## Transfer your Windows 11 install to a new drive – no extra apps needed

On a Windows 11 computer, it’s possible that at some point, you might need to upgrade or replace your hard drive due to running out of storage or reaching its age limit (typically within three to five years). If you prefer a fresh start, the suggested action would be to replace the old drive and do a clean installation. However, if you wish to retain your current setup, it’s possible to transfer your existing data onto the new hard drive instead.

No matter what your purpose is, you can finish this task by utilizing the pre-installed Backup and Recovery tool found in Windows 11.

Or,

It doesn’t matter why you need to do it; you can accomplish this action by making use of the integrated Backup and Restore function on your Windows 11 system.

The procedure is simple. Initially, you should save a system image backup, followed by creating a USB bootable medium to access recovery mode. Subsequently, you will swap out the hard drive and install the saved system image onto your computer. Lastly, adjust the system partitions as required.

In this how-to guide, I’ll outline the steps to move your current Windows 11 setup to a new drive.

How to create a system image on Windows 11

To create a full backup of the entire installation of Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Control Panel and click the top result to open the app.
3. Click on System and Security.
4. Click the “Backup and Restore” setting.

1. Click the “Create a system image” option from the bottom-left corner.

1. Select the “On a hard disk” option.

1. Use the “On a hard disk” drop-down menu and select the Windows 11 full backup destination.
2. Click the Next button.
3. (Optional) Select any additional drives to include in the backup.
4. Click the Next button.

1. Click the Start backup button.

1. Click the No button.

• Quick note: You’ll also receive a prompt to create a system repair disc, but you can skip it since you can use a USB installation media to access the recovery settings.

1. Click the Close button.

After finishing the given procedures, the tool automatically generates a copy or duplicate of your entire setup – encompassing software, configurations, and applications.

Now, let me guide you through the process of preparing a USB flash drive containing the necessary setup files for the operating system.

How to create USB recoverable media on Windows 11

To create a USB bootable media to access the recovery environment on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open the Windows 11 download page.
2. Click the Download now button to save the file on the device under the “Create Windows 11 Installation Media” section.

1. Double-click the MediaCreationTool.exe file to launch the tool.
2. Click the Accept button to agree to the terms.
3. (Optional) Clear the “Use the recommended options for this PC” option.

1. Select the correct language and edition of Windows 11.
2. Click the Next button.
3. Select the “USB flash drive” option.

1. Click the Next button.
2. Select the removable storage from the list.

• Quick tip: If the device is not on the list, click the “Refresh drive list” option to make it available.

1. Click the Next button.
2. Click the Finish button.

Once you’ve followed the instructions, the device will wipe out the current setup and generate a restoration media for your system image backup. You can later utilize this media to reinstall the backup onto the fresh drive.

How to replace the drive on your Windows 11 computer

In summary, to swap out your hard drive (whether in a desktop computer or laptop), you should first access the interior by opening the case. However, keep in mind that the steps may vary from one device to another. Therefore, it’s crucial to consult your computer brand for precise guidelines on how to accomplish this task effectively.

Usually, the process goes like this:

1. Power down the computer and unplug any cables.
2. Remove the cover of the laptop or desktop computer.
3. Carefully find the hard drive, which, depending on the device, could be a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid-State Drive (SSD), or NVM Express (NVMe).
4. Confirm how the drive is attached.

• Quick note: If it’s an HDD or SSD, it will have power and data cables. If it’s an NVMe drive, it’ll be screwed directly into the motherboard inside of a M.2 slot.

1. Disconnect any data and power cables (if applicable).
2. Remove the screws or make use of the latch to free the drive from the motherboard.
3. Remove the old hard drive.
4. Install the new hard drive.
5. Remember to reconnect any cables as necessary.
6. Close the computer case or laptop.

After finishing the given steps, a fresh set of drive replacements will be put into your computer; however, they won’t come with an operating system pre-installed.

You can now proceed with the steps to restore the previous installation in the new drive.

How to transfer Windows 11 installation to a new drive

To restore your previous installation from a system image backup, use these steps:

1. Start the computer.
2. On the USB bootable drive startup prompt, press any key to continue.

• Quick tip: If the computer does not start in the Windows Setup wizard, you will need to access the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) to change the boot order settings. However, since these steps are different per manufacturer and device model, it is recommended to check your manufacturer support website for more specific details.

1. On the “Windows Setup” page, click the Next button.

1. Click the Next button again.

1. Select the “Repair my PC” option.

1. Click the Next button.
2. Select the WinRE language (if applicable).

1. Click on Troubleshoot.

1. Click the “System Image Recovery” option.

1. Click on the Windows 11 operating system option.

1. Select the “Use the latest available system image” option to transfer the most

1. Click the Next button.
2. Click the Next button again.

1. Click the Finish button.

1. Click the Yes button to confirm the deletion of the new drive.
2. Click the OK button to confirm that BitLocker has been disabled on the new drive (if applicable).
3. Click the Restart now button.

