Transferring Windows 11 to a different storage device
Transferring Windows 11 to a different storage device
You're considering relocating your Windows installation to an M.2 SSD and using the SATA drive as a backup. It’s a smart approach for performance, but you’re right about potential stability risks. Cloning your install to an external drive is one option, though it may affect recovery. Using Windows Recovery can help move the OS, but it might not resolve deeper compatibility issues. Since crashes are already present and likely GPU-related, moving files around could add more complexity. It’s worth testing a small backup first before making major changes.
Many cloning tools are available. The one I mentioned is https://www.diskgenius.com/how-to/clone-...er-ssd.php. I’ve tried it for other purposes, but not specifically for cloning.
This link has been tested successfully: https://www.aomeitech.com/ab/standard.html
I would have no issues with doing a clean install if I could keep the programs I have installed on my current drive there. Unfortunately I don't believe this is possible, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
Consider using a third-party solution or the built-in Windows cloning feature. From what you've described, third-party tools seem more suitable for smaller drives moving to larger ones. The site mentions this is primarily for big-to-small transfers, so it might align better with your needs. Since you're new to this, it's hard to decide without more details.
The drive cloning program is mainly promoting its ability to transfer to drives of various sizes, not claiming it’s the only feature. Regarding the built-in Windows cloning tool, I haven’t tried it before, but I’ve used an Aomei version successfully several times.
By nature a clean install means setting up a brand new Windows copy on an entirely unmodified drive, which implies you’d need to reinstall all your applications. Clearly, any crucial files should be saved elsewhere (USB stick, external hard, etc.). Regarding the built-in cloning utility, such as Radium Angel, I haven’t tried it myself, though I’ve used Macrium before and it functions well.