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ColeJackson's avatar
ColeJackson
Iron Contributor
Dec 31, 2025

Safe way to clone my entire PC to a new one on Windows 11?

I bought a new PC with a larger SSD drive (1TB) as the my old Windows 11 PC is running out of space. Only 20GB free space is available for the old SSD 256GB. I do know a clean install works but it wo...
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WaylonDiesel's avatar
WaylonDiesel
Iron Contributor
Dec 31, 2025

Give a try on Clonezil, a powerful, free, and open-source disk cloning and imaging solution trusted by IT professionals worldwide. Think of it as a "digital photocopier" for your entire computer; it creates perfect sector-by-sector copies of hard drives or SSDs, including your operating system, programs, files, and settings.

Unlike commercial software for cloning entire PC to new one, Clonezilla runs independently from a USB drive or CD, allowing you to clone, backup, or restore entire systems even when Windows 11 won't boot. It's particularly valuable for migrating to new hardware, creating system backups, or deploying identical setups across multiple computers—all without licensing costs or restrictions. It also supports legacy Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

How to clone entire pc to a new on Windows 11:

  1. Download Clonezilla live ISO.
  2. Create bootable USB with Rufus.
  3. Boot both PCs from Clonezilla USB.
  4. Use "device-device" mode for direct clone via network.
  5. Or create image to external drive, then restore to new PC.

Clonezilla offers a completely free, reliable, and secure method to clone your Windows 11 PC to new hardware. While its interface requires more technical confidence than commercial alternatives, its capabilities match or exceed paid software. For users comfortable following step-by-step guides, Clonezilla provides a professional-grade solution without corporate restrictions or fees.

Pros: Free, open-source, supports many filesystems, very reliable.

Cons: Command-line interface, steeper learning curve.

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