How to Transfer/Copy Data from One Internal Hard Drive to Another

Provided methods can be applied to copy and transfer data from one internal hard drive to another drive on all Windows OS.

This post provides the tried and true ways to migrate all of your internal hard drive data to another drive easily. Three efficient methods can help you to transfer data from one internal hard drive to another one immediately:

#1. Clone Data and Transfer from One Internal Hard Drive to Another One Using Disk Copy

#2. Manually Copy and Paste Data from One Drive to Another Drive

#3. Transfer Data from One Internal Hard Drive to Another Using Windows Easy Transfer

How to Copy Everything from One Hard Drive to Another

"Hey, does anyone know how to copy or transfer everything on an internal hard drive to another? My data drive is getting full, and I purchased a bigger one, how do I move all the data to the new drive? And I'm afraid the copy and paste way would mess the data transferring as my original hard drive is mererly full with 200GB data saved. I need a more efficient and secure way. Help me please if you know a better resolution."

An internal hard drive with big storage space can give your PC a new lease on life and can improve the system performance. Sometimes the smaller hard drive runs out of space easily! A nice choice is to transfer the saved data or files to the bigger internal hard drive.

How to transfer or copy large files at a fast speed? Are you looking for an efficient way to copy and transfer data, including large files, to another disk? If you have the same need, you are in the right place! In the following, you will uncover three practical solutions for data transfer between two hard drives.

Note that the former the recommended method is listed, the easier and the more secure it would be for data transferring from one hard drive to another one. Let's check the details now.

Method 1. Clone Internal Hard Drive Data to Another One Using Disk Copy

Works to copy partition data or clone a whole internal disk to another disk on Windows 10/8/7.

The most efficient and secure way to transfer your internal hard drive saved data to another disk is to use fast disk clone software. Qiling Disk Copy supports you to perform the following operations besides cloning disk data to another drive:

Copy hard drive to a new computer.
Create a bootable CD/DVD or USB disk to clone the entire hard drive for disk upgrade to a new or bigger disk.
Complete sector-by-sector copy of the disk copy, which ensures the target disk/partition 100% identical to the original.

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Just follow the provided tool and tips below to copy the internal hard drive to another now.

Tips: Please activate Qiling Disk Copy for a smooth disk copying or cloning process.

Case 1 - Clone the Whole Internal Hard Drive Data to Another Drive

If you need to upgrade the internal hard drive by cloning the whole disk data to another bigger one, you should apply the Disk Copy feature.

Step 1. On Qiling Disk Copy, click "Disk/Partition clone" to start cloning.

Step 2. Select the hard drive as the source disk that you want to clone and click "Next".

Step 3. Choose the other disk as the destination disk.

Step 4. Check the disk layout of the destination disks. You can manage the disk layout of the destination disk by draging the left or right border of the partition.

Sector by sector clone: Copy as the source option will copy/clone the same layout of partitions on your source disk to the destination disk.
Edit disk layout allows you to resize or move partition layout on the destination disk manually.
If your destination disk is an SSD drive, do remember to tick "Optimize for SSD" option if the target is SSD.

Step 5: Click "Proceed" to start the hard drive cloning process.

A message now appears, warning you that data will be lost. Please confirm this message by clicking "OK".

Case 2 - Copy Partition Data to Another Drive

If you need to free up the current internal hard drive, copying partition data to another disk, you may use the Partition Copy feature.

1. Download, install and run Qiling Disk Copy on your PC.

2. On Qiling Disk Copy, click "Disk/Partition clone" to start cloning.

3. Select the source partitions that you want to copy or clone. Click Next to continue.

4. Select the target partition where you want to clone/copy the source partition to and click Next to continue.

5. Check and edit the partition layout: Autofit the disk, Copy as the source or Edit disk layout. You can manage the disk layout of the destination partition by draging the left or right border of the partition.

6: Click "Proceed" to start the hard drive cloning process.

A message now appears, warning you that data will be lost. Please confirm this message by clicking "OK".

After cloning, you can then delete data on the old internal hard drive so to free up the storage space, optimizing the disk performance.

Method 2. Manually Copy & Paste Data from One Drive to Another

Works to copy small files one by one. Any interruption may cause data loss.

For large file migration, copy and past will waste a lot of time and energy. Besides, simply copy and paste may miss some data. If you have less than 30GB files or data that need to be transferred from one internal hard drive to another one, you can simply choose the Copy & Paste option. It's free and easy.

Step 1. Navigate and select an empty partition or create a new partition on the new drive for saving data.

Step 2. Open the old internal hard drive, press Ctrl + A to select all existing data, or choose a single file, right-click to copy.

Step 3. Paste selected files to the other new drive.

Wait for the Copy & Paste process to complete. How to make sure that you have transferred everything on your hard drive? The only way is to identify them one by one on your own, which is time-wasting.

Method 3. Transfer Data from Internal Hard Drive to External Disk With Windows Easy Transfer

Works to transfer data from internal hard drive to external hard drive on Windows 8/7. Windows 10 is not supported.

If you prefer to free up internal hard drive data by transferring data to an external hard drive on Windows 8/7, you can give Windows Easy Transfer for a try:

Step 1. Click Start, type Windows Easy Transfer in Search. Click to open Windows Easy Transfer.

Step 2. Select an external hard drive as the target drive.

Step 3. Select "No" for This Is My Computer to install the external hard drive.

Windows will copy your data and settings to the external hard drive immediately.

The Bottom Line

This tutorial article includes three practical methods to help you efficiently transfer data from one internal hard drive to another one on Windows 10/8.7.

1. Qiling Disk Copy - It enables you to either clone a whole disk or a single partition to another drive. No data loss will happen.

2. Manual Copy & Paste - It's free access for you to copy files. For copying big files, any interruption or miss operation will cause file loss.

3. Windows Easy Transfer - An efficient Windows built-in file transfer tool, only available on Windows 7/8. It works only for PC to PC or internal drive to external hard drive file transfer.

For an all-in-one resolution, Qiling Disk Copy is surely the best.

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