Once you’ve followed the instructions, the tool I’m counting on will bring back the previous version of Windows 11 onto my fresh hard drive.

Once the computer has been rebooted, you’ll be prompted to establish a fresh PIN for your account to access it. At that juncture, simply adhere to the instructions displayed on the screen.

If BitLocker is your chosen encryption method, it’s important to note that the encryption will stay active; however, you’ll need to reboot your device once more for the encryption feature to function again.

How to reconfigure partition after recovery on Windows 11

While it’s possible to employ the pre-installed backup tool for transferring your Windows 11 setup onto a fresh drive, be aware that this operation will replicate the exact partition structure of the original drive.

Consequently, when you opt for a larger storage device, it tends to leave some unused or unassigned space behind.

Here’s a simpler way to put it: The issue lies in how the recovery partition is set up. It’s placed right at the end of the drive where the main operating system resides. This setup means that you can’t expand your partition to include any unused space because the recovery partition takes up that space.

Here are two alternatives for you. First, you could opt for a different section where you can save your files and certain applications using the remaining procedures. Secondly, if you choose to do so, you’ll need to get rid of the recovery partition, extend the installation drive by utilizing the unallocated space, and re-create the recovery partition.

Create a data partition

To create a partition with the remaining space, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the Storage page on the right side.

1. Click on Advanced storage settings under the “Storage management” section.
2. Click the “Disks & volumes” setting.

1. Select the drive to create a new volume.
2. Select the Unallocated space, click the Create volume button, and choose the “Create Simple Volume” option.

1. Confirm a drive label in the “Label” field.
2. Select the drive letter with the “Drive letter” drop-down menu.

1. Select the NTFS option with the “File System” drop-down menu.
2. Click the Format button.

Once you complete the steps, you will end up with a new drive to store files.

Expand the setup partition

To enlarge your installation drive by using the unallocated space, you’ll need to perform the following steps:

1. Delete the recovery partition.
2. Extend the size of your Windows 11 setup drive.
3. Re-create the recovery partition at the end of the drive.

This process will help you increase the size of your installation drive using the unallocated space available on your system.

For numerous users, this task may seem quite laborious. To make it more manageable, consider creating a fresh partition within the unused space on your system, and then move your data over to the new partition.

To move forward with these steps, it’s advisable that you make a complete backup of your computer first, just in case.

As a enthusiast, I’d like to guide you through disabling BitLocker: Navigate to the Settings menu, then System, followed by Privacy & Security. Over there, you’ll find the “Device Encryption” toggle switch. To deactivate it, simply move that switch off.

To extend the setup partition on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
3. Type the following command to disable the Windows Recovery Environment and move the “winre.wim” file from the “Recovery Partition” to the “Recovery” folder inside the current Windows 11 installation and press Enter: reagentc /disable
4. Type the following command to run the DiskPart tool and press Enter: diskpart
5. Type the following command to show the available disk and press Enter: list disk
6. Type the following command to select the system drive and press Enter: select disk 0
7. Type the following command to view the partitions on the drive and press Enter: list partition
8. Type the following command to select the current partition for recovery and press Enter: select partition X

In the given command, substitute “ X ” with the appropriate number for the Recovery Partition in your system setup.

1. Type the following command to delete the recovery partition and press Enter: delete partition override

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Disk Management and click the top result to open the app.
3. Right-click the (C:) drive and choose the “Extend volume” option.

1. Click the Next button.
2. Subtract “1024” MB (1GB) for the total amount of space to extend the main partition.

• Quick note: The 1GB of unallocated space will be used for the new Recovery Partition.

1. Click the Next button.
2. Click the Finish button.
3. In Command Prompt, type the following command to create a new partition for the recovery environment and press Enter: create partition primary
4. Type the following command to format the partition with the NTFS file system and press Enter: format fs=ntfs quick
5. Type the following command to set the new partition as the Recovery Partition and press Enter: set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac override
6. Type the following command to set the attribute to prevent users from deleting this partition and press Enter: gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
7. Type the following command to exit from the DiskPart tool and press Enter: exit

1. Type the following command to enable the Windows Recovery Partition and to copy the “winre.wim” from the “Recovery” folder to the “Recovery Partition” and press Enter: reagentc /enable
2. Type the following command to check the state of the Windows Recovery Environment and press Enter: reagentc /info

After finishing the given procedures, a fresh Recovery Partition will automatically appear at the end of your drive. The final step’s result should indicate that Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) has been activated.

Lastly, don’t forget to activate BitLocker again by navigating to the “Settings”, then “System”, followed by “Privacy & Security”. Make sure to flip the switch for “Device Encryption” as well.

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2025-03-19 19:13