Hard drive is failing, is there a way to copy Windows 10 OS?

I just checked that my hard drive is failing. Fortunately, I can still use it at this moment and backed up everything, but there's one thing I want to back up which I don't know how to. If I were to buy a new hard drive, is there a way I could use my Win10 OS , which is registered on my old hard drive, to my new one? I got the Win10 upgrade for free. I don't really have the cash to spend another $100 for the Win10 OS if I replace my old hard drive.

spunk said:

Cloning a Failed HDD will import any problems you are having now. There are probably bad sectors on the HDD with files residing on them that are corrupted.
It's better to use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to download a fresh copy of Windows 10 to install on your New HDD.

I second this post. When doing the install and you get to screen where it asks for a product key, just hit skip or I don't have one. It will automatically activate once you go on the Internet.

spunk said:

Cloning a Failed HDD will import any problems you are having now. There are probably bad sectors on the HDD with files residing on them that are corrupted.
It's better to use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to download a fresh copy of Windows 10 to install on your New HDD.

Well here's a tool that's useful, thanks. I tried the Backup and Restore thing, but it gives me an error (new bad clusters found something) when creating a backup on my external HDD. Does this tool create a fresh Win10 OS to use on my new hard drive?

CountMike said:

Yes it does exactly that. You can do clean install or you can use it as repair/upgrade disk. You don't have to activate windows again as you are not changing motherboard, just follow the part about skipping entering activation numbers.

That's good news. I'm currently running Seatools to see if it can somehow fix the bad sectors on my HDD, but I'm on the verdict of buying a new one.

CountMike said:

There's no real fix for hardware induced bad sectors (head crash etc.). All a program can "fix" is to mark them as bad and eventually move data to spare space. even if fixed that doesn't mean new ones would develop soon.
On the other hand SW can cause some bad sectors too and that can eventually be fixed. They usually happen when there was power or connection loss during some heavy writing.

I just finished a 2 hour long test on my drive and Seatools repaired (or rather, move) the bad sectors. CrystalDiskInfo stated that the status of my drive is at caution and the description says "Reallocated Sectors Count". So the program moved those bad sectors to another empty space, does that mean this is only a band aid solution?

RolandJS said:

I only suggested making a full image because thread starter indicated no problems with the OS - yet. If there are bad sectors within the OS area, then my suggestion becomes moot -- for the reason mentioned earlier - one is important bad sectors onto a replacement HD. I do hope thread starter is able to get data folders and files off of the problematic HD, I'm sure there are at least a few data folders and files.

Meaning to say, when you back up files from a dying hard drive, it can affect the new one? Like some sort of virus?