Having trouble with Samsung Data Migration not working? This guide walks you through the most common causes and fixes and offers an alternative cloning solution to ensure a successful data transfer to your new SSD.
When Samsung Data Migration doesn’t work as expected, it can be frustrating — especially when you're eager to upgrade your system with a faster SSD. Several factors could cause the software to fail, stall, or display error messages. Let’s break down the most common reasons:
📍 Incompatible hardware issues
📍 Faulty cables or bad connections
📍 Outdated SDM software
📍 Bad sectors on the source disk
📍 Encrypted source disk
📍 Unprepared target disk
If you are tired of troubleshooting the Samsung Data Migration not working issue, try the best alternative tool.
If Samsung Data Migration stuck at 0%, 99% or completely not working, don’t panic. Here are some practical fixes to help you out.
Please remember Samsung Data Migration can only help you clone a system disk to a Samsung SSD. It won’t work if:
💡 Note: Some old Samsung SSD models are also not supported. Make sure you are using 860 EVO, 970 EVO Plus, 980 PRO, and newer models.
A loose, faulty, or unstable connection between your SSD and computer can cause Samsung Data Migration to freeze or fail midway through the cloning process. Here’s how to fix it:
1. Unplug and reconnect the target SSD securely.
2. Reboot your computer after reconnecting the drive to ensure the system properly detects the SSD.
Running an outdated version of Samsung Data Migration (SDM) can cause compatibility problems, especially if you're using a newer Samsung SSD model or a recent Windows update. Follow the steps below to update SDM software:
1. Uninstall the current version of Samsung Data Migration from your PC.
2. Visit Samsung’s official support website and download the newest version of Samsung Magician (SDM has been integrated into Samsung Magician now).
3. Install Samsung Magician and restart your computer before trying the migration again.
Disk errors like bad sectors, file system corruption, or minor inconsistencies can cause the Samsung Data Migration not working issue. Follow these steps to fix it:
1. Press Windows + S, type cmd, then right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk C: /f /r /x and press Enter to check the source drive.
💡 Note: If there are multiple partitions on the source drive, replace C: with other drive letters to check them one by one.
3. If prompted to schedule the scan at the next reboot, type Y and press Enter.
4. Restart your computer. The tool will then find any bad sectors and attempt to repair them.
If your source drive is encrypted — for example, using BitLocker or another disk encryption tool — Samsung Data Migration may not be able to access the necessary data sectors. Use these steps to unlock the source disk:
1. Turn off BitLocker (if enabled):
2. If you’re using other encryption software, open that program and decrypt the drive following the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Once decryption is complete, restart your computer before running Samsung Data Migration again.
💡 Note: Always back up important files before decrypting a drive, just in case something goes wrong during the process.
If the target SSD isn't properly initialized, partitioned, or formatted, Samsung Data Migration might not detect it correctly. Preparing the target drive using Windows Disk Management can fix many of these problems quickly.
1. Press Windows + X and select Disk Management.
2. Check the target SSD status:
3. Right-click the unallocated space, choose New Simple Volume, and format it as NTFS with Default Allocation Size.
4. Restart Samsung Data Migration and run disk clone again.
If you’ve tried everything and Samsung Data Migration still isn’t working, don’t waste more time troubleshooting. There is an excellent alternative – AOMEI Cloner that can help you with Samsung SSD clone.
Download AOMEI Cloner and use it to clone your HDD to Samsung SSD now:
Step 1. Install and open AOMEI Cloner. Navigate to Clone and choose Disk Clone.
Step 2. Select your existing HDD as the source disk and pick your Samsung SSD as the destination.
Step 3. Enable SSD Alignment for optimal performance, then click Start Clone to begin the process.
If you encounter the Samsung Data Migration not working issue, it can be caused by various reasons. There are 6 effective solutions offered in this article to help you resolve the issue. If all solutions fail, try a trusted alternative AOMEI Cloner. It offers a simple and highly compatible solution for disk cloning. Not only Samsung SSD, you can use it to clone HDD to Crucial SSD, etc. Just go for it!