The primary hard drive is where your Windows, applications, and user data are stored. It’s also referred to as the C drive or main drive. Changing the primary hard disk means switching the primary disk and setting a new hard drive as primary, and changing the default install drive for installing apps and storing files.
This article will cover the 2 cases on how to change primary hard drive in Windows 10. Keep reading!
Key Takeaways
- To change the primary hard drive to a larger one or an SSD on Windows 10 as a boot drive, try professional and reputable disk cloning software – EaseUS Disk Copy to copy your entire operating system and data from your current hard drive to the new drive.
- To change the default storage location from C to D drive on Windows 10, change the default drive of your apps, documents, music, pictures, videos, and maps from Local Disk (C:) to Local Disk (D:) in Settings.
Case 1. Change Default Hard Drive Without Reinstalling
If your primary drive (usually the C drive or boot drive) is running out of space, you can replace it with a larger drive, especially an SSD drive, thus making your PC run faster and have more storage for extra use. To change the main disk on Windows 10, you can choose to clean install Windows on the new drive, but you need to reinstall all apps.
Alternatively, you can use disk cloning software to transfer your operating system and data to the new drive, then set that drive as the primary boot device because cloning can transfer all data from one disk to another, including Windows, installed programs, files, and settings. So, you can save time reinstalling Windows and apps.
Since Windows does not have built-in disk cloning features, to clone a disk to another, you must use third-party cloning software. EaseUS Disk Copy is such software that can let you clone a disk with several simple clicks.
EaseUS disk cloning software can let you clone primary boot drive to another and make it bootable, so you can move Windows to another drive without losing data or reinstalling Windows.
Here is how to clone your current primary drive to another using EaseUS Disk Copy and set new hard drive as primary.
Step 1. Backup data.
Back up important data on your current hard drive to another storage device (external hard drive, cloud storage, etc.).
Step 2. Download and install EaseUS Disk Copy.
Get the genuine EaseUS cloning software from its official website.
Step 3. Connect the new hard drive.
Install the new drive on your desktop internally, or connect it to your laptop via the USB to SATA cable or an external hard drive enclosure.
Step 4. Clone the drive.
Use EaseUS Disk Copy to copy your entire operating system and data from your current hard drive to the new drive.
- Open the cloning software.
- Click Disk Mode, then select source and destination disks.
- Adjust the disk layout (Optional).
- Click Proceed to clone existing drive to another.
Step 5. Change boot order.
After cloning, set the new hard drive as the primary boot device in your BIOS/UEFI settings.
- Restart your PC and press the appropriate BIOS key (F2, Del, Esc, etc.) to access BIOS or UEFI settings.
- Locate the “Boot Order” or “Boot” section.
- Determine the hard drive you want to make primary and move it to the top of the boot order.
- Save changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings. Your PC should boot from the newly selected hard drive.
Step 6. Test and verify
Boot your computer from the new hard drive, and if successful, you can physically replace the old SSD with the new one. After replacing hard drives, you can verify whether everything is working correctly.
- Open File Explorer to verify that files are intact and all apps are accessible.
- Check that drivers are functioning correctly in Device Manager to test functionality.
- Test USB ports, external disks, printers, and other hardware.
- Check Wi-Fi/Ethernet connectivity and verify browsing.
- Compare boot times between the old and new hard drives.
- Check CPU, Memory, and disk usage in Task Manager.
By following these steps, you can successfully clone your current primary boot drive to a new one and set a new hard drive as primary. Ensure you use a reputable disk cloning software like EaseUS Disk Copy for a successful transfer of your operating system and data.
Case 2. Change Default Storage Location in Windows 10
If your primary drive has been divided into C drive and D drive, but your C drive is going to run out of space and D drive has much to offer, you can change the main storage drive from C to D to save files & install apps, thus helping manage storage more effectively.
It is worth noting that if your C drive is adjacent to D drive, and you don’t have anything that needs saving on D, you can open Disk Management, delete the D drive, and then expand C. You can open Disk Management to check whether there is an EFI or recovery partition between the C drive and the D drive.
Here is how to change local disk C to D Windows 10 for changing the default save location or changing the default installation drive for apps.
Step 1. Press “Win + I” to access “Settings”.
Step 2. Click “System”.
Step 3. Click “Storage” in the left sidebar.
Step 4. Scroll down to “More storage settings”.
Step 5. Click “Change where new content is saved”.
Step 6. Change the default save location of your apps, documents, music, pictures, videos, and maps from Local Disk (C:) to Local Disk (D:).
By following these steps, you can change main storage on PC as the default drive for app installation and file storage, thus optimizing storage performance and using a different disk for your default storage.
Additional tips for changing the location of user folders
If you want to move your user folders (Documents, Downloads) to a different drive, follow the steps below:
- Press Win + E to access File Explorer.
- Click This PC in the left sidebar.
- Go to the disk where you want to save the folders. Create and name a new folder.
- Go to the source drive, right-click on the folder (Documents, Downloads), and select Properties.
- Click Location, click Move to choose a new file location, and click OK to apply.
- Select the folder in the target disk, click Apply, and then OK to move the folder to the new location.
To Wrap Things Up
This article describes how to change primary hard drive Windows 10 with detailed steps and tools. If you want to change the default installation drive for apps and files, you can set a default drive from C to D in Settings.
If you want to change your default disk and make another drive your primary drive, clone it with reputable and reliable disk cloning software, EaseUS Disk Copy. Then, change boot order in the BIOS/UEFI settings to boot from the new drive, replace the old drive with the newly cloned one, and you will get a new primary drive. Get this safe and reliable cloning software to change main drive on Windows 10!
FAQs on How to Change Default Hard Drive Windows 10
1. Is it possible to change my secondary hard drive as my primary?
Yes, you can set your secondary hard drive as your primary hard drive. To do this, you need to clone your current disk to that drive. After cloning, you can set the secondary hard drive as your first boot device in BIOS settings and wipe your old disk.
2. How to change default C drive to D drive?
To change the default drive from C to D in Windows 10:
Step 1. Press Win + I to access Settings.
Step 2. Click System > Storage.
Step 3. Scroll down to More storage settings.
Step 4. Click “Change where new content is saved”.
Step 5. Change the default save location from Local Disk (C:) to Local Disk (D:).
To change the default drive from C to D in Windows 11:
- Step 1. Press Win + I to access Settings.
- Step 2. Click System > Storage.
- Step 3. Click “Where new content is saved” under “Advanced storage settings.”
- Step 4. Under “New apps will save to,” change Local Disk C to Local Disk D.
3. How do I change which drive has Windows installed?
To change a hard drive with Windows installed, you can perform disk cloning or fresh install Windows on the new drive. Compared with a clean installation, cloning lets you move all data, including Windows, programs, personal files, and settings, from one disk to another. So, you do not have to reinstall Windows and apps. After cloning, you can replace the old drive with the newly cloned one and boot your computer from the new drive.
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