How to Switch from HDD to SSD?

Most laptops and desktops now use SSDs, which have replaced the more antiquated hard disk drives that had been in use for decades prior. Should your computer still run on an HDD, it could be time to give switching from HDD to SSD some thought.

Especially if your system is more than a few years old, upgrading to an SSD can provide your computer with a notable speed and responsiveness increase. Still, one should examine practical issues before diving in. Let us check SSDs more closely and discuss the elements you should take into account.

Overview of SSD for Windows users

An SSD is a type of data storage device used in computers and other electronic devices. Unlike traditional HDDs, which use spinning disks and mechanical read/write heads to store and retrieve data, SSDs rely on NAND-based flash memory to store information. This flash memory is similar to the kind used in USB drives and memory cards, but it’s optimized for higher performance and reliability.

Compared to HDDs, SSDs make up for a lot of drawbacks of the HDD. The most outstanding feature of SSD is its amazing running speed. Besides, it has the advantages of low power consumption standby, low operating temperature, and high quivery resistance capability.

Also, about the disk array matter as covered before, SSD is much easier to be used in RAID. It comes with an affordable price nowadays. Now, you may get the points of why you switch HDD to SSD for an laptop. It is worth mentioning that if the SSD you have isn’t large enough to contain the entire HDD, you can switch OS only from HDD to SSD.

Why switch from HDD to SSD?

After the comparison of the above, you must know the answer to this question. 

As time goes by, the original hard drive HDD in your current PC is likely to fail sometimes. Low running speed and hard use as a disk array make it cannot keep pace with time. It is generally known that HDD has a larger capacity than SSD. But if you purchased your PC early when the HDD was not created that large, you might have gotten the “low disk space” warning as well. Therefore, moving from HDD to SSD in Windows is a reliable way to save your PC.

How to switch from HDD to SSD in Windows 7/8/10

Upgrading from HDD to SSD has something in common with replacing HDD with SSD in desktop. Theoretically, you move everything including OS and installed games and software from one disk to the other, and then swap out the old one to use the new cloned one. But, do you aware all the steps about how to switch from hard drive to SSD effectively with secure boot in Windows?

Well, choosing the right cloning software can save you a lot of time and effort. You can give AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional a shot. It has a feature "Clone Disk" which offers two methods of cloning hard drive, sector by sector clone and clone only the used part. After the copy, you need to manually change HDD to SSD on a laptop or desktop.

Then, you can download the demo version first to see to have a try first.

Preparation for upgrading HDD to SSD

1. Advance backup for your system in case an unpredictable event like a power loss strikes during the operation.

2. Since the Windows system clone will wipe all information on the target SSD device, please move everything significant to another location if your target SSD has data on it.

3. Since SSD drives sometimes have less capacity than HDDs, kindly compress your system drive or disk to make it as tiny as possible and better fit the SSD.

4. After connecting the SSD disk to your computer, ensure it is successfully identified.

• If you are using a desktop, you need to open the case and hook up the SSD to the motherboard.
• If your computer is a laptop, you have to connect the SSD via a USB port and the SSD should be put in a USB adapter.

Steps to switch from HDD to SSD via AOMEI Partition Assistant

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on your running Windows. Click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".

Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk and click "Next".

Step 3. Select another drive as the destination disk, and then click "Next".

Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.

Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to improve the reading and writing speed of the SSD. 

Step 5. After returning to the main interface, check the pending operation and click "Apply" and "Proceed" to commit the operation.

After the copy process completed, you need to disconnect the old hard drive and install SSD to your computer to let system boot from SSD. Also, you need to change the boot settings in BIOS directly. As for the HDD, you can use it as a copy or as the second storage disk on your computer.

Boot from the SSD drive after disk upgrade

1. Restart computer and constantly press F2 key (or other keys like Del, F8, F12) to access the BIOS menu.

2. Use the arrow key to select the Boot tab. System devices will appear in order of priority.

3. To give the cloned SSD a boot priority over other hard drives, move it to the first position in the list.

4. Save the changes and exit the BIOS setup utility. The computer will restart from the SSD successfully.

Bonus tips: What SSDs can you choose?

If you want some top-level disk for your computer and you don't worry about your cost, here, we list 4 top SSD drives:

1. Samsung 980 PRO (PCIe 4.0 NVMe)

Pros:

• Ultra-fast read/write speeds (up to 7,000 MB/s read, 5,100 MB/s write).
• Ideal for gaming, video editing, and heavy multitasking.
• Samsung Magician software for SSD management and optimization.
• Excellent reliability and endurance.

Cons:

• Higher price compared to PCIe 3.0 SSDs.
• Overkill for regular users who do not need extreme performance.

2. Western Digital (WD) Black SN850X (PCIe 4.0 NVMe)

Pros:

• Extremely fast performance, suitable for gaming and professional work.
• Advanced thermal management to avoid overheating.
• Includes WD’s Dashboard software for monitoring drive health.

Cons:

• High power consumption.
• A bit expensive compared to other options.
• Needs proper cooling in compact builds to avoid throttling.

