How to Copy Boot Drive to SSD | 2024 Full Guide

Replacing your old boot drive with a solid state drive (SSD) is the one of the best way to improve Windows PC's performance and the running speed. To achieve this, you can perform clean install Windows. To avoid these cumbersome steps, you can copy boot drive to SSD.

This can move all Windows system data to the SSD without reinstalling. Then you can set the cloned SSD as the boot drive and make the bootable cloned SSD. Want to know how to do it? This article aims to show you how to copy the Windows boot drive to SSD and move boot drive to SSD with this powerful software.

How Can I move boot drive to new SSD?

Can I copy boot partition to SSD? Of course. The following part will provide the best and complete guide. Here is a typical case for this situation:

"Cloning my current SSD to a new SSD. What's the best option here? I can order one of these plugs if that's the best way to do it. " - from Reddit

To transfer boot partition or drive to SSD in an easily and quick way, we highly recommend using the utility named AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Its built-in function Migrate OS to SSD can move the operating system to a new HDD/SSD without reinstalling, and the moved hard disk will not have any startup problems.

You don’t have to worry about operating difficulties at all, because its operation is very simple and can be completed with just a few clicks of the mouse, even if you are an inexperienced beginner.

In addition, if you want to move data other than the operating system on the hard disk to the SSD, you can also clone disk to SSD.

How to copy boot drive to SSD without reinstalling

In this part, I will show you how to move Windows to SSD and move boot drive to SSD. Before starting, we have some work to do.

• If your SSD is brand new and unused, please initialize the hard drive first.
• Then, you need to prepare a SATA to USB cable to connect the target SSD to PC and make sure the PC can detect it.
• If your host supports the installation of multiple hard drives, you can also directly install the SSD into the computer.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Click “Clone” on in the top toolbar, and choose “Migrate OS”.

Step 2. Click “Next” in the pop-up window.

Step 3. Resize the new boot drive on the SSD and click “Next”.

Step 4. Here comes the note on how to boot computer from the destination disk. Read it carefully and click on “Finish”.

Step 5. Click “Apply” to commit the pending operation.

The process will not take long. By the way, you can wipe old hard drive as a data disk.

How to Set the SSD as the Boot Drive

When it finishes, you change boot order in BIOS and then boot your computer from the target SSD. Let's check step-by-step how to set SSD as a boot drive.

1. Reboot the computer and press F12/F2/F8/Esc/Del to enter the BIOS. 

2. Enter the boot menu and change the boot order. Use the arrow keys to move up and down the boot options until the cloned SSD is properly set as the boot device.

3. Save the changes and exit the BIOS, then reboot the system.

Summary

This is the whole process of coping boot drive to SSD in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7. If you need to upgrade the system disk to SSD, you might as well download the demo version to try it! Last but not least, if you are planning to copy Windows Server to SSD, you can try AOMEI Partition Assistant Server instead.