Do you want to move Windows 11 operating system files to SSD to boost the speed of your computer? Or, your current drive is running out of space and you want to move your operating system files to a drive that has more space? Whatever the reason may be, moving Windows 11 operating system files to a new drive is easy.
Things to keep in mind before you start your migration
The most important thing to note when migrating Windows 11 from one drive to another is that the migration process will transfer all the contents of the drive to the new drive. For example, if you have Windows installed on your C drive and want to move it to an SSD labeled F drive, everything in the C drive will be migrated to the F drive. This means that you can't simply move Windows folders from C drive to another drive.
All the information that Windows needs to function properly is not contained in the Windows folder on the C drive; The required data is distributed in different folders on the C drive.
Another thing to note is that the total used space on the drive on which Windows 11 is installed must be less than the total capacity of the drive you want to move the installation to. For example, if you have 300 GB of free space on the C drive in Windows 11, the new drive should have more than 300 GB of free space.
How to migrate your Windows 11 installation to a new drive
There are a variety of tools you can use to migrate your Windows 11 installation to a new drive, but I prefer to use the DiskGenius tool. First, go to the DiskGenius website and download the tool. Then, double-click on the downloaded executable file (.exe) to start the installation process.
When installing the application, make sure that you are not installing it on the drive that you plan to move the Windows installation on, as this may result in data loss. Once the installation is complete and the drive is connected to the location where you want to move the Windows installation, open DiskGenius. In the left sidebar, you'll see all the devices connected to your computer.
Click the System Migration option in the top menu, select your target disk in the Select Destination Disk dialog box that appears, and then click OK.
DiskGenius will then prompt you with a confirmation box asking for your permission to wipe all data on the drive of the mobile Windows installation. Click "OK" to confirm.
In the System Migration Settings window, you will be prompted to choose whether you want DiskGenius to automatically change the boot order or to change it manually. While both methods are effective, I recommend doing it manually so you can see what's really going on behind the scenes. Select the option "Automatically enter BIOS after reboot (manual setup)" and click "Start". DiskGenius will remind you again that all data on the destination drive will be erased. Click OK to continue.
Select the Hot Migration option. The process will start and may take some time depending on the amount of data.
Once the migration is complete, click Yes to confirm that you want to restart your computer.
Since you have chosen to manually configure the boot sequence, your computer will reboot and enter the BIOS menu. It's crucial to change the boot order so that your computer knows which drive to load the operating system from. For example, if you've moved your Windows 11 installation from drive C: to drive F: you'll need to adjust the boot order so that the operating system is loaded from drive F instead of drive C. If you don't change the boot order, your computer won't be able to load the operating system.
I perform these steps on an HP laptop, so the following instructions apply to the brand. If you're using a different computer, the BIOS menu and process for changing the boot order may be slightly different.
Click on "Launch Options" in the top menu. Then, in the UEFI boot sequence section, use the F5 and F6 keys to move the device up or down. Make sure that "OS Boot Manager" is at the top of the boot order. You can also double-click the OS Boot Manager option to check and make sure that the drive containing the OS files is selected.
Then, click the "Exit" button at the top, select "Save Changes and Exit".
That's it! You have successfully migrated your Windows 11 installation to the new drive. Once your computer boots up, open File Explorer and check to make sure everything is working with the drive. Access the Properties window of the previous and current location of the Windows installation and make sure that the space used is almost the same. It may not be exactly the same – there may be a difference of around 5-6GB, but it's completely normal.
After that, you can erase the old drive where the Windows 11 installation files are stored if you wish.
summary
It's all about migrating Windows 11 installation files from one drive to another. Isn't the process simple and straightforward? Now, the drive where you previously saved your Windows 11 installation files is empty, and you can use it for other purposes, such as storing personal data and other items.