Can I Clone Windows 10 from My Old HDD to An m.2 for My New Build?

I am going to change to a new build, but I would like to keep my prebuilt Windows 10 and some game data. My new build is going to use an M.2 SSD as my primary boot drive. Can I just put the HDD and boot it on my first build, delete everything except OS and game data, clone it to the SSD, and then use the M.2 SSD as the boot drive? Is this illegal? Will I require an activation key upon booting to the M.2 SSD for the first time?

Best Answered by

Larissa· Answered on Nov 21, 2023

The answer is YES, you can. 

Cloning Windows 10 from an old HDD to an M.2 SSD is the same as cloning any hard drive. It isn't an illegal operation; you don't need an activation key after cloning. Just use it normally as your old hard drive. It mainly includes the following procedures:

  • Clean the old build except for the data you need.
  • Connect the new M.2 SSD to the old build.
  • Use disk cloning software to clone HDD to M.2 SSD.
  • Install the M.2 SSD to the new build.
  • Boot new build from the cloned M.2 SSD.

While doing this, you need to make sure a successful HDD to M.2 SSD cloning and everything functions properly. A reliable disk cloning tool is the key to successful hard drive cloning, which ensures everything is copied to the new M.2 SSD without any data loss. EaseUS Disk Copy is exactly the tool you can make full use of. With an intuitive and straightforward interface, you can finish the process with only three clicks, even if you are a novice. Download it, and use it to clone you HDD.

  Free Download

Support Windows 11/10/8/7

100% Secure

But according to some users' feedback, their system crashes down after an update and shows a blue screen all the time. To avoid this situation, you may try another safer way:

  • Back up your game data to an external hard drive.
  • Have a fresh install of your Windows 10 system on the new build.
  • Then restore the game data and other files you want to keep to the new build.

Related Article: How to Clone Windows OS from HDD/SSD to M.2 SSD

Download the smartest and easiest Disk Cloning Software

Use EaseUS Disk Copy to upgrade small HDD, replace old/failed hard drive, migrate OS, clone HDD to SSD without reinstalling data.

  Free Download

Support Windows 11/10/8/7

100% Secure

People Also Ask

Does Solidigm SSD Have Cloning Software?🔥

Does Solidigm SSD Have Cloning Software? Do you want to get the answer? This article will tell whether Solidigm SSD comes with cloning software and provide a cloning tool to help you.

Jerry

Nov 21, 2023

Does Resetting Windows 10 Affect Secondary Hard Drives?

Resetting Windows is a commonly used way to help computers fix problems. But does resetting Windows 10 affect secondary hard drive? This article will tell you about this question and offer a way to help protect data on your hard drives.

Jerry

Nov 17, 2023

Do You Need Software to Clone a Hard Drive?

Do you need software to clone a hard drive? This short post will tell you what you want to know. After reading, you can learn how to clone a hard drive with the best disk cloning software.

Jerry

Nov 21, 2023

Can I Clone HDD to M.2 SSD?

If you are searching for the question - can I clone HDD to M.2 SSD on Google, stop it! Here is the answer. Keep on reading to learn more information.

Jane Zhou

Nov 21, 2023

Can I Move All my HDD Data to a New SSD Without Losing Anything?

Can I move all my HDD data to a new SSD without losing anything? This short post will describe how to change from HDD to SSD without losing data and provide a disk cloning tool to help you.

Jerry

Nov 21, 2023

Does Seagate Have Cloning Software?

Are you looking for a way to clone your Seagate hard drive? Does Seagate have cloning software? This article will describe whether Seagate comes with a cloning tool and offer a cloning tool - EaseUS Disk Copy.

Jerry

Nov 21, 2023