How to transfer data from one hard drive to another? If you only want to transfer files and folders, you can use Windows File Explorer. If you need to migrate an entire drive, including Windows, installed programs, partitions, and personal data, using MiniTool Partition Wizard to clone the disk is a better choice.
Which Method Should You Use to Transfer Data?
The best method depends on whether you want to transfer individual files, selected folders, or the entire hard drive.
| What You Want to Transfer | Recommended Method | Why | Requires Both Drives Connected? |
| Personal files or folders | File Explorer | Simple and built into Windows. | Yes |
| Files when the drives are on different computers or can’t be connected together | Cloud storage | No need to connect both drives to the same PC | No |
| Windows, applications, partitions, and files | Disk cloning | Migrates the system and data together | Yes |
| Everything from an old drive to a new drive | Disk cloning | Copies the contents of the entire drive | Yes |
How to Transfer Data from One Hard Drive to Another
You can transfer data from one hard drive to another in Windows by using File Explorer, cloud storage, or disk cloning software. The right method depends on what you want to transfer.
Method 1: Transfer Files with File Explorer
File Explorer is a simple and efficient method when you only need to transfer personal data rather than your entire system. The steps are as follows:
Step 1: Click the File Explorer icon and open it.
Step 2: Browse to the files or folders that you want to transfer. Then select them.
Step 3: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C (copy).
Step 4: Go to the target location and press Ctrl + V (paste).
Step 5: After confirming that the copied files are complete and correct, delete the original files.
Method 2: Transfer Data Using Cloud Storage
Cloud storage can be useful when the source and destination hard drives are not connected to the same computer.
This method is convenient for smaller amounts of data because it requires uploading and downloading data. Transferring a large hard drive through the internet can take considerably longer and may require sufficient cloud storage space.
Take Google Drive as an example, and follow these steps:
Step 1: Log in to Google Drive on the computer and upload the files from the old hard drive to the cloud.
Step 2: After the upload is complete, replace the hard drive and reinstall the OS if needed.
Step 3: Log in to Google Drive again and then download the files to the new hard drive.
Step 4: When the transfer is complete, check the file integrity. Once verified, you may delete the file copies from the cloud.
Method 3: Transfer Everything by Cloning the Hard Drive
If you want to transfer everything from one hard drive to another, disk cloning is a better option. In addition, before cloning, make sure the destination drive has enough capacity for the data you want to transfer and back up any important files stored on it because the cloning process may overwrite existing data.
How to clone a disk? You can use MiniTool Partition Wizard, a good disk partitioning software. Its Copy Disk function can help you clone an entire hard drive, including the operating system, partitions, and data.
In addition, this tool can also help you copy partitions, migrate OS to HD or SSD, create/resize/delete/extend partitions, recover data from hard drive, and more.
Here are the steps:
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Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard to its interface.
Step 2: Right-click the hard drive that you want to clone and then select Copy.
Step 3: Choose another internal hard drive as the destination drive, then click Next.
Step 4: Choose a Copy Option and click Next.
- Fit partitions to entire disk: If the target disk is larger than the original one, partitions will be enlarged proportionally to fit it. If the target disk is smaller, partitions will be shrunk proportionally to fit it.
- Copy partitions without resizing: This option copies all partitions from the source disk to the target disk without changing their sizes. If the target disk is larger, the remaining space will stay unallocated. This option is unavailable if the target disk is smaller than the original one.
- Align partitions to 1MB: This option is selected by default. It applies 4K alignment to the disk, improving the disk’s performance.
- Use GUID Partition Table for the target disk: This option only appears when the original disk uses the MBR style. It converts the target disk to the GPT style when cloning the disk. If the target disk is larger than 2TB, it’s recommended that you choose this option.
Step 5: Carefully review the note, and then click the Finish > Apply buttons.
After the cloning is complete, all data on the source hard drive will be fully copied to the target hard drive.
If you want to change the boot device, you should then boot into UEFI to set it.
Transfer Data from One Internal Hard Drive to Another FAQ
Common solutions include ensuring sufficient target disk space, checking disk health, choosing an appropriate partition format, updating the cloning software, repairing file system errors, and avoiding interruptions during the cloning process.
Bottom Line
This article tells you how to transfer data from one hard drive to another: copying specific files or cloning the entire drive. If you need to move a few files, File Explorer will do the job. But if you want to make a complete copy of your internal hard drive, MiniTool Partition Wizard provides a safer and more efficient option.
Using the Copy Disk feature, you can create a complete copy of your entire drive in just a few minutes, including all partitions, file systems, and hidden data. The tool also lets you manage disks/partitions, recover deleted or lost files, and switch between different disk formats.
If you have any questions or suggestions while using MiniTool Partition Wizard, you can contact us via [email protected] for further assistance.
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