Installing a new SSD as your main drive can significantly boost system speed and responsiveness. This guide walks through the complete process of setting an SSD as the primary boot device while retaining your existing drive for additional storage.
Upgrading your computer with an SSD as the primary drive is like swapping a bicycle for a sports car. Same destination, wildly different experience. Everything feels faster—boot time, app launches, file transfers, even shutdowns. If your system still runs on an old hard drive, you’re leaving performance on the table.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to install an SSD as the primary drive step by step, without jargon overload or confusing detours. Whether you’re building a new PC or upgrading an old one, you’ll know exactly what to do.
The primary drive—often referred to as the boot drive—is where a computer stores and runs the operating system, installed programs, and personal files. Usually an HDD or SSD, this drive handles most read and write operations, making it a key factor in system speed and responsiveness.
Because of its impact on performance, selecting a dependable, high-capacity drive is essential. Compared to traditional hard drives, SSDs deliver clear advantages: faster data access, greater durability, longer lifespan, and more flexible installation options.
For these reasons, many users choose to replace an aging hard drive with an SSD. The common question then becomes: how can the main drive be switched to an SSD? The steps below explain how to set up a new SSD as the primary boot drive and repurpose the old hard drive as secondary storage.
Upgrading to an SSD as the primary drive is an effective way to boost system speed, enhance performance, and deliver a smoother overall experience. That said, the upgrade involves more than simply connecting a new drive. The process includes installing the SSD, transferring the operating system, setting the SSD as the main boot device, and starting the system from it.
For users with limited technical experience, even a small misstep can lead to startup failures or data loss. Careful attention to each step is essential to ensure a safe and successful upgrade.
Start by selecting an SSD that is fully compatible with your computer. Pay close attention to factors such as form factor, interface, type, and physical size. Just as important, make sure the new SSD offers enough capacity to hold all data currently stored on the existing hard drive.
Once the SSD is ready, proceed with installation. The method depends on your system configuration:
Option 1: If the computer includes an additional SSD slot, power it down, open the case with a screwdriver, locate the slot, and insert the SSD securely.
Option 2: If there is only one drive bay, use an SSD adapter or a USB-to-SATA cable to connect the SSD externally for the setup process.
Reinstalling Windows from the ground up after adding a new SSD is unnecessary and time-consuming. A faster, safer approach is to migrate the existing operating system directly to the SSD, preserving files, settings, and applications without data loss.
AOMEI Partition Assistant simplifies this process. It clones the operating system from the old hard drive to the SSD while maintaining full boot functionality. All system files, partitions, and boot sectors are automatically included, creating an exact replica of the Windows environment.
The tool also allows flexible disk layout adjustments during cloning and supports sector-by-sector copying for precise control. If the destination SSD lacks sufficient space, a warning appears in advance to prevent errors. With clear guidance and reliable performance, moving Windows to an SSD becomes straightforward and secure.
Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant. Next, click on the “Migrate OS” option and read the introduction.
Step 2. Select your SSD as the destination for the OS transfer. If there are partition on the SSD you need to check “I want to delete all partitions on disk 2 to migrate the system to the disk”. Once checked, the ‘Next’ button will activate. You should now click on it.
Step 3. You now have the option to resize the system partition and change the drive letter on the new SSD.
Step 4. Read the troubleshooting guide on how to boot from the destination disk as you may need this later.
Step 5. Click "Apply" and then ‘Proceed’ to transfer OS to the new SSD drive.
Once the cloning process is complete, the next step is to assign the SSD as the main drive and start the system from it.
🔔 Important: If the computer has only one drive bay, disconnect the SSD first, remove the old hard drive, and install the new SSD in its place.
Step 1: Restart the computer and press F2, F12, or Del during startup to access the BIOS.
Step 2: Navigate to the Boot settings and adjust the boot priority so the system loads from the new SSD.
Step 3: Save the changes, exit the BIOS, and reboot the computer. After the startup completes, the SSD will function as the primary operating system drive.
Yes. You can keep using the HDD for storage, backups, or games after setting the SSD as your primary drive.
Not always. You can clone Windows from the HDD to the SSD, or do a clean install for best performance.
Yes, if your system supports it. NVMe is much faster for booting, file transfers, and heavy workloads than SATA SSDs.
Physical installation takes 10–20 minutes. Cloning or installing Windows may take 30 minutes to a few hours.
No. Installing an SSD doesn’t erase data unless you format drives or overwrite data during cloning or installation.
Upgrading to an SSD as your primary drive is one of the most effective ways to modernize a PC. With proper preparation, careful cloning, and correct boot settings, the process is straightforward and safe. Once complete, you’ll enjoy faster startups, smoother performance, and a more responsive system—while still keeping your old hard drive for extra storage if needed.