How to Clone Hard Drive From Boot [Step-by-Step Guide]
When a hard drive reaches its service life or no longer meets user needs, cloning it from boot can be a safe and efficient way to transfer data to a new drive, saving time and effort. This process involves creating a precise copy of the original hard drive, including all operating systems, programs, and data, onto a replacement hard drive, which can then be used as a direct replacement.
Why Clone Hard Drive From Boot
Cloning a hard drive has become a common practice for many users, especially when upgrading to a new hard disk or experiencing computer startup issues. This process saves users the hassle of reinstalling the operating system and all installed applications, games, videos, and personal files, making it a convenient solution for restoring their system to a previous state.
Cannot turn on the computer normally: Your system files have become corrupted, making your system unbootable, so you must use a bootable USB clone hard drive to get your PC back to normal.
Cloning process failed: Some running programs may conflict with the cloning process, so it's recommended to clone the disk from a bootable USB drive for a smooth cloning experience.
To clone a hard drive from boot, use Qiling Disk Master, a third-party tool that allows you to clone a hard drive without the need for Windows.
🚩Extend Reading: How to Clone Hard Drive with Bootable USB
Powerful Cloning Software: Clone Hard Drive From Boot
Qiling Disk Master Professional can clone a hard disk drive from the boot, allowing for a hard disk clone without booting Windows. This tool also offers various functions to cater to different needs.
- Clone partition: This software enables you to copy a partition or the entire hard drive, allowing you to create a duplicate of your data according to your specific requirements.
- Check disk and rebuild MBR: This cloning software can also fix some boot issues by "Surface Test" and "Rebuild MBR", which may solve your PC's problems.
- Two hard disk cloning methods: The process involves cloning only the used space or all sectors from the source disk to the target disk.
- Intuitive interface: You don't need any sophisticated computer skills. The software's easy-to-use interface guides you through cloning a hard drive from a bootable USB.
- Strong compatibility: It supports the most popular Windows OS, including Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and XP/Vista.
Now, download this powerful tool and follow the guide below to clone a hard drive from the boot.
We need to make a bootable USB flash drive and then use the bootable USB flash drive to clone the target hard disk. As for specific methods, please refer to the following steps:
Before we start, we need to prepare the following:
- Another Windows computer that boots successfully.
- Install Qiling Disk Master on the work computer.
- A USB drive. You need to back up USB files in advance in case of data loss.
Guide 1. Create Bootable USB
After backing up the USB flash drive, insert it into the prepared work computer, install Qiling Disk Master, and follow the on-screen instructions to create a bootable USB drive.
Step 1. To create a bootable disk of Qiling Disk Master, prepare a storage media such as a USB drive or CD/DVD disc, and connect it to your computer.
Step 2. Launch Qiling Disk Master, and find the "Bootable Media" feature on the left. Click on it.
Step 3. If you have a USB or CD/DVD drive available, you can choose to save the ISO file to it. Alternatively, you can save the ISO file to a local drive and burn it to a storage media later. Once you've made your choice, click the "Create" button to start the process.
- Check the Warning message and click "Yes".
Step 4. When the process finishes, a pop-up window will appear, asking if you want to restart your computer from the bootable USB.
- Reboot Now: to restart the current PC and enter Qiling Bootable Media to manage disk partitions without OS.
- Done: You don't want to restart the current PC but rather use the bootable USB on a new PC.
Note: To use the bootable disk on a new PC, restart the target computer and enter the BIOS settings by pressing F2/F8/Del key, then set the USB bootable disk as the first boot disk.
Your computer will automatically boot up from the USB bootable media and enter Qiling WinPE desktop once you wait patiently.
Guide 2. Change the Boot Order
To clone your computer, first, create a bootable USB drive with a cloning software like Clonezilla or Acronis. Then, boot your computer from the USB drive. Once booted, select the cloning software and follow its instructions to clone your computer's hard drive to the external hard drive.
Step 1. To start a computer that won't boot normally, insert a new hard drive and a bootable USB drive into the computer. Then, start the computer and immediately press the BIOS button (usually F10, F2, F12, F1, or DEL) as soon as you see the first screen.
Step 2. To access the BIOS setup, press the corresponding key (usually F2, F12, or Del) when the computer boots up. Once in the BIOS setup, navigate to the "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" section, and select the USB drive as the primary boot device.
Step 3. Save all your changes and exit.
Guide 3. Clone the Hard Drive
Here are the steps to clone the hard drive from the bootable USB via Qiling Disk Master in one paragraph:
Step 1. Select the source disk.
- To clone a disk, click the "Clone" option from the left menu, then select "Clone OS Disk" or "Clone Data Disk" and click "Next".
- Choose the source disk and click "Next".
Step 2. Select the target disk.
- Select the desired hard drive or solid-state drive as the destination and proceed by clicking "Next".
- Read Warning message and confirm "Yes" button.
Step 3. To view the disk layout and edit the target disk partition size, you can use the `fdisk` command in Linux. This command allows you to manage and edit disk partitions, including changing the size of a partition. You can use `fdisk` to view the current disk layout, delete or add partitions, and modify the partition size.
To reinstall Windows, first back up any valuable data on the target disk, as the process will wipe out all data on it. Then, click "Continue" when the program warns you of this, and proceed with the installation.
You can choose from three options to customize your disk layout: "Autofit the disk", "Clone as the source", or "Edit disk layout". The latter is recommended if you want to allocate more space for your C drive.
Step 4. Click "Start" to start the disk cloning process.
Qiling Disk Master is reliable in cloning since it allows you to clone disks with high accuracy, ensuring that the cloned disk is identical to the original, including all data, settings, and configurations, making it a reliable tool for disk cloning and duplication.
- Clone Windows to new drive
- Clone SD card and USB drives
- Clone Windows 10 to larger SSD
- Clone the whole disk or a partition
- Clone Windows 11 to new computer
- Clone system partition in Windows 7
Conclusion
Qiling Disk Master is a useful tool for cloning hard drives from the boot, eliminating the need for additional tools to create a bootable USB. It also serves as a professional disk partition assistant, enabling users to clone disks, partitions, SSDs, SD cards, USBs, and other external storage devices with ease.
If you're experiencing issues with disk partitioning, you may want to consider using a software tool that can assist with this process. This type of software can provide a clear interface and helpful functions to aid in managing your disk partitions.
Clone Hard Drive From Boot FAQs
Do you have further questions about cloning the hard drive from the boot? This part may help you if you have the following questions:
1. How to clone a hard drive from BIOS?
Here are the steps to clone a hard drive from BIOS:
Step 1. Create a bootable USB.
Step 2. Set the USB as the boot drive.
Step 3. Start to clone the hard drive from the bootable USB.
There are no built-In Windows, cloning tools are not available, so a third-party tool like Qiling Disk Master is required.
2. How do I use a cloned drive as a boot drive?
Here's how you can access the BIOS settings and change the boot order in one paragraph:
Step 1. Press DEL, F2, or F8 to enter the BIOS setup while booting your PC.
Step 2. To change the boot order, you need to click on the "Change Boot Order" option and set the cloned drive as the boot drive. This will allow the computer to boot from the cloned drive instead of the original drive.
Step 3. Save your changes and Exit.
3. Does cloning a hard drive copy the OS?
Cloning a hard drive copies all data, including the operating system, from the source hard drive to the target hard drive, if the target hard drive contains the OS.
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