What's the best free cloning software for Windows?
If your current hard drive has run out of disk space, exposed to disk write/read failures, or become too slow to boot Windows, you will request a hard drive replacement. But sometimes, you don't swap out an entire hard drive. Likewise, you want to make a copy of a single partition or a few, to keep an identical backup copy for forensic purposes.
A clone is a duplicate copy. Sheep have been cloned and maybe someday even people will be cloned, but disk cloning (performed by the hard drive cloning software) is a vital tool used to manage and protect data. Jan 16, 2020 Download free cloning software to clone a hard disk. The cloning process is simple to follow, and you can learn it in a few seconds. However, you still need to take a close look at the several underlying points so that you can make full use of it without difficulty. When data and applications change, the backup software saves these “incremental” changes. Incremental backups take significantly less time than a new backup (or disk image) of an entire source drive. And, it allows you to recover everything that has happened since the hard disk was first set up. Use cloning software when you want to. May 28, 2020 This software does disk imaging and disk cloning, allows you to access images from the file manager, creates a Linux rescue CD, and is compatible with Windows. 3: DriveImage XML. The software has a Mac Clone Utility Tool which clones the hard disk bit-by-bit. This would make the process of upgrading a disk or replacing it much easier and hassle free. The tool also allows the user to migrate their Mac Data from HDD or SDD with much ease. Jan 20, 2020 As free hard drive cloning software, MiniTool Partition Wizard offers two ways to clone hard drives for hard drive upgrade or data backup, including 'Copy Disk' and 'Migrate OS to SSD/HD' (if you only want to clone the system).
So, when and why do you need to clone/copy a hard drive to another? These are four typical scenarios.
- Upgrade a hard drive: from a small one to a big one, or from an old one to a new one.
- Change HDD to SSD: to keep consistent with the new IT era of installing light and fast SSD on a desktop or laptop.
- Create a backup: to maintain a full and exact copy of a hard drive or a partition for future use, for example, unexpected disaster recovery.
- Recover data from a damaged hard drive: to gain a way of retrieving data from a corrupted hard drive that becomes inaccessible, or not readable.
To clone a hard drive means to make a 1-to-1 copy of the original drive. It's the quickest and easiest approach to replace a hard drive along with its data. By cloning a disk to a new one, you can escape from the tedious work of transferring data and programs on the new drive. Since disk cloning has so many benefits, what's the most popular and convenient cloning software for Windows users? EaseUS Todo Backup has its competitiveness.
EaseUS free hard drive cloning software is with a slick interface, plus a range of cloning options. Though it's free, you can find an array of functionalities available for time-unlimited use, which you can only see in the commercial versions of its top 3 rivals.
Download free cloning software to clone a hard disk
The cloning process is simple to follow, and you can learn it in a few seconds. However, you still need to take a close look at the several underlying points so that you can make full use of it without difficulty.
1. It's possible to clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one, for example, 512GB to 256GB, but the used space of the 512GB hard drive should be under 256GB. The rule applies to a drive partition as well.
2. As soon as you launch EaseUS Todo Backup on your computer after installation, the software will prompt you a message asking you to create an emergency disk. This is a very helpful feature in case your computer crashed and won't boot someday. You can try to boot the machine from the EaseUS Todo Backup bootable disk to perform a recovery.
3. What if you're planning OS migration from HDD to SSD? You can also ask EaseUS Todo Backup for help but have this prior notice in your mind: [1] to ensure an absolutely free entrance to the System Clone feature, you need to download thehome versionby visiting the product page. [2] It's a 30-day free trial, which is enough for you to finish the task of migrating the system C drive as well as the boot partition from one drive to the other.
Step 1. Launch EaseUS Todo Backup and select the 'Clone' feature from the list on the left.
Step 2. Choose the original disk as the source disk and click 'Next'.
Step 3. Choose a destination disk, which can be another HDD/SSD or an external USB hard disk. Just be sure that the destination disk is larger than the source disk. Tick the option 'Optimize for SSD' under 'Advanced options' when the destination disk is an SSD for improved results. Click 'Next'.
Step 4. Preview the disk layout and click 'Proceed'.
