How to Clone NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD Safely

Get the best NVMe duplicator - AOMEI Backupper and learn how to clone NVMe to NVMe SSD step by step. You don't need to reinstall Windows.

By @Ivy Last Updated September 9, 2024

In fact, searching online, there are two types of NVMe SSD duplicator: the M.2 NVMe Offline Clone Docking Station and the NVMe Cloner.

The former is ridiculously expensive, costing tens or even hundreds of dollars for just two hard drive bays alone, not to mention multiple drive bays. Prices can vary, even up to thousands of dollars, depending on the disk type and transfer speed.

All in all, we recommend you use the NVMe Cloner to clone NVMe SSD and make cloned SSD bootable. We are going to introduce you to such one software and guide you step by step on how to use it.

Why Clone NVMe to NVMe?

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a transfer protocol to access data on modern SSDs quickly, with a high-speed PCIe interface, offering faster data transfer speeds, lower latency, and higher efficiency.

Thus, many users want to clone NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD to enjoy peak performance. But it comes in 3 form factors, namely PCI Express add-in cards, M.2 cards, and U.2. Is it possible to clone NVMe to NVMe? The answer is yes you can clone NVMe SSD even if they use different form factors.

In addition, there are three major reasons why users want to clone NVMe SSD, including to expand storagedata redundancy and backup, and don'treinstallWindows. NVMe SSDs are available in different capacities including 250GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and up to 8TB.

What Do You Need?

Please be sure your computer use the newer hardware, such as Skylake chipsets or later, support M.2 PCIe x4 slot and UEFI firmware & boot mode, as NVMe is a newer SSD model.

⚠️The key items you need in NVMe SSD clone: 
  • The NVMe M.2 slot - it decides how the NVMe SSD connects to a PC. Please prepare M.2 to PCIe adapter, enclosure or dock if there is only one drive bay, or use the backup and restore method instead.

  • A screwdriver - it helps to remove and install SSD. You can't even open the back panel without it let alone clone NVMe SSD.

  • A powerful disk cloning software🧠. We strongly recommended you use the NVMe cloner - AOMEI Backupper Professional.

  • Backup files first if there any important data on the new NVMe SSD.

Among them, the most important item is the NVMe cloner - AOMEI Backupper Professional. It decides whether you can successfully clone NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD. Below are some key features or highlights of it:

AOMEI Backupper
Easy Hard Drive and SSD Cloning Software
  • Bootable cloneThe “Disk Clone” feature includes all the OS-related partitions, such as C: drive, EFI system partition, recovery partition, etc., which is necessary to start a Windows.
  • Clone NVMe SSD with different form factors including PCIe, M.2, U.2.
  • Support all brands of NVMe SSDs, such as Samsung, WD, Crucial, Toshiba, Hitachi, Adata, etc.,
  • Edit Partitions: It can clone and resize hard drive to enjoy full capacity and prevent boot issues due to wrong partition style.
  • SSD Alignment: It will automatically speed up NVMe SSD and extends its lifespan. 
  • Fully compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.

Please download the NVMe cloning software - AOMEI Backupper Professional to have to try. (The Clone features in this edition can only be demonstrated, please upgrade to enjoy) For server users, try AOMEI Backupper Server.

How to Clone NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD Step by Step

You can then follow the instructions below. Before cloning, please connect the new NVMe SSD to your computer and be sure it's recognized.

1. Launch the NVMe cloner - AOMEI Backupper Professional, choose Clone and Disk Clone in turn.

2. Select the original NVMe SSD as the source disk, and press Next >>.

3. Choose the new NVMe SSD as the destination disk, and hit Next >>.

❌ Warning: The new NVMe SSD will be overwritten or deleted during the cloning process. Please backup files first before cloning if there is something important to you.

4. Tick SSD Alignment option and click Start Clone >> to clone NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD easily. Also, select "Add unused space to all partitions" or "Manually adjust partition size" in the Edit Partitions which is necessary for users to enjoy full capacity, especially when cloning SSD to larger SSD.

⚠️Notes:
  • SSD Alignment will help you optimize the overall performance of the NVMe SSD, and prolong its lifespan.

  • Sector By Sector Clone is capable of cloning all sectors including the used sectors, blank sectors, and bad sectors if exist, and takes longer. Uncheck this option will only clone the used sectors and skip the bad sectors without any issues.

Wait for a moment, it will finished quickly (appox 30mintues), and the cost time depends on the data size of your old NVMe SSD and both disk types.

Then change the boot order to boot from the cloned NVMe SSD, everything is done.

Alternative Way to Clone NVMe to NVMe SSD

Besides, you have another way to perform NVMe to NVMe clone If your computer has one slot for NVMe SSD and do not have a connector - backup original NVMe SSD to external hard drive and restore to new NVMe SSD. Here it is:

Step 1. Backup original NVMe SSD.

Lanunch NVMe drive cloner - AOMEI Backupper. Click Backup > Disk backup. Then, select original SSD and new SSD respectively and click Next. At least, click Start Backup to backup NVMe SSD to external hard drive.

Step 2. Create WinPE Bootable USB.

Once the backup process completes, click Tools and then choose Create Bootable Media. You can choose to create a bootable USB, CD/DVD or ISO file. The best practice is to create a WinPE Bootable USB.

Step 3. Take Out Old NVMe SSD and Install New One.

You need to open the back panel, unscew the screws of NVMe SSD using a screwdriver, and take it out from 30 or 45 angle. Then, put the new NVMe SSD in the original location of old NVMe SSD and scew it tightly. 

Step 4. Boot from WinPE Bootable USB.

Restart the computer to enter BIOS, and change the first boot order as the WinPE bootable USB. Save changes and restart again. The WinPE bootable media will bring you to the main console of the NVMe cloner - AOMEI Backupper Professional.

Step 4. Restore disk image to new NVMe SSD.

Connect the external hard drive containing NVME disk image file to your computer. Then, restore disk image to new NVMe SSD with the following 4 easy steps.  

1. On the best NVMe duplicator - AOMEI Backupper Professional. Click Restore > Select Image File to choose disk image previously created.

2. Tick Restore this system backup, and Restore system to other location, and hit Next >>.

3. Select the new SSD as the destination disk to save your data and hit Next >>.

4.  Press Start Restore >> button to restore NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD.

⚠️The Universal Restore feature helps restore system image to dismilar hardware or different computer, and make it bootable.

After finished, change boot order in BIOS to set up the new NVMe SSD as the first boot device, and boot from the new NVMe SSD, that’s all.

Wrapping Things Up

AOMEI Backupper is not only a NVMe duplicator but also Windows backup and restore software, which can help you clone NVMe SSD to NVMe SSD safely with just a few clicks.

If you just want to migrate OS to new NVMe SSD without reinstalling, please try System Clone feature to migrate OS easily.

AOMEI Backupper

If you are looking for the best NVMe duplicator, we strongly recommend you use SSD cloning software - AOMEI Backupper!

For IT Technicians who would like to deploy system image to multiple computers simutaneously, create backups for unlimited computers, etc., please try AOMEI Backupper Technician Plus.