How to Backup An External Hard Drive to Another External Hard Drive in Windows 10

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Introduction

Upgrading to a new external hard drive can be a necessity when the old one is crashing, running out of space, or slowing down. To ensure a seamless transition, it's essential to backup the data from the previous drive to the new one. Fortunately, backing up an external hard drive to another external hard drive in Windows 10 is a straightforward and easy process that doesn't have to be time-consuming.

To backup an external hard drive to another external hard drive on Windows 10, follow these simple steps. First, connect both external hard drives to your computer.

See also:

How Do I Backup Everything from One External Hard Drive to Another

All hard disks have a lifespan after which they start to fail or suffer from performance issues due to natural wear and tear. If you have an old hard disk and want to back up your files to another drive to prevent loss, you can do so. However, before backing up, you need to ensure the new external hard drive is running Microsoft's latest "New Technology File System" (NTFS) file system.

If your hard disk uses the FAT32 format, convert it to NTFS to take advantage of improved disk space management and faster write and read speeds, especially for files larger than 4GB.

To change the file system from FAT32 to NTFS, you can use the built-in command-line utility called `convert` in Windows. This process will convert the file system to NTFS while keeping all your files and data intact.

Step 1. To open Disk Management, press the "Win+R" keys on your keyboard, type "diskmgmt.msc" in the Run dialog box, and then press the "Ok" button. This will launch the Disk Management utility.

Step 2. Right-click on the new drive and then click on "Format".

Step 3. The volume label is set to "Windows" and the file system is set to NTFS.

Step 4. To change the drive to NTFS format, click on the "OK" button.

Once the file system is updated to NTFS, an external drive can host large files and has improved write and read speeds.

To backup an external hard drive to another external hard drive in Windows 10, you have three efficient methods to choose from. You can use the built-in Windows Backup and Restore feature to copy all files from one external drive to another, or use third-party software like Acronis or Qiling to automate the process. Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop files from one external drive to another, or use the Windows File Explorer to copy files from one drive to another, making it easy to backup your files with minimal effort.

How to Back Up An External Hard Drive to Another External Hard Drive in Windows 10

If you want to know how to backup an external hard drive to another external hard drive in Windows 10, we have three excellent solutions with which you can transfer all your files to your new drive.

• Method 1. Back-Up An External Hard Drive to Another with Qiling Disk Master
• Method 2. Back-Up An External Hard Drive to Another By Copying Data
• Method 3. Back-Up an External Hard Drive to Another via Windows Easy Transfer

Method 1. Back-Up An External Hard Drive to Another External Hard Drive with Qiling Disk Master

If you value your data and want to ensure it's safe, Qiling Disk Master is a top-notch free backup software that offers more than just data backup. This award-winning program for Windows 11 allows you to create a bootable rescue media, store files in the cloud, protect against ransomware, backup an external hard drive to another in Windows 10 or older, schedule backups, and more. With its comprehensive features, Qiling Disk Master is the ideal tool to safeguard your important data.

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

Step 1. Start with selecting the backup tab page.

Step 2. There are four backup categories, File, Disk, OS, and Mail, click Disk backup.

Step 3. The user can choose to back up a whole disk or a specific partition, depending on their needs.

Step 4. Select the destination where you want to save the backup.

Step 5. For disk/partition backup, you can save the backup to either a local drive or a network-attached storage (NAS) device.

Step 6. After the backup process is completed, your task will be displayed at the left. You can right-click on any task to further manage your backup, such as recovering it or creating an incremental backup.

Method 2. Back-Up An External Hard Drive to Another External Hard Drive By Copying Data

To make a backup of your files, the simplest method is to copy-paste them from the old drive to the new one. This involves selecting all the files you want to transfer, right-clicking on them, and choosing the "copy" option. Then, navigate to the new drive, right-click, and select "paste" to copy the files.

Step 1. Connect both the old and the new drive to the computer. This will allow the operating system to recognize the new drive and prepare it for cloning.

Step 2. To compare the contents of the two external hard drives, open both of them in separate windows on your computer. Keep both windows open side-by-side so you can easily view the files and folders on both drives at the same time.

Step 3. To transfer files from your old drive to your new drive, select the files you want to copy/move, then press "Ctrl+C" to copy or "Ctrl+X" to cut the files.

