Safe Computer

Upgrade HDD to SSD

• Henny Staas
• 2025-12-132025-12-13
• 1

If your laptop feels like it’s stuck in the stone age, slow boots, endless loading wheels, apps crawling, there’s a simple fix that feels like magic, upgrade the old hard disk drive (HDD) for a solid-state drive (SSD). It’s one of the best performance upgrades you can do, especially on older machines. Boot times drop from minutes to seconds, programs launch instantly, and the whole system feels brand new. No exaggeration, I’ve done this on dozens of bank workstations and personal laptops over the years.
The best part? You don’t have to reinstall Windows or any programs. By cloning your HDD to the SSD, everything transfers exactly. Files, settings, licenses (Windows OEM/digital ones tie to your motherboard, so they activate automatically), and apps. No fresh start needed.
I’ve seen too many people mess this up (wrong clone direction), so here’s my no-BS, step-by-step guide. Follow it, and you’ll be flying in an afternoon.

Why bother upgrading to SSD?

Speed: HDDs are mechanical (spinning platters); SSDs are flash memory, no moving parts.
Reliability: less shock damage (great for laptops).
Battery life: SSDs use less power.
Cost: decent 500GB-1TB SSDs are cheap now (€50-100).

TIPS

Essential tips before you start (don’t skip these!)
Work on a solid table with good lighting and space.
Use small plates (or labeled bags) for screws, laptops often have different sizes/lengths. Make notes (or photos) of where each came from.
Video the entire process on your phone. Disassembly can be tricky; replaying helps if something doesn’t line up on reassembly.
As soon as your SSD arrives, open the laptop and compare physically, does it fit the bay/caddy?
Backup everything to an external drive or cloud. Cloning is safe, but you never know.
When cloning: source = old HDD, target = new SSD. Double-check, I’ve seen folks wipe their original by accident!

What you’ll need

A compatible SSD (check your laptop model).
USB-to-SATA adapter/enclosure to connect the SSD while the HDD is still inside.
Free cloning software (2025 recommendations below).
Screwdriver (and maybe Torx, depending on model).

Recommended free cloning software

Pick one, all handle system clones well:
Hasleo Disk Clone → fully free, simple, fast Windows migration (my current go-to).
AOMEI Backupper Standard → excellent interface, SSD alignment for max speed.
EaseUS Disk Copy or DiskGenius Free → great for beginners, sector-by-sector options.
Brand-specific, like Samsung Data Migration if Samsung SSD

Here’s a step-by-step guide, it’s straightforward, and again, back up important files first just in case.

Step 1

Prepare and clone the drive
Connect the new SSD via USB adapter (HDD stays inside).
Download/install your chosen software.
Select Clone Disk or System/OS Migration.
Source: your current HDD → target: SSD (triple-check!).
Enable SSD Alignment or Optimize for SSD if available.
Start clone, 30 mins to hours.

Step 2

Physically swap the drives
Shut down → Unplug → Remove battery (if removable).
Open the bottom panel (search YouTube for replace HDD your laptop model).
Remove old HDD (often in a caddy, transfer brackets/spacers to SSD).
Install SSD → reassemble carefully.

Step 3

Boot and verify
Power on, if no boot, enter BIOS (F2/Del/Esc/F10—varies) → set SSD as first boot device.
Windows boots exactly as before… but way faster.
Check Disk Management (right-click Start > Disk Management) for full capacity.

Troubleshooting common issues

Won’t boot? → BIOS boot order or Secure Boot disabled temporarily.
Clone failed? → Try different software or check cables.
Smaller SSD? → Tools like AOMEI handle intelligent cloning (used space only).
Keep old HDD as backup, pop it in an enclosure for external storage.

This upgrade has saved countless hours at the bank and home. Your laptop will thank you!
Questions? Drop a comment, I’ve probably seen the issue.

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Disclaimer

All tips and methods mentioned in this blog are tested on Windows 11. Please note that results may vary on other operating systems or versions of Windows. Adapt the instructions accordingly.

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