As time goes by, Windows 7 users may find it unpleasant that computer responds slower and slower: text displays slower than key-in speed, video playing stops from time to time while network is in good condition, file opening even costs over ten seconds, etc. though those are depended most by the size of the installed memory, if the system partition is full of storage and running out of space, it can also effect the performance of your computer.
Then, what should users do? Transfer Windows 7 to new hard drive which has large amount of free space, better a unused new hdd. Though you can extend system partition with free space on other partitions on the same hard disk, it is limited. On the one hand, it cannot be better to give a whole new drive for system to operate on. On the other hand, if the free space shrink from other partitions is not right behind system partition, it is impossible to extend system partition with the free space; and, the free space can be take from other partitions is limited. Therefore, Transfer Windows 7 to new hard drive is an intelligent choice.
Some of you may wonder that it is available to directly copy Windows 7 partition to the new hard disk drive? No, of course! Unlike other partitions, this is system partition, if you simply move it from one place to another, it will not boot in the new location. Then, how to move Windows 7 to new hard drive ensuring bootable? There are two ways.
Migrate Windows 7 to New Hard Drive with AOMEI Partition Assistant
AOMEI Partition Assistant is a professional and excellent hard drive partition manager. Except for basic operations on partition level, it can also optimize your operating system by change its location (migrate os to ssd) as well as convert disk type between GPT and MBR. Migrate OS to SSD feature can not only move Windows 7 to ssd, but also can transfer Windows 7 to new hard drive.
Before you do
Step1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro and choose “Migrate OS to SSD” on the left panel of its main interface to transfer Windows 7 to new hard drive.
Step2. Enter Migrate OS to SSD window. Click “Next” to continue.
Step3. Select an unallocated space or useable partition on the destination disk to contain Windows 7. The select place should be large enough to contain your system.
Step4. Specify the size or the location of the partition being created. To specify the size, put mouse pointer on the circle of the right end of the graphic bar; when mouse pointer becomes double-headed arrow, just drag mouse pointer rightwards (extend) or leftwards (shrink). To specify the location, put mouse pointer on the graphic bar; when it becomes four-way arrow, drag it rightwards to decided its location compared with the rest unallocated space. To exactly specify new system partition size and location, just put number in the three columns: unallocated space before, partition size and unallocated space after.
Step5. A window will comes out giving you a note about booting matter after migration.
Step6. Preview the partitions layout after migration. Then, click “Apply” on the upper left to carry out transfer Windows 7 to new hard drive.
When it finishes, restart computer and system will boot from the new location. In a few cases, if it fails to boot from the new location, disconnect the source disk from computer, or, change the connect socket of destination disk and source disk. Then, boot the computer from destination disk.
AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro supports not only Windows 7, but also other PC systems like Windows 8, 8.1 and the newest Windows 10.
Tip:You can also move windows 7 to new hard drive using “Disk Clone” feature of AOMEI Backupper, another software developed by AOMEI Technology.