Step 4. To copy files from one external drive to another, click on the new external drive window and press "Ctrl+V" to paste the files.

The process of copying or moving files from an older external hard disk to a newer one can be time-consuming, depending on the size of the files and the physical write and read speeds of both disks. This is due to the varying speeds at which data is written to and read from the disks, which can impact the overall duration of the process.

Method 3. Back-Up an External Hard Drive to Another External Hard Drive via Windows Easy Transfer

If you're running Windows 8 or earlier, you can use Windows Easy Transfer to backup your files and settings from one computer to another, or transfer files from one external hard drive to another. This tool helps you easily transfer all your data from an older drive to a newer one.

It transfers the following data:

• Windows settings
• User Accounts
• Desktop
• Taskbar options
• Emails
• Documents
• Pictures

To backup an external hard drive to another external hard drive using Windows Easy Transfer, connect both drives to your computer, go to the Start menu and type "Windows Easy Transfer" in the search bar, select the drive to transfer from and the drive to transfer to, choose the types of data to transfer, and click "Transfer" to start the backup process. This process is relatively simple and can be completed in a few minutes, but may take some time for large amounts of data.

Step 1. Connect both the external hard disks to the PC.

Step 2. Click on the "Start" menu and then open "Control Panel".

Step 3. Select "System and Security", followed by "Backup and Restore".

Step 4. On the left-bottom window pane, click on "Windows Easy Transfer".

Step 5. Once the Windows Easy Transfer window opens, click on "Next".

Step 6. To start the process of transferring your files to the new external hard drive, ensure that it is properly connected to your computer. Once connected, select the option that says "An external hard disk or USB flash drive" from the available choices.

Step 7. Now select "This is my old computer".

Step 8. After scanning, your PC will give you an estimate of the size of the files, allowing you some time to prepare for the download.

Step 9. Click on "Next" and enter your Windows password, then click on "Save".

Step 10. Now, save the file onto the new external hard disk.

Once you've backed up your files on the new drive, you can use Windows Easy Transfer to restore the data.

Here's how to do that:

Step 1. Open Windows Easy Transfer.

Step 2. To continue, click on the "Next" button, and then select the option for an external hard disk or USB flash drive.

Step 3. To set up Windows 11 on your new computer, click on the "Set up Windows" button, then select your language and other preferences, and click on "Next." Next, click on "Install Windows" and then select "This is my new computer" and click on "Yes."

Step 4. To open the file, go to the hard disk where you saved it and select "Open".

Step 5. Now the data will be restored.

Final Verdict

Qiling Disk Master is a one-To backup and clone your Windows 11 disk, use a dedicated tool like Qiling Disk Master, which can create a rescue media disk, backup your hard drive, sd card, or disk, providing a solution for all backup needs.

With Qiling Disk Master, you can schedule automatic backups of your entire hard drive or specific folders/files, and easily restore backups. You can also encrypt backups and save them on the cloud, hard disk, or external drive.

The Qiling Disk Master program offers various tools with its free version and also provides a free trial period where users can access all its premium features for a limited time.

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

Back-Up An External Hard Drive to Another External Hard Drive in Windows 10 FAQs

1. Can you clone a hard drive to an external hard drive?

You can clone your hard drive to an external hard drive by creating a system image of your PC, which is a complete copy of your hard drive's contents, including your operating system, programs, and data. This allows you to create a backup of your entire system, which can be restored in case of a hardware failure or other issues.

2. How do I backup my Dell computer to a flash drive?

Step 1. Click on the "Windows" button, and open "Control Panel".

Step 2. To access the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) feature, select "System & Security" from the Control Panel, and then choose "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" from the options that appear.

Step 3. To create a system image, click on the "Create a system image" option from the left window pane of the Backup and Restore (Windows) utility. This will initiate the process of creating a system image, which includes the operating system, device drivers, and other system files.

Step 4. To backup your Dell computer to a flash drive, select the external hard drive, click "Next", and then choose "Start backup" to initiate the backup process.

3. How do I transfer files from my old Dell computer to my new Dell computer?

You can transfer files from your old Dell computer to your new Dell computer by using one of three methods: using a USB drive, transferring files wirelessly via Wi-Fi, or using a cable connection. Each method allows you to easily move your files to your new computer, making the transition smoother and more efficient.

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