How to Move Files from SSD to HDD

SSDs and HDDs are two of the most commonly used storage devices in computers. Although both of them serve the same purpose, i.e., to store data, they vary widely in their features and use cases. 

Users often use a pair of both these devices in their computers. As the SSD is faster but more expensive, users prefer keeping their OS in it to boost system performance. On the other hand, HDD is slower but cheaper, so users prefer to keep their large files like games and videos in it. 

If you have got a new HDD and want to move your large files from your older SSD to your new HDD, this article has got you covered. 

But first, let’s tell you about Computer Memory Solutions (CMS). CMS is a well-reputed seller of high-quality storage devices and computer memory, at a market-competitive price point. If you need to purchase any kind of storage device or RAM modules, feel free to check out CMS’s shop. 

Now, let’s talk about SSDs, HDDs, and how you can move files between them. 

What is SSD?

Solid State Drives (SSDs) are objectively better than HDDs in many ways. 

To begin with, SSDs are much, much faster at storing and reading data. If you upgrade your PC to an SSD, you’re going to notice a massive leap forward in terms of performance. The system will boot up several times faster, games will load quicker, data transfer will be better — and much more. 

However, SSD is a pretty expensive storage solution. An SSD compared to an HDD of the same storage capacity is many times more expensive, explaining why people prefer to use both of them simultaneously in their systems. 

What is HDD?

Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are seemingly an outdated type of storage, but they have their perks over SSDs. 

HDDs are much slower than SSDs. The OS boots up considerably slower on an HDD than it does on an SSD; programs and games open up slower; data transfer is much worse. 

However, that doesn’t mean HDDs are useless. As SSDs are really expensive, users often can’t afford to buy high-capacity SSDs. So, they use a combination of both, an SSD and an HDD in their systems. They typically install the OS and important programs in the SSD drive, while storing less resource-intensive data in the HDD. 

How to move files from SSD to HDD

Now that we’re clear on both the storage types and the use cases they are used in, let’s talk about how to move data from one to another. 

In this step-by-step guide, we are specifically going to talk about moving data from an SSD to HDD when you want to transfer your large files into the cheaper HDD. However, the process of transferring from an HDD to an SSD is essentially the same. 

1. Make sure both the storage devices, i.e., the HDD and the SSD are installed in your system. If they aren’t, this method is not going to work. 
2. After you’ve double-checked whether both the devices are installed, power on your PC and open “My PC”. 
3. In the “Devices and Drives” section, you should be able to see both your SSD and HDD drives enlisted. If you’re not sure which partitions are from the SSD and which are from the HDD, open up the Disk Management tool by searching for it in the Windows search bar. 
4. In the bottom half of the program, you should be able to see two different storage devices with their partitions enlisted.
5. Now that you know which partitions are from the SSD, open them up and copy the files you want to transfer. 
6. Open up an HDD partition and paste the files. The files will be moved sooner or later depending on the size. 

Wrapping things up

SSDs and HDDs, both have their pros and cons that set them apart. 

SSDs are faster and often used to run the OS and resource-intensive programs, while HDDs are used to store large files. 

This article gives you all the information you need on moving your files from an older SSD to a new HDD. 

If you need to purchase any of the two storage devices, feel free to check out CMS’s portfolio of products. We sell the best quality SSDs, HDDs, RAMs, and other memory/storage modules at incredibly low prices.