I have two hard drives in my computer, can I switch which hard drive windows is on?

This is a commonly performed task, and it's easy to do. You'll need an external hard drive, and image backup software. It won't take long. I'll outline the procedure below. There is one 'trick' that you must know.

Step #1: Make an image backup of the 256 GB drive, with image backup software. Store the backup on the external hard drive.

Step #2: Make an image backup of the 1 TB hard drive, with image backup software. Store the backup on the external hard drive.

Step #3: Restore the backup of the 250 GB hard drive to the 1 TB hard drive; and restore the backup of the 1 TB hard drive to the 250 GB hard drive. Each hard drive now contains exactly what the other hard drive previously contained.

Step #4: Power off the computer - remove the power plug from the wall socket - and open the computer's case.

Step #5: This is the 'trick.' A computer boots from the first hard drive that has a bootable operating system. The EFI (or the BIOS, in an older computer) checks the first hard drive in the computer for the presence of a bootable operating system. If it finds a bootable operating system in the first hard drive, it transfers control to that operating system. If it doesn't find a bootable operating system in the first hard drive, it checks the next hard drive, and so on, until it finds a bootable operating system.

Since Windows is now installed on the 1 TB hard drive, you want the EFI (or BIOS) to check that hard drive first. To do that, switch the data cable from the 250 GB hard drive to the 1 TB hard drive, and vice versa. I'll explain why this works:

Presently, the data cable for your 250 GB hard drive is plugged into drive connector '0' on your motherboard, and the data cable for your 1 TB hard drive is plugged into drive connector '1' on your motherboard. The EFI (or BIOS) is going to check whatever hard drive is plugged into drive connector '0' first, for the presence of a bootable operating system. When you switch the data cables, the hard drive connected to connector '0' is now the 1 TB hard drive ... the hard drive that has Windows.

Step #6: Close the computer's case, insert the power plug back into the wall socket, and power up your computer as you normally would. Success!

Essentially, nothing has changed. You simply moved your wallet from your left pocket to your right pocket, and your keys from your right pocket to your left pocket. Everything is still in the same pair of pants (or skirt, as the case may be.) For that reason, there are no problems with licensing or activation for Windows and your other software.

Hi, I am Van. I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft user like you. I'll be glad to help you today.

You cannot move it because you cannot copy all files running on windows, but you can clone it though. You can make an exact copy of your 250GB HDD to your 1TB HDD by cloning. The other is to install a new Windows OS to your 1TB, by allocating a partition that serves as a new OS. In this way, your Machine will know that you have 2 OS running. By then you can switch OS by selecting in the BIOS on which HDD will you boot first.

Please feel welcome to reach out to me with any questions you may have in the future. I would be more than happy to help!

Best regards,

Van

Hi max1515,

Yes, you can, but you can only use 1 OS a time. You cannot switch it like switching user s on the windows. There's one option we can do, Build a Virtual Machine and use your 1TB as a storage for your VM. That way, you can run both OS at the same time. And switching from your Main OS to VM OS is possible without rebooting the machine.

Best regards,

Van

Hi max1515,

Yes, it is possible by cloning your 250GB to your 1TB. Cloning cre­ates phys­i­cal or log­i­cal cop­ies (clones) and file im­ages of hard disks and anoth­erhard drive. It

cre­ates cop­ies of en­tire soft­ware or operating system in­stal­la­tions. There is a lot of 3rd party software that you can use in cloning your disk for Free and Paid.

Beware that cloning might cause a licensing issue. So it is safe to just reinstall new windows to your 1TB.

Best regards,

Van

Is there a way I can use my computer like I am now (have access to both drives) but have the windows on my 1tb? I am not worried about the files I have enough cloud space to back it up.