Question Can't boot Windows from a cloned drive

[TheDigitalShaman]

Hi there,

Thanks for reading this.

My system is Ryzen 9 3900x, NVM SSD 1TB, SATA SSD 1TB, Gigabyte Aorus 570X Master.

I want to get a fresh new Windows on the NVM SSD, on which currently I have current OS.
With an intermediate step and with preservation of current OS working from the SSD to which is cloned.

So I cloned sector by sector current OS from NVM to SATA SSD.
Now I would like to move to the intermidiate step, where I want to boot the OS from the SATA SSD and work a couple of days to see if everything works.

I have used AOMEI Partitioner 9.8 to do the cloning.
It cloned signature, so I had to make SATA SSD online in windows manager.

Both SSD's have GPT partition systems. I had to manually change from MBT to GPT before the whole operation.

Anyway, I have clone of the OS on the SATA SSD. However, even override in UEFI boots it from the NVM.
I could physically remove the NVM, but its the hussle and against the whole point quite a bit.

I tried to switch of NVM in bios too, but I don't think I can...

So the question is.
How can I boot the OS from the cloned SSD drive?


Many thanks,
DS

 

[USAFRet]

The very first step after the clone process, which is ALWAYS missed.....
Power OFF.
Physically disconnect the old drive.
Allow the system to attempt to power up from the new drive by itself.

Not override the boot process, nothing in the BIOS....physical disconnection of the original source drive.

 

[TheDigitalShaman]

Hi USAF,

Appreciate prompt reply.

I disconnected the NVM SSD and got these errors;

20230621-063147 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20230621-063147 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

20230621-063210 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20230621-063210 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

20230621-063254 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20230621-063254 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

🙁

 

[USAFRet]

If you put it back together as original, does it boot up from the NVMe?

What is the reasoning for saving the clone on the SATA SSD?
Why not just an Image.

 

[Axcel3D]

It boots back up from NVMe.

I thought cloning is the way to do it.
How different is an image?

Well, I want to have a fresh system and the old one running, so at any time can boot it and check the settings.

I have dozens of programs and hundreds and hundreds of various plugins to install and link together. Easy to miss somethings.

 

[USAFRet]

It boots back up from NVMe.

I thought cloning is the way to do it.
How different is an image?

Well, I want to have a fresh system and the old one running, so at any time can boot it and check the settings.

I have dozens of programs and hundreds and hundreds of various plugins to install and link together. Easy to miss somethings.

OK, thats slightly different.
I thought you wanted the old one just for safekeeping.

Better to try to document all those programs and interconnections now, rather than trying to refer to them in booting up the old OS.


But if you must do this clone thing, this:
-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Both drives must be the same partitioning scheme, either MBR or GPT
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung target SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, you may need to install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up

Verify the system boots with ONLY the current "C drive" connected.
If not, we have to fix that first.

Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

[Ignore this section if using the SDM. It does this automatically]
If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specify the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing
[/end ignore]

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD. This is not optional.
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD

(swapping cables is irrelevant with NVMe drives, but DO disconnect the old drive for this next part)
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

 

[Axcel3D]

Woah!

That's really extensive guide.
Much appreciated!

I have done cloning using Samsung Data Migration software and it worked beautifully.

Since both SSD's are branded by Samsung and NVM drivers were already installed I gave it a go.

A few details;
To start the process it was required to have at least 15% of free space on the drive.
The cloning itself stuck on 99% for the last 15min, but ended up successfully.
Program automatically turned off system afterwards.
Then it was enough to boot it from the target device.

O, I already had an account on this forum.