How to Clone EFI Partition to Another Drive on Windows 11/10/8/7

The EFI System Partition is crucial to your Windows OS because it stores the bootloaders, drivers, and apps needed for UEFI boot. Without this partition, your Windows operating system won't start up properly. You may want to clone EFI partition to another drive for backup purposes or to install Windows.

If you're running Windows 11/10/8/7 and want to know how to clone the EFI partition to another drive, worry not. This article from MiniTool will show you how to get the job done easily with a reliable disk cloning software. We'll also tell you what preparations you need to make before cloning the EFI System Partition (ESP) to another drive.

Scenarios Where Cloning the EFI Partition is Needed

Now that you know the groundwork to lay, here are some common real-world scenarios and our recommended solutions for them.

The next part will discuss how to copy an EFI system partition to a new drive. Read on.

#2 Clone the EFI partition? What do you need?

Since cloning the EFI partition involves moving critical data, having everything in order is essential to ensure a safe transfer. Before considering cloning the EFI partition, key factors to take into account include:

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How to use a disk cloning tool to copy the EFI partition to another drive? When replacing or upgrading a hard drive or backing up the EFI System Partition, it's necessary to copy the EFI partition to another drive. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do this using a disk cloning tool: 1. **Choose a Disk Cloning Tool**: First, you'll need a reliable disk cloning software such as Macrium Reflect, Clonezilla, or AOMEI Backupper. Make sure the chosen tool supports copying the EFI partition. 2. **Create a Bootable Media**: Most of these tools require creating a bootable USB or DVD to start your computer. Follow the software instructions to create one. 3. **Connect the Target Drive**: Attach the new drive where you plan to copy the EFI partition to your computer. Ensure it doesn't conflict with the original drive. 4. **Boot Computer and Load the Tool**: Restart your computer, enter the BIOS or UEFI settings, change the boot order to boot from the created bootable media, and save the changes. 5. **Select Source and Target Disks**: After launching the disk cloning tool, it will display a list of available disks. Choose the source disk (the one containing the EFI partition) and the target disk. 6. **Cloning Process**: - Select the "Disk to Disk" cloning option. - Ensure that "Include EFI System Partition" or a similar option is selected to properly copy the EFI partition. - Follow the tool's prompts to initiate the cloning process. This may take some time depending on the size of both disks. 7. **Verify the Copy**: After the cloning is complete, do not disconnect the target drive immediately. Use a disk management tool to check if the EFI partition has been correctly copied with the same size, format, and location. 8. **Install the New Drive**: If the target drive is part of replacing the old drive, disconnect the old one, install the new drive, and set the BIOS/UEFI to boot from the new drive. Please note that this is a general guideline, and specific steps might vary slightly depending on the disk cloning tool used. Always back up important data before performing such operations to avoid accidental loss.

Disk Clone tool provides a fast and reliable way to clone your EFI partition from one drive to another, whether it's an HDD or SSD. This software allows you to conveniently copy data from one hard drive to the target drive, regardless of where the EFI partition is located. This tool comes in handy when you run out of space on your current drive or experience decreased system performance.

Aside from performing drive cloning, disk cloning software tools also allow you to upgrade your operating system, clone dynamic disk to SSD, migrate your files and data, or create a WinPE bootable drive. Additionally, if you have a failing hard drive, the tool can also let you safely copy your data and transfer it to a healthy drive.

The Disk Copy utility can do the following:

• Clone your EFI boot drive to a new location
• Transfer the operating system from one SSD to another
• Resize disk partitions during the cloning process
• Clone a hard drive with multiple partitions
• Easily migrate data between computers

To get started with Disk Utility, you can download and install it on your computer right away. Then, you can clone the EFI partition by following these steps:

Please follow these steps to use the disk cloning utility:

Advance Notice:

• Sector-by-sector copy requires the target disk to be the same size or larger than the source disk. Do not select this if you are cloning a larger hard drive to a smaller one. • All data on the target disk will be completely erased. Proceed with caution.

Step 1: In order to start copying/cloning the entire disk to another disk, you need to select that disk in this Disk Mode and click on the “Next” button.

Step 2: Select another disk as the target disk.

Step 3: Check the partition layout of both source and target disk. You can choose to "Fit to destination disk automatically", "Keep the same as source disk" or "Edit disk partitions" to customize the layout on your destination disk.

When a warning message appears, click OK

• "Auto-adjust disk" will make some modifications to a manual layout to optimize it.
• "Copy disk as is" will not change the target disk, its layout will be identical to the source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" lets you manually adjust/move the partition layout on this target disk.

Select Check if target is SSD for optimal performance of your SSD.

A warning message appears, telling you that your data will be lost. Confirm this by clicking OK, and then click Next.

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to actually run the job.

In summary,

If you're wondering how to clone an EFI partition to another drive, this guide has got you covered. In a nutshell, before cloning the EFI partition, make sure you have a reliable HDD/SSD; back up data from the old drive; get a SATA cable; and download a relevant disk cloning utility.

As outlined in this article, the best disk cloning tool to clone your EFI partition to another drive is tools Disk Copy. The tool is fast and convenient, especially if you don't have enough space on your current drive. Be sure to download tools Disk Copy today and start cloning your EFI system partition.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cloning an EFI Partition to Another Drive

Here are some common questions about how to clone an EFI partition to another drive.

Can I copy an EFI partition to another drive?

You can easily do this with third-party software, such as a disk cloning tool. Just make sure the target drive has enough space to avoid interrupting the cloning/copying process.

Why can't I clone the EFI partition from an NVMe drive to a new NVMe drive?

Check if the new drive has enough space. The target drive must always be larger than the source drive in storage capacity. Also, ensure that the USB-to-SATA cable is properly connected. A loose connection will prevent data transfer.

3. Should the EFI System Partition be cloned?

Cloning the EFI System Partition is important so you can create a backup. This partition is crucial for booting Windows, so it's important to have a reliable copy in case something happens to the original.

How do I delete the EFI System Partition on my HDD?

Under normal circumstances, you cannot delete the EFI System Partition from your HDD. However, with the help of third-party tools like Partition Master, you can do this easily. Follow these steps:

1. Step 1. Download, install, and launch the AOMEI Partition Assistant tool on your computer. 2. Step 2. Navigate to the Partition Manager section and click on it. 3. Step 3. Right-click on the EFI System Partition, then select Delete from the drop-down menu. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process of deleting the partition from your computer.