The final word
When it comes to the suggestion of the best cloning software for Windows, we put EaseUS Todo Backup on the top list, by viewing the aspects of its ease of use, capability, smooth cloning experience and a free trial of the system clone feature, which you can never enjoy in other third-party utilities.
Download EaseUS disk clone freeware now and spend the least effort to copy and clone a hard drive. EaseUS hard drive cloning software is just what you need to copy the exact data content of one hard drive to another, file-by-file and sector-by-sector. No data loss or system boot errors will ever happen.
Furthermore, it's a versatile data backup and recovery program for Windows computers, Windows-compatible storage devices (external hard drives, flash drives, memory cards, etc.), and network drives. One page is far from enough to introduce a comprehensive program, so let this video introduction give you a quick glimpse at what EaseUS Todo Backup is meant to help you with the daily computer safety and facility.
Why clone Windows 10 HDD to another hard drive?
In our daily life, users often clone an old HDD to a new HDD or an SSD with a free Windows 10 HDD clone software. Why do you need to clone a hard drive in Windows 10? Let’s go into more detail.
HDD to HDD:
Pc Cloning Software Free
Firstly, you believe your old HDD need to be upgraded for a good performance. At the same time, you have some meaningful data on it. Then, you can move them to a new destination just in case.
Secondly, you want to migrate some data to another place. These data are very special for you. You need to care about the safety of them or even you just don’t want to put them with others together.
Finally, a hard disk drive is more affordable than an SSD, and this is why so many people choose to clone with an HDD even though he knows the practicability of an SSD.
HDD to SSD:
Why should you perform Windows 10 HDD clone to a solid state disk? That depends on the merits of the SSD.
To begin with, shorter operating system boot time. Around 22 seconds to boot up it.
Then, less power draw with no noise.
Finally, opening files with fast speed.
Hdd Cloning
Well, whatever the reason, to clone Windows 10 HDD to another hard drive, cloning software is needed. Just keep reading to learn the best cloning software that free for Windows OS.
The best free HDD cloning software for Windows 10
People care more about the safety, practicability and easy operation of Windows 10 HDD clone. AOMEI Backupper Standard, the best free cloning software for Windows 10 can be your best choice.
It can help you clone the entire HDD to another HDD/SSD, including operating system, installed applications and all the other data you will never want to lose.
It allows you to clone only used parts to another drive with the “Intelligent clone” function which makes it possible to clone larger drive to smaller drive.
Besides, this best software can also support Windows 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP (all editions, 32/64-bit). Simple interface, easy steps also make this HDD cloning software be praised by users. How do you use this cloning software? You can refer to the following steps. In the first place, download the free Windows 10 cloning software.
Download Freeware
Win 10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download
Steps of cloning Windows 10 HDD with the free software
Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper Standard and a simple interface will appear. You can click the Clone tab. Then, choose Disk Clone.
Note: This version only supports cloning disk with the same partition tyle, such as, cloning GPT disk to GPT disk. If you want to clone GPT disk to MBR or migrate MBR disk to GPT, you could consider upgrading to AOMEI Backupper Professional.
Step 2. Select your HDD (here is Disk 0) as the source disk. Then click Next.
Step 3. Choose your new HDD or SSD as a destination disk (take Disk 1 for example) and click Next.
Step 4. In this interface, you can have a preview. Then click Start Clone to migrate Windows 10 hard drive.
Notes:
You can click Edit Partitions to choose Copy without resizing partitions, Add unused space to all partitions, and Manually adjust partition size (supported by AOMEI Backupper Professional ). The last option can help you edit the size of every partition of the disk.
Sector by sector clone means clone all sectors on the old HDD. It needs a longer time to clone.
If your destination disk is an SSD, you can choose SSD Alignment to accelerate the speed of your SSD.
After cloning, the data of the destination disk will be overwritten. You should backup your important data firstly.
If you've cloned system HDD to another in Windows 10, make sure to change boot order or replace the old hard drive to boot from the cloned drive.
Conclusion
You can clone an HDD so easily with AOMEI Backupper, a free Windows 10 HDD clone software. You require only a few simple steps to move your Windows 10 hard drive to a new HDD or an SSD. It is highly recommended that to use the functions of the AOMEI Backupper Professional - system clone and system migration to HDD/SSD, migrate Windows 10/8/7 to SSD/HDD, etc.