Update in 2023: How to Clone SSD to DDD

Why clone SSD to HDD?

In the rapid development of the digital world, the majority of users decide to clone their HDD to SSD in order to get better performance. but why would somebody choose to replace SSD with HDD? What are the benefits of it?

Indeed, cloning a hard drive can be highly beneficial in various situations:

1. Get Larger Disk Capacity: When a small SSD becomes full due to the storage of the operating system and applications, you may need to clone it to a larger SSD or a traditional HDD. Traditional HDDs offer a more cost-effective option per GB compared to SSDs, making them suitable for those requiring a large amount of storage on a budget.

2. Prolong Disk's Lifespan: Traditional HDDs generally have a longer lifespan than SSDs since they lack built-in limits for reading and writing on the drive. For users concerned about the longevity of their storage device, cloning to an HDD might be a favorable choice.

3. Easier Data Recovery: Due to their different hard disk structures, data recovery from an HDD is often easier than from an SSD. If you are unfamiliar with Windows systems and fear accidentally losing crucial files, cloning your SSD to an HDD can provide a safety net, as data recovery is more straightforward.

4. Data Backup: Cloning allows you to create a backup of Windows to an external hard drive, providing an additional layer of protection for your valuable data.

By considering these scenarios, users can effectively utilize cloning as a valuable tool for data management, storage optimization, and safeguarding critical information.

What Windows cloning software should you use?

When it comes to performing an SSD to HDD clone, Microsoft's built-in utilities do not offer native support for such tasks. Therefore, users should turn to trustworthy third-party and free disk cloning software to carry out this process seamlessly.

AOMEI Backupper stands out as a secure, reliable, and specialized disk cloning software, providing the capability to clone an SSD to a hard drive in Windows (both 32-bit and 64-bit) without the need for a complete reinstallation. Here are some of the main features that AOMEI Backupper offers when it comes to cloning SSD drives:

1. User-Friendly Interface: The software boasts a user-friendly interface, making it accessible and easy to use, even for those without extensive technical expertise.

2. Sector-by-Sector Cloning: The software supports sector-by-sector cloning, ensuring that every sector on the source SSD is cloned to the destination HDD, preserving all data and settings accurately.

3. Universal Compatibility: AOMEI Backupper is compatible with various versions of Windows, including Windows 10/11, Windows 7/8, both 32-bit and 64-bit systems.

4. System Cloning: In the paid version of AOMEI Backupper also enables system cloning, allowing users to clone the entire operating system, applications, and data from the SSD to the HDD, creating an exact replica of the original system.

How to clone SSD to HDD securely in Windows

If you haven’t used this software, or if you are not familiar with such software, please refer to the below disk cloning tutorial to clone your SSD to HDD.

Now download AOMEI Bakcupper and install it on your computer. Then connect the HDD to your PC.

Notes:

·       If you clone your source SDD to the target HDD, your HDD will be finally overwritten by the source SSD. So please make sure you have made proper and full backup for your personal data on the original HDD.

·       Generally speaking, your target HDD should have a larger capacity to contain the data from the source SSD.

Step 1. Click Clone at the left panel and then choose Disk Clone.

Step 2. Now, you can choose the source SSD.

Step 3. Then you can choose a destination hard drive to save your backup image.

Step 4. On the Operation Summary page, confirm your settings and then choose Start Clone.

Cloning SSD to the target HDD is useful and you can benefit from it. However, you need to choose reliable software to execute the whole process, or disasters will happen. By utilizing AOMEI Backupper, users can confidently and efficiently clone their SSD drives to HDDs, avoiding the need for a complex and time-consuming reinstallation process. The software's robust features and ease of use make it an excellent choice for performing SSD to HDD cloning tasks.