offer quicker access times, lower latency, and less noise than HDDs. It's like comparing a sports car to a bicycle!
Given these perks, it's no wonder that many folks are looking to upgrade their old system disks to SSDs or install their OS on a new SSD. The result? Your computer boots up faster and runs smoothly, even with multiple programs running.
Now, you're probably wondering how to install Windows onto an SSD. We highly recommend using professional disk cloning software to transfer your data without any hassle. After testing numerous options, we've found a user-friendly disk cloning tool that's perfect for the job. Let me break down why we think it's the best choice.
Effortlessly Add an SSD to Windows 10 with AOMEI Backupper
A fresh install of Windows can be a real headache for some users. If you're looking for an easier way to finish without dealing with CDs or USB drives, and you want to keep all your data intact, AOMEI Backupper Professional is your go-to solution.
This all-in-one SSD cloning software works with Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11, and offers three cloning options: "Disk Clone," "System Clone," and "Partition Clone," to fit the needs of different users.
Pros:
- Disk Clone: Clone your entire hard drive to an SSD, even if the new drive has a different partition style, like cloning an MBR disk to a GPT disk.
- System Clone: Easily clone just the C drive to an SSD, which is super handy for migrating Windows 10 to a smaller SSD.
- Intelligent Clone: By default, the software uses "Intelligent Clone" mode, which only clones the used sectors to save space. You can also choose sector-by-sector mode for a complete copy.
- SSD Alignment: This feature speeds up the read and write operations of your SSD.
- Supported Devices: Clone any HDD or SSD, regardless of the brand, size, or interface.
Cons:
No Mac version is available yet.
How to Migrate Your OS to an SSD on Windows 10
Getting ready to move your OS to an SSD on Windows 10? Here’s a quick and easy guide to help you through it:
- Insert Your SSD: Pop your SSD into the drive bay and make sure it's detected. If your laptop doesn’t have room for another disk, you’ll need a SATA-to-USB adapter to connect the SSD. No second drive bay or adapter? No problem—just use the "System Backup" feature to create a system image and restore it to the SSD later.
- Install and Launch AOMEI Backupper: Download and start up AOMEI Backupper. You can check out the demo below if you need help getting started.
- Backup Important Data: Cloning will erase everything on the target SSD, so make sure to back up any important data first.
To install Windows 10 on your SSD without using a CD/DVD, follow these steps:
Step 1. Start the Cloning Process: Click on "Clone" and then select "System Clone" from the main page. If you want to clone the entire disk, choose "Disk Clone" instead.
Step 2. Select the SSD as the Destination: Pick your SSD as the new location and click "Next" to proceed. AOMEI Backupper will automatically select the system partition and any boot-related partitions for you.
Step 3. Begin Cloning: Confirm the operations, check "SSD Alignment" to boost SSD performance, and click "Start Clone" to install Windows 10 on the SSD without removing your HDD.
Tips:
- "Sector by Sector clone" is best if your target disk is the same size or larger than the source disk.
- After cloning your OS to the SSD, you can use the old disk as extra storage or get rid of it. To avoid data leaks, it’s a good idea to wipe the system partition or completely clean the hard drive.
- For installing SSDs on multiple PCs within a company, consider AOMEI Backupper Technician. With AOMEI Image Deploy, you can deploy the OS to multiple computers at once. Plus, you can create a portable version of AOMEI Backupper to run system clones on any computer.
Save Time with a Pro Disk Cloning Tool
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to upgrade your drive without losing any data, go with a professional . This software will keep all your data exactly as it was, making the transition seamless. Plus, it offers "Disk Clone" and "Partition Clone" features, so you can clone an SSD to a larger SSD, clone a hard drive to a WD SSD, clone an HDD to a Samsung SSD, or replace the hard drive in your ASUS laptop.
Just download AOMEI Backupper to upgrade your hard drive to an SSD in Windows 10, and enjoy enhanced data and system security.