Question Cloned HDD to SSD but can't see documents files on SSD

May 8, 2022
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Sorry - this is probably a "beginner's" issue, and after searching various potential answers, I thought it best to post a question in this forum. And I tried checking out other posts on this forum, but the issues/answers didn't appear to directly address my issue(s).

Have a new Samsung 870 EVO SSD - cloned HDD using Samsung's Data Migration tool and have Samsung's Magician software installed and running. Appears to have cloned all the files based on drive size, but I can't find any of the documents from the old drive.

Searched the various files on the SSD, but can't find/see the documents. Probably not looking in the right place/folder set.

If I attach the old HDD (D:/), I can see and access all of the documents (MS files - Word, Excel, PDFs, etc. and others - no problem). I thought I might be able to copy over the documents folders to the new SSD (F:/) (tried copying to default folder and Documents), but I receive error messages that the files can't be saved on the F: drive. Might be because the files already exist and they won't overlay(??) - doesn't show a "Permissions" error.

Also tried to redirect the "Documents" folder from its default location (C:/) to the F:/ drive, but was unsure that would work properly so canceled.

So I can probably just take the 'easy' way out and copy the documents from the old HDD to a thumb drive and access from there, but I'd much rather be able to access them on the primary SSD.

Any thoughts, or additional information/screenshots needed, please let me know. As I said, probably a beginner's issue, but any help appreciated.

Thanks.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
A successful "clone" is a 100% copy of the old drive to the new.
It won't be missing things on the new drive.

Do NOT just copy/redirect/whatever the Documents libs, etc.


Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
 
May 8, 2022
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The old drive is the D:/ drive. The new is the F:/ drive.

And, yes, I understand that the clone is a 100% copy of the old drive, but it's just that I couldn't find/see all of my old (critical) documents.
 
The old drive is the D:/ drive. The new is the F:/ drive.

And, yes, I understand that the clone is a 100% copy of the old drive, but it's just that I couldn't find/see all of my old (critical) documents.

Were your old critical documents normally saved somewhere under C:\Users\your user name??

Or elsewhere?

Did you attempt a file search, using a file name for any file name you might remember?
 
May 8, 2022
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Okay, that would be great, but it may be more complicated. The OS was/has been on the C:/ drive. I haven't had a secondary drive, just the main C:/ drive that held all the OS programs and all documents. When the cloning software did its work, I was just letting it do its thing cloning from the HDD to the SSD, and (I'm guessing here) that it or the laptop's software named the original C: drive it cloned as the D/: drive and I didn't notice (??).

And, yes, the old documents were saved on the C:/drive Users myname. On the Quick Access sidebar, I tried opening a couple of recent documents BEFORE I reattached the old HDD (now the D:/ drive) and the system could not find it as it was looking for the D:/ drive. After reattaching the HDD, I could pull the documents up no problem (obviously since the drive was now available).

Just a little frustrating for someone with very basic computer skills (again, obviously). Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
From your Disk Management window, there are three physical drives.

Disk 0 - 2TB. F drive letter, along with other small partitions.
Disk 1 - 250GB (the apparent C drive).
Disk 2 - 2TB. D drive letter.

Is this correct? 3 physical drives?
 
May 8, 2022
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No, just two as far as I know. The original hard drive that I removed after cloning it, is now identified as the D: drive. The new SSD installed in the laptop after the cloning was accomplished, is identified as the F: drive. I've seen that the Disk Management screenshot is showing a C: drive, but I have no idea why as there isn't a third drive.

As you can see in the screenshot, it looks like the DATA D: drive and the F: drive appear to be nearly identical if you look at the capacity and free space.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
No, just two as far as I know. The original hard drive that I removed after cloning it, is now identified as the D: drive. The new SSD installed in the laptop after the cloning was accomplished, is identified as the F: drive. I've seen that the Disk Management screenshot is showing a C: drive, but I have no idea why as there isn't a third drive.

As you can see in the screenshot, it looks like the DATA D: drive and the F: drive appear to be nearly identical if you look at the capacity and free space.
Disk Management generally doesn't lie.
I see 3 physical drives...0, 1, 2.

Power off.
Physically disconnect ALL drives except the apparent C drive.
Power up.

Screencap of that DM window, please.
 
May 8, 2022
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View: https://imgur.com/FvJxHBS


Can't get the screenshot to post/show as before; the link is above. (Frustrating. Tried copying and linking all the various Imgur links available as before, but the screenshot will just not show up. If you need me to try again, let me know.)

Powered down, removed the old HDD. As you can see (if the link above works), still showing a C: drive and the F: drive, but the D: drive is gone.
 
Literally.....one drive connected to the motherboard and Disk Management shows Disk 0 and Disk 1.

Advise if that is incorrect.

What happens if you connect the one and only drive to a different port?

Same results shown in Disk Management?

Hmmm.....I wonder what Diskpart says?
 
May 8, 2022
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I think that's correct - just the one drive - the new SSD. No other drive attached (other than the built-in) CD-ROM.

Not sure how to connect the internal SSD to a different port. If you can let me know how to do that, I'll give it a try.
 
May 8, 2022
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And we still see a 250GB Disk 1, and 2TB Disk 0.

What is the make/model of the purported only drive in this system?

The new drive is a Samsung 870 EVO SSD. The ONLY other drive was the HDD/C:/ drive that was removed.

To check the cables, etc., I'd have to shut down the laptop and remove the back.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
And we still see a 250GB Disk 1, and 2TB Disk 0.

What is the make/model of the purported only drive in this system?

The new drive is a Samsung 870 EVO SSD. The ONLY other drive was the HDD/C:/ drive that was removed.

To check the cables, etc., I'd have to shut down the laptop and remove the back.
The now removed HDD....make model?
Should be readily available.

And the only drive supposedly in this system is a 2TB 870 EVO?
Because your Disk Management shows the system is booting from a 250GB Disk 1.
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
What is the exact model of this laptop? You literally didn't even mention this until the 11th post of the thread. If you're unwilling to actually look inside, we either have to verify from the exact model what was installed or we have to choose whether to believe Windows or you. None of us have access to your laptop.