[Tried and True] How to Upgrade HDD to SSD Without Reinstalling Windows

Is your laptop's hard drive too small to hold extensive data? Or is the hard disk too old so that your computer runs at a slow speed? To solve these issues, the best way is to upgrade the laptop's hard drive to an SSD. But replacing the hard drive with an SSD will remove the Windows.

Stay calm! This article from Qiling will explain how to upgrade HDD to SSD without reinstalling Windows for better performance. Hurry up and learn how.

Before diving into the detailed information on this topic, let's see what you need to prepare.

🧰Tools You Will Use	Qiling Disk Copy
📃Preparations	A computer running on Windows 7/8/10/11. A new SSD with a larger capacity to accommodate the data on the old drive. Download disk cloning software - Qiling Disk Copy. Format the new SSD to make it function properly after cloning. SSD connector cable. A screwdriver.

Download this awesome disk cloning software here

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, 100% Secure

Can I Upgrade HDD to SSD Without Reinstalling Windows

Replacing an HDD with an SSD, especially an old laptop hard drive, will significantly reduce the time it takes to boot your Windows, load programs, edit videos, play games, transfer considerable amounts of files, etc. Therefore, it is worth upgrading an HDD to an SSD. But can we replace a hard drive in the laptop with an SSD without reinstalling Windows?

The answer is yes. When installing an SSD on a laptop, you are suggested to replace the computer's hard drive and reinstall the operating system in some forums. But the whole process is somewhat time-consuming and painful.

So complicated! Isn't it? Is there an easier way to install an SSD on a laptop without having to reinstall Windows?

Yes, you can clone your laptop's hard drive to an SSD on your Windows computer. And everything, including the operating system, installed programs, files, preset settings, etc., is kept in the new SSD as it was in the old disk.

To this end, all you need is third-party disk cloning software. But which cloning software can you use to clone your HDD to SSD? Keep reading!

Best HDD to SSD Cloning Software Free Download

It is worth noting that cloning a hard drive is more challenging than copying or backing up a file. To clone an HDD to an SSD successfully, the best and most reliable way is to use professional cloning software. In this case, Qiling Disk Copy comes in handy.

Qiling Disk Copy is a practical and multi-functional cloning program for Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It can help you clone the system, disk, partition, and transfer data from one SD card to another. In addition, it lets you migrate data from one computer to another, create a WinPE bootable disk, and transfer an operating system from one SSD to another without trouble.

Here are some other features of Qiling Disk Copy (name a few).

Except for the abovementioned merits, Qiling Disk Copy has a faster cloning speed and an intuitive interface, which is suitable for both newbies and professionals. It can help you finish your cloning tasks easily and quickly. Feel free to download it to satisfy your various cloning needs.

How to Replace Hard Drive to SSD Without Reinstalling Windows

As mentioned earlier, Qiling Disk Copy can help you clone your HDD to an SSD quickly and without hassle due to its user-friendly interface. After downloading it on your computer, just launch it and follow the stepwise procedure below to clone a hard drive.

Prior Notice:

• The "Sector by sector copy" asks the size of your destination disk to be at least equal to or larger than that of the source disk. Leave this feature unchecked if you wish to clone a larger hard disk to a smaller hard disk.
• All data on the destination disk will be completely erased, so take care.

Step 1. To start copying/cloning an entire disk to another, choose this disk as the source disk under "Disk Clone" and click "Next".

Step 2. Choose the other disk as the destination disk.

Step 3. Check the disk layout of the two disks. You can manage the disk layout of the destination disk by selecting "Autofit the disk", "Copy as the source" or "Edit disk layout".

• "Autofit the disk" makes some changes by default on the destination disk layout so that it can work at its best status.
• "Copy as the source"does not change anything on destination disk and the layout is the same as source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" allows you to manually resize/move partition layout on this destination disk.

Tick the "Check the option if the target is SSD" option to put your SSD in its best performance.

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

Step 4. Click "Proceed" to officially execute the task.

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Bonus Tip: How to Replace an HDD with an SSD in a Laptop

After the cloning process is done, you can change the old HDD with the new SSD without reinstalling Windows. Here is how to go for it.

Step 1. Remove all the screws to open your laptop's back case with the screwdriver.

Step 2. Find the hard drive and remove the drive's power cables and other data wires.

Step 3. Pull the old hard drive out of the drive tray after removing the screws.

Step 4. Reverse the steps to install the new SSD. Install the SSD into its original place, connect all the data and power cables, screw the new drive, and close the laptop back case.

Step 5. Restart your PC and press the BIOS key on the first screen, usually ESC, Del, F1, F2, F12, etc.

Step 6. In the BIOS settings window, navigate to the Boot tab and choose the cloned SSD as the first boot option.

Step 7. Save changes and boot Windows from the new SSD.

That's it! Now, your computer can work as usual with better performance.

To Sum Up

That comes to an end about how to upgrade HDD to SSD without reinstalling Windows. For this purpose, you can clone your HDD to an SSD and then install the cloned SSD onto your computer. This can ensure a successful hard drive replacement with SSD without Windows reinstallation.

Qiling Disk Copy will be an excellent help to let you upgrade a laptop hard drive with an SSD without reinstalling Windows OS. It can also help you perform many other cloning tasks and solve the cloned hard drive showing the wrong size error. More practical features are waiting for you to figure out. Download and try it!

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, 100% Secure

FAQs on How to Upgrade HDD to SSD Without Reinstalling Windows

1. Can I change my hard drive to SSD without losing data?

Yes, you can change an HDD with an SSD without losing data. All you need is to use a professional cloning tool like Qiling Disk Copy to help you clone an HDD to an SSD, which can ensure that everything on the SSD is the same as the HDD after cloning.

2. What happens if I replace HDD with SSD?

You will experience a well-improved computer performance. Performance is one of the main factors motivating people to switch from an HDD drive to an SSD. SSDs can be up to ten times faster than HDDs, depending on the work at hand. One of the best things you can do to boost your older computer's performance significantly is to swap out the hard drive for an SSD.

3. What to do before replacing HDD to SSD?

To replace an HDD with an SSD, you need to prepare the following:

• A computer running on Windows 7/8/10/11.
• A new SSD with a larger capacity to accommodate the data on the old drive.
• Format the new SSD to make it function properly after cloning.
• SSD connector cable.
• A screwdriver.

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