3. Crucial P5 Plus (PCIe 4.0 NVMe)

Pros:

• High-speed performance, offering up to 6,600 MB/s read speeds.
• Affordable PCIe 4.0 SSD option for gamers and content creators.
• Good value for money with excellent endurance ratings.

Cons:

• Not the absolute fastest on the market.
• Limited software support compared to Samsung or WD.

4. Kingston KC3000 (PCIe 4.0 NVMe)

Pros:

• High read/write speeds (up to 7,000 MB/s).
• Competitive pricing for the performance it offers.
• Good heat management with integrated heat spreader.

Cons:

• May lack some advanced features like the ones found in Samsung Magician software.
• The heatsink may not fit in some ultrathin laptops.

These SSDs are excellent choices for upgrading to a new SSD, depending on your performance needs and budget. PCIe 4.0 drives offer extreme speed but might be unnecessary for general users or those without PCIe 4.0 support on their motherboard.

For general users, SSDs that offer solid performance at a more reasonable price point, without the need for cutting-edge PCIe 4.0 support, are ideal. Here are four of the best SSDs suited for general computing needs, such as faster boot times, file transfers, and everyday multitasking:

1. Samsung 870 EVO (SATA SSD)

A well-rounded SATA SSD offering good performance for most general users.

Pros:

• Reliable performance with speeds up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write.
• High endurance and reliability.
• Available in multiple capacities, from 250 GB to 4 TB.
• Samsung Magician software for easy SSD management.

Cons:

• Slower than NVMe drives, but still fast for typical everyday tasks.
• Higher price compared to other SATA SSDs.

2. Crucial MX500 (SATA SSD)

One of the best-value SATA SSDs, offering a balance between price and performance.

Pros:

• Good performance for a SATA SSD, with up to 560 MB/s read speeds.
• Affordable, making it a great choice for upgrading older PCs.
• Excellent data security features with AES 256-bit encryption.
• Available in a wide range of capacities (250 GB to 2 TB).

Cons:

• Slower than NVMe drives.
• Not ideal for high-end gaming or professional-level tasks like video editing.

3. Kingston A2000 (PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD)

An entry-level NVMe drive that offers better performance than SATA SSDs at a reasonable price.

Pros:

• Affordable for an NVMe SSD, with read speeds up to 2,200 MB/s.
• Significantly faster than traditional SATA SSDs.
• Suitable for everyday tasks and even light gaming or editing.
• Low power consumption, which is great for laptops.

Cons:

• Slower than high-end NVMe SSDs, but more than sufficient for general users.

4. Western Digital (WD) Blue SN570 (PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD)

A budget-friendly NVMe SSD, perfect for general users looking for a boost in speed over SATA SSDs.

Pros:

• Good performance with up to 3,500 MB/s read speeds.
• Excellent price-to-performance ratio.
• Reliable brand with good warranty and support.
• Low power draw, making it suitable for laptops.

Cons:

• Slower write speeds compared to premium NVMe drives.
• Lacks DRAM cache, which might affect performance in very large file transfers.

Conclusion

With the detailed guide, hope you have confidence to solve the issue of how to clone HDD to SSD in Windows on laptop. AOMEI Partition Assistant has multiple ways to help you solve various issues of disks and partitions. You can easily extend your C drive space, recover lost data files, perform boot repair, and create portable Windows for any PC system...

FAQs about HDD to SSD switch

1. How do I know whether my computer can upgrade to an SSD or not?

If your computer have an off-the-shelf SATA HDD, you can upgrade it to an SSD. SSDs are compatible with both Macintosh and PCs. Even if your computer currently has an SSD, you might be able to upgrade to a larger, faster SSD model. Aside from SATA-based hard drive replacements, some later-model PCs can be replaced with M.2 SSDs, which resemble RAM chips rather than hard drives.

2. How do I ensure my SSD is set as the boot drive after cloning?

After cloning your HDD to the SSD, you need to set the SSD as the primary boot drive in the BIOS/UEFI settings. To do this, restart your computer and enter the BIOS by pressing a specific key (usually F2, DEL, or ESC) during startup. Find the Boot Order menu and select your SSD as the first boot device. Save the changes and exit the BIOS.

3. How do I check if my system supports an SSD upgrade?

First, verify the physical compatibility of your system with an SSD. Most modern desktops and laptops support SSDs, but check your device’s user manual or manufacturer website to confirm the specific types (SATA, M.2, or NVMe) your system supports. Additionally, ensure your motherboard has the required ports (e.g., SATA ports for 2.5" SSDs or an M.2 slot for M.2 SSDs).

4. How do I optimize my SSD performance after installation?

After installing an SSD, follow these steps to ensure optimal performance:

• Enable AHCI: Ensure your system is using AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode in the BIOS. This improves SSD performance.
• Disable Disk Defragmentation: SSDs don’t need traditional defragmentation like HDDs. Instead, Windows uses a feature called "Optimize" for SSDs. Ensure this is enabled in the Optimize Drives tool.
• Enable TRIM: TRIM improves SSD longevity by managing unused data blocks. In Windows, this is usually enabled by default. You can check this by running fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify in the command prompt. If the result is 0, TRIM is enabled.
• Ensure Sufficient Free Space: Leave at least 10-20% of free space on your SSD to prevent performance degradation.