How to copy c drive to external hard drive on Windows 11/10?

To copy your C drive to an external hard drive, you first need to decide why you are doing it. Simple "copy and paste" won't work for your entire C drive because it contains the Windows operating system, which has hidden and locked files that cannot be moved while the computer is running.

How to C drive to external hard drive with system imaging

This creates a single large file (an image) that contains everything on your C drive: Windows, programs, and settings. You can use this to restore your computer to its exact current state if your hard drive fails.

1. Plug in your external drive.

2. Open the Control Panel and go to System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

3. On the left sidebar, click Create a system image.

4. Select your external hard drive under "On a hard disk" and click Next.

5. Confirm that your C drive (and "System Reserved") are selected, then click Start backup.

Creating a system image is the most reliable for copying c drive to external hard drive and it remains bootable. Unlike a simple copy-and-paste, it captures the entire environment, ensuring that if your drive crashes or Windows becomes corrupted, you don't have to spend hours reinstalling your programs and reconfiguring your settings.