If you want to clone an active Windows 10 operating system to a new hard disk without stopping the system or restarting Windows, Acronis True Image can help you do this. However, note that cloning dynamic disks is not possible, and you will need to restart your system to complete the cloning process. This ensures that Acronis True Image can create an exact low-level clone of your drive.
Before starting, it’s recommended to back up your original disk as a safety precaution. This guide will walk you through the process.
Pre-Cloning Requirements:
- Backup the original disk: Always ensure you have a backup of your current disk before starting the cloning process.
- Check disk compatibility: Ensure that both the source and target disks have equal logical sector sizes. Additionally, the old and new disks should work in the same controller mode.
- Disk Types: Dynamic disks cannot be cloned.
Table of Contents
Steps to Clone a Disk in Acronis True Image
- Launch Acronis True Image:
- After connecting your new hard disk to your system, open the Acronis True Image application.
- Click on the Tools menu and select Clone Disk.
- Choose Clone Mode:
- You will be presented with two cloning modes:
- Automatic Mode: This is the recommended mode for beginners. It will automatically clone all the data from the source disk to the target disk, resizing partitions to fit the new disk.
- Manual Mode: If you prefer more control over the cloning process (e.g., adjusting the target volume size or changing disk parameters), choose Manual Mode.
- For this guide, we’ll use Manual Mode for more control. Select it and click Next.
- You will be presented with two cloning modes:
- Select the Source Disk:
- From the list of available drives, select the disk you wish to clone (your current operating system drive).
- Click Next to proceed.
- Select the Destination Disk:
- Choose the new hard disk where you want to clone the data.
- Click Next.
- Confirm Deletion of the Target Disk:
- A warning will pop up, asking you to confirm the deletion of all partitions on the destination disk. This is necessary to make space for the cloned data.
- Click OK to confirm.
- Choose Data Transfer Method:
- You will now need to choose a method for transferring data to the new disk.
- Proportional Method: This is recommended as it proportionally resizes partitions based on the size of the new disk.
- After selecting the method, click Next.
- You will now need to choose a method for transferring data to the new disk.
- Review Clone Settings:
- A summary page will appear, displaying all the settings you’ve selected for cloning.
- Double-check that everything is correct, then click Proceed to begin the cloning process.
- Restart to Complete the Clone:
- Acronis True Image will notify you that a system reboot is required to complete the cloning process.
Click Restart to allow Acronis to continue and complete the operation in a low-level mode.
Finalizing the Cloning Process
Once the cloning process is complete, follow these steps to use the cloned disk:
- Turn off your system.
- Remove the source drive (the old disk) from the system.
Turn the computer back on, and the system should boot from the newly cloned disk.
Click on the source disk from the below list that you wish to clone, and then choose next.
In the destination disk options, choose the target hard disk for the cloned data, and then choose next.
You need to confirm the deletion of all the volumes on the destination disk drive. Click ok
Choose the data moving method, choose the proportional method to move data from the old hard to the new disk, and then click next.
Review the clone disk settings summary and then choose Proceed to start cloning the hard disk.
You will be warned that a reboot is required to complete the cloning process, and if I don’t restart right now, the process will be canceled. Click on restart.
Acronis True Image hard disk cloning is in progress.
Conclusion
Cloning a disk in Acronis True Image is a straightforward process, whether you choose to follow the automatic or manual method. By following the steps outlined above, you can seamlessly move your Windows 10 operating system and data to a new hard drive without losing any information. Always ensure you’ve backed up your original data before starting and confirm the correct settings in each step of the cloning process to avoid any potential data loss.
