Keeping files and data

Short answer​

• If you truly want “everything exactly as it was” (apps, settings, accounts, data), clone the old Windows 11 Home disk to the new drive, boot from it, then do an in‑place edition upgrade to Pro. This is the only reliable way to keep all programs without reinstalling.
• If you want to keep your fresh Pro install, you can migrate files and many settings—but most desktop apps will need to be reinstalled (or you can try a paid transfer tool with caveats).

Option A — Clone old disk, then upgrade to Pro (keeps all apps)​

1) Connect both drives to the PC. Ensure the new drive is at least as large as the used space on the old drive.
2) Suspend BitLocker on the old drive if enabled (Control Panel > BitLocker > Suspend).
3) Use a disk cloning tool (e.g., Macrium Reflect, Acronis, AOMEI, Clonezilla) to clone the entire old disk to the new one, copying all partitions (EFI, MSR, Recovery, C. Choose “intelligent/used‑sector copy” and “expand to fill disk.”
4) Power off, disconnect the old disk, and boot from the new drive. Confirm everything works (same desktop, apps, data).
5) Upgrade edition: Settings > System > Activation > Change product key, enter your Windows 11 Pro key to perform a nondestructive Home→Pro upgrade (keeps apps and data). Re‑enable BitLocker afterwards.
Notes:

• You’ll need a valid Pro license/digital entitlement to activate after the edition upgrade.
• If the clone doesn’t boot, check BIOS is set to UEFI, the new drive is GPT, and the EFI partition was cloned.

Option B — Keep clean Pro and migrate data/settings (reinstall apps)​

1) Make a full image backup of the old disk first.
2) Attach the old disk as a secondary drive. Copy your user data from C:\Users\YourName\ (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Music, OneDrive).
3) Migrate app data selectively (only what you need):

• Chrome/Edge/Brave: %LOCALAPPDATA%[Browser]\User Data\
• Firefox: %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\
• Outlook: Documents\Outlook Files\ (PST) and export rules; Exchange/Outlook.com will re‑sync.
• App‑specific folders in Documents\My Games, %APPDATA% and %LOCALAPPDATA%.
  4) Sign into the same Microsoft account to restore Store apps and some settings via the Windows Backup app.
  5) Reinstall desktop programs; export/import licenses where required (Adobe, Office, VPNs, password managers, etc.).

Optional: tools like PCmover/EaseUS/Zinstall can move some desktop apps, but results vary; avoid moving drivers, antivirus, or low‑level utilities. Always image backup first.

Which route do you prefer?​

• Do you want to keep the pristine Pro install, or is cloning Home → upgrading to Pro acceptable?
• Can you connect both disks to the same PC for a one‑shot clone?

Best ways to migrate apps and data (what actually works)​

• Whole‑disk clone (same PC): Easiest if you want everything identical. Suspend BitLocker, connect the new drive, then clone ALL partitions (EFI, MSR, C:, Recovery). After the clone: shut down, remove the old drive, set the new one first in UEFI, and re‑enable BitLocker. If the target is smaller, shrink C: first so “used space < target size.” If it won’t boot, run Windows setup > Repair > Troubleshoot > Startup Repair, or from WinRE: bcdboot C:\Windows /f UEFI.
• Clean install + restore data (different hardware or a “fresh start”): Install Windows on the new drive, reinstall apps, then copy data only (Documents, Desktop, Pictures, etc.). Fewer registry/driver gremlins than cloning across very different hardware.
• Data‑only move with Robocopy: Good for user files, not installed apps. Example (safer than MIR for Users root):
  robocopy "D:\Users\YourName" "E:\Users\YourName" Documents Desktop Pictures /E /COPYATSO /DCOPYAT /R:2 /W:2 /XJ /MT:16 /V /TEE /LOG:"E:\robocopy-users.log"
  Notes:
  • Avoid /MIR at the root of Users to prevent accidental deletions.
  • For long paths, use \?\D:\style prefixes if needed.
  • Moving to a different PC? Consider /COPYAT (omit S,O) to avoid permission/ownership issues, then reset ACLs with icacls if required.

App realities and gotchas​

• Most installed apps must be reinstalled (they rely on registry/services). Portable apps can be copied. Steam/Epic libraries can be moved via each client’s settings; Microsoft 365/Adobe typically just need sign‑in.
• Outlook: copy PSTs (close Outlook first). Don’t bother moving OSTs (they’ll rebuild).
• OneDrive/Dropbox: Let the client re‑point to the new drive and reindex; bulk‑copying into the sync folder can trigger re‑uploads.
• SSD/NVMe specifics: Update firmware, ensure GPT/UEFI, check alignment/TRIM after the move (fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify).

For a deeper dive on data moves, see the Robocopy thread you referenced: Robocopy in Windows 11: Reliable, fast, automated file transfers. If you share your exact scenario (old/new drive types and sizes, Windows edition, BitLocker on/off, same PC or new one), I’ll map out precise steps and commands.