In the left menu, go to 'System Image Backup' to create a system image on an external drive or network location.Ģ. Create a system image backup in Windows 10 by going to the Control Panel (hit the Win+X keyboard shortcut and select Control Panel), then go to 'Save backup copies of your files with File History' (under System and Security).

You might need this if you have large folders, such as photos and videos, that might not fit on your SSD, and also to create a full system backup at the start.Īvoid rookie mistakes: here are 12 of the dumbest PC default settings (and how to change them) Prepare your current drive for cloningįirst we need to do a little prep work on your current drive.ġ. Small Phillips screwdriver - For dismantling the proper panels. Either way, the enclosure comes in handy not just for connecting the SSD for the cloning process, but also afterward to turn your current drive, once it's replaced by the SSD, into an external one for backups and other storage. For this how-to, we used a StarTech SATA external hard drive enclosure, although there's an updated USB 3.0 version you might prefer (opens in new tab) ($24 on Amazon). For most people, the 250GB drive should be fine, but the 500GB one offers more flexibility, for only a little more investment.Īn external enclosure or adapter to connect that SSD to your laptop. A 250GB Samsung SSD is currently about $89 (opens in new tab)on Amazon and a 500GB version is about $120 (opens in new tab).

An SSD, of course - In addition to getting a drive with the right form factor and interface, you'll want to get an SSD with at least enough room for the Windows partition and any system recovery partitions.

Clone software hdd to ssd