Windows 11 Clone to a Bigger Drive - Any Free Software?

FireRunner on 13/09/2025 - 12:49
Last edited 13/09/2025 - 13:37 by 1 other user

Hi OzBargainers, does anyone know of a free software to clone/migrate a Windows 11 installation to a bigger drive that is free?

I used to use Macrium Reflect a while back, but it no longer works on the free version. I've tried a couple of others like Aomei and Acronis but again, no luck on the free version. I know Samsung has a tool but that only works if the target drive is a Samsung drive (which mine is not).

If anyone knows of a free software (that is preferably user friendly), that would be fantastic.

Computing Microsoft Operating System

Comments

  • MS Paint on 13/09/2025 - 12:52
    +7

    Just do a fresh install. Not worth the subsequent headaches.

  • scrimshaw on 13/09/2025 - 12:55
    +3

    Gparted? It's open source / always free

    Instructions
    https://www.easeus.com/questions/backup/clone-windows-10-to-…

    • FireRunner on 13/09/2025 - 12:59

      Looks promising, not as easy as a software that just runs in Windows but probably better that's it's not trying to clone the drive it's running off anyway.
      Cheers

  • plmko on 13/09/2025 - 13:59

    Just pirate a copy of Macrium.

    • lew380 on 14/09/2025 - 10:41

      It has a 30 day trial version.

      Edit:apparently the trial version is no more. We are doomed!

      • buyer-123 on 15/09/2025 - 04:47
        +1

        Major geeks has the last free version archived. I use it every time and just let it expand my partitions.

  • 7ekn00 on 13/09/2025 - 14:34
    +5

    Disk Genius ;)

    Install on your current drive, install second drive and have it visible to Windows, select "Transfer OS" and it will transfer the entire boot drive to the new drive ;)

    OS migration Tutorial

    Such a handy tool I paid for a Pro version just to support the Devs :P

    • FireRunner on 13/09/2025 - 14:42

      Cheers, this sounds like exactly what I’m looking for.

    • FireRunner on 13/09/2025 - 19:06
      +1

      Transfer worked perfectly. Hopefully no issues down the line.Thanks again

  • Strongbad on 13/09/2025 - 17:04
    +2

    I did this between 2 WD SDD's recently.

    The Sandisk software that WD drives have gives you access to Acronis True Image which worked fine for me cloning drives.

  • AndyC1 on 13/09/2025 - 20:16

    It is PITA and took me a week to do it when I did the same thing for Windows 10 a long time ago, but I cannot remember what I did. BUT I did have a backup of the original HDD just in case on it went right left out.

  • hazzad on 14/09/2025 - 11:59
    +1

    Macrium works just fine..download off major geeks as they still have the old free version. Otherwise clonezilla is free. Not sure why people are saying it's so hard. It's literally such a simple process. Plug in both drives, boot USB and clone drive making sure your selecting right source and destination. Otherwise you can literally do it straight out of windows. Failing all that download hirens boot disc which has cloning tools included.

  • bargaino on 14/09/2025 - 12:53

    dd?
    It's been a while, but I just boot linux/etc from a thumbdrive, and copy by block to the new drive.
    Then install it, boot, and use Windows to make the partition bigger, or add a new one.

    Does that still work?

    • kiitos on 14/09/2025 - 22:07

      Are the two drives automatically visible when you boot from a Linux via USB? It do you need to mount them?

      • bargaino on 14/09/2025 - 23:03

        You don't want to mount them. Rather copy as raw block devices.

  • peteru on 14/09/2025 - 21:59
    +1

    Boot from a USB dirve that has https://www.system-rescue.org/, once it boots, type startx to get a proper GUI, then you have a choice of tools.

    SystemRescue is free, very powerful & updated frequently. It's also a good tool for testing memory on a system.

    Or use

    CloneZilla
Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join