How to Clone GPT Disk in Windows 10

Amy Dennis

Jul 03, 2020 • Filed to: Take Data Backup • Proven solutions

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Technology is constantly being updated and disks technology is no exception. After many years in which MBR partitions boomed, today GPT partitions are the format that has been developed and soon this will be the future of all disks. Disk cloning is a process that has been in place for several years and GPT disks are fully compatible to be cloned. In this post you will understand how this process works and I will show you how to do it using a professional software that is very easy to use.

Part 1: Learn to Clone GPT Disk in Windows 10

One of the most important tasks that PC and laptop users perform is to back up their information. This results in something practically mandatory so that, in case of any loss or problem with your hardware, your data is not affected and can be recovered if it has been deleted or lost from the original storage source.

Cloning your disk is an option to make backups, it is also a very effective way to keep your data as it is so that you can install your Windows 10 operating system on another disk with all the information you had at the time of making cloning. This means that, if you need to install a new disk, you will no longer have to transfer your information manually, this process will save you many hours, in addition to this ensuring that none of your data will be lost or deleted.

Part 2: Learn about GPT Disk

GPT (GUID Partition Table) disks are those that have an innovative partition format that has replaced MBR (Master Boot Record) which dates from 1983. A GPT disk has many advantages, some of them are:

Efficient distribution of data backups: Data backup on GPT disks is distributed across all partitions, contrary to MBRs, which store this information in one place. This makes the recovery of information on GPT disks much more possible, since if one partition gets corrupted it can use the data of another to restore itself.

Large storage unit capacity: MBR disks only allow up to 32 bits for each sector of the storage unit, limiting the maximum size of these to 2 TB. GPT disks, by contrast, allow a maximum of 64 bits per sector, this represents more than 9 ZB (Zettabytes) per sector, this is around a billion Terabytes.

Increased number of partitions: While MBR disks only allow four partitions, GPT has a much higher limit, in the case of Windows, it is 128 partitions per disk.

As you could see, GPT format turns out to be more convenient than the MBR, so if you have a computer with updated hardware, you should definitely have this partition system.

Part 3: Why Clone GPT Disk in Windows 10?

Cloning your GPT disk in Windows 10 will give you many advantages, the main one is that you are going to make a copy of your operating system along with all your updated data. If you want to change your disk either because it shows signs that it may stop working soon or the space is not enough, in the new one you will be able to install Windows 10 along with your information at the time of cloning your old disk.

In addition, there are other great advantages that you can obtain by performing this process such as:

1. To get a better performance and shorter boot time: when you install the cloned operating system, it will run without the temporary files and other junk elements that interfere with the performance of your disk; this is a double advantage, since if you can install Windows 10 with your files and all your information, additionally it will work faster and boot time will be even less.
2. To make a backup: if you want to make a backup, this can be a good option. Your files will be kept intact in the process of cloning the disk and this can be saved in an image file, so you can take it with you in a memory or another disk. Although this is not the most common alternative to make backups, remember that if you are close to using another disk or the one you currently have tends to fail, having your operating system saved with your documents and programs is something very valuable.
3. To keep safe in case of accidents: disks are devices that work with electrical energy, which does not leave them exempt from faults and errors. They may experience electric shocks, external hard drives may stop working due to apparently weak drops or knocks, or they may overheat and cause problems. Whatever the cause of cloning the disk is going to make sure that your information is intact and that if you need to change your disk you can install Windows 10 with your files and programs as they were.

So, as you may have realized cloning your GPT disk is not only to reinstall Windows 10 in a practical way and with all your information, it is going to allow you to back up your files and programs so that, in case of an accident or problem with your disk, it will not You worry about migrating your data manually, in addition to avoiding anxiety about losing your information.

Part 4: How to Clone GPT Disk in Windows 10?

To clone your GPT disk in Windows 10 you must use specific software, in this case, the best alternative is AOMEI Backupper. This application will help you carry out this task in an easy and practical way. To clone your GPT disk, you do not need to have previous knowledge or be a computer expert, all you have to do is follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Select “Disk Clone”

Select “Clone” from the left-hand side menu and then select “Disk Clone.”

Step 2: Select source disk

Select the source disk that you want to clone. Then click “Next.”

Step 3: Select destination disk

Select the destination disk to which the source will be clone and click “Next.” Remember that the destination disk will be formatted and all of the existing data will be overwritten. Backup important files forehand.

Step 4: Preview the information of your disks

Preview the information of your source and destination disk. In the lower-left corner, set desired advanced settings as in this image.

Step 5: Adjust size of partitions on the destination disk

To adjust size of partitions on the destination disk, you can select the “Edit Partitions” option which is shown in Step 4 image.

Copy without resizing partitions: Do not make any changes to the partition sizes. If you use this option, there may be some unallocated space on the destination disk after disk clone. In this case, you can use AOMEI Partition Assistant or Windows Disk Management to resize or allocate drive letters for the unallocated space.

Add unused space to all partitions (available in paid editions): The destination disk partitions will be automatically resized to fit the entire disk, appropriate for the disk size. This feature is especially useful for disk clone from a smaller drive to a larger one. All partitions on the source disk will be automatically resized in the same proportion to fit the entire disk space. As a result, you can use the entire destination space.

Manually adjust partition size (available in AOMEI Backupper Professional or higher editions): Manually adjust the partition size by dragging a slider bar. With this feature, you can simply select and modify the size of every partition as your requirements.

You can note that in Step 4 image there is an option that says “Sector by Sector Clone”, if you enable it, this will copy all sectors of the source disk to the destination disk whether in use or not. The destination disk size must be equal to or larger than the source disk. Usually, to save destination disk space, there is no need to tick this option. Unchecking AOMEI “Sector by sector clone” will only clone the used part of the source disk, so the room required on the destination is smaller. Yet, the data or system is still intact and the system remains bootable after cloning.

If your destination disk is an SSD (Solid-State Drive), we highly recommend you check “SSD Alignment” option (shown at the bottom of Step 4 image) for optimizing the performance of the SSD.

Step 6: Confirm the process

Finally, click “Start Clone.” Wait for the process to complete and then click “Finish.”

Conclusion

As you could see, GPT disks can store a massive amount of information, which can be very important for the user. Losing such files cannot be an option and reinstalling Windows 10 when necessary can be very tedious if you have to migrate files and reinstall applications. Fortunately, disk cloning is a process that will save a lot of time and keep your stored information safe and thanks to AOMEI Backupper, this task will be ready with a few simple clicks.