how to clone ssd to another ssd without third party tool

Create system image on the external portable hdd

Remove old ssd, install new ssd which needs to be at least same size as old ssd, boot pc from recovery usb drive, select system restore.

@redxps630​ Thank You - it looks super easy - even for me. Definitely I will try it.

USB 3.0 flash drive should work.  Speedstep used to always insist on USB 2.0 if loading from a flash drive, but I did it with USB 3.0 and it worked great.

For systems without USB 3.0, USB 3.0 flash drives are backwards compatible.

If system didn't originally have USB 3.0, but it was added, then I'd suggest using 2.0 slot.

@redxps630​ Thanks very much for that info I have tried it and am OK up to create system image as I am on Windows 11 mine doesn't look the same as yours It gives me a webpage listing various websites about imaging.How do I get the image on to the usb please?

the USB flash drive does not save system image.  it is used to make a small recovery boot media so after you uninstall the old boot drive, you can boot the pc from the USB flash drive then restore system image from external USB HDD to the new ssd (which is blank to start with).

to create system image in Windows 11

Windows 11:

Press Windows key + R

Type: control

Under System and Security click on

If you are running an earlier build of Windows 11, open Settings > System > click on Storage > Advanced Storage options > Backup options

@redxps630​ Have been on this all day so fargot the usb start up drive and also got the image onto an external usb hard driveTwhen I changed the 128gb drive for the 500gb one and booted from the usb I followed the instructions to recover the image from the hard drive. But it fails every time and comes up with a long message about 'No disk that can be used for recovering the system disk can be found' I tried several times in case my image was a problem also tried another usb hard drive with no success I don't know what to try next

sorry to hear your troubles. first time doing it can be frustrating.

did you follow the steps in this guide?

https://www.asus.com/us/support/faq/1045873/#Win11

go to

>  Create System Image

> Use System Image to recover your system

make sure in your pc bios>sata operation it is set at AHCI, not RAID.

@redxps630​ Hi thanks for sticking with me on this problem. I checked the BIOS and it was set to raid so I changed that restarted the computer and created a fresh imageI still couldn't get it to work. Getting several different error messages  every time I tried. I have got a second 500gb nvme I drive so I thought I might give that a try I reimaged from the 128gb ssd  installed the other nvme and tried again. This time I thought it had worked as the loading bar started and just as it finished  up pops the error message again. I tried various things  including trying to run CHKDSK on the new drive. This came up with a message to say it couldn't run it as the disk is locked? . I can't do any more at the moment as I have stuff to prepare for a meeting tomorrow morning. But do you think I have 2 faulty drives here? or is there anything else I can try please?

It sounds possible that the Windows setup of 128 gb drive is corrupted so you run into all kinds of trouble creating system image and deploying it. 

you have 3070 sff. You had trouble cloning the 128GB before 

https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/optiplex-desktops/3070sff/6654807c9d31ec38a7cbfffc

I believe when you change from raid to ahci you need to do some safe boot tricks or reinstall OS to make pc boot.  You did not mention any of these you did.  Are you sure bios change to ahci is saved and you can still boot from 128?  it is understood you would not be able to boot if you do not do some tricks.

@redxps630​ HI yes the bios setting is changed and I can still bot win 11 from the 128 ssd. The reason for my problem before was that the 128 ssd has a sector size of 512 and the 500gb ssd has a sector size of 4096. Cloning software I tried would not work and  from what I found online  this difference was the problem.  I don't know what else to try 

Try clear cmos settings by motherboard jumper and replace CMOs battery with a new one.   Apply safe boot tricks.

1. Run cmd as administrator

2. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Safe Mode the next time you reboot:

   bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
   

3. Restart the computer and enter UEFI/BIOS setup.

4. Change the SATA operation mode from RAID to AHCI.

5. Save changes and exit Setup and Windows will automatically boot to Safe Mode.

6. Launch cmd again, as in step #1.

7. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Normal Mode the next time you reboot:

   bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
   

8. Reboot and Windows will automatically start with AHCI drivers enabled.

If you could boot before without the safe boot tricks, something is wrong.  more reason to clear cmos.

@redxps630​ Hello again sorry for the delay in getting back to you but have been very busy for the last few days. Anyway I thought I would give it one more try with my boot disc and image on the hard drive. I have the new nvme in the machine so installed usb boot and switched on  I hadn't set boot for usb and it booted into windows !! I checked  in case I was botting from the external drive but no I somehow actually have my c drive off the 128gb on my new drive I was left with one slight problem in that all the space above 128 was unallocated in disk management and I couldn't extend it into the c drive as they weren't next to each other but I found a free edition of Disk Genius and it was simple to add that to my c;drive so I now have windows 11 on a 500gb nvme. Thank you so much for your help on this Idon't know how it worked but it's there Thanks again very much