Cloned OS hdd to ssd, now ssd will not boot

[Modify_inc]

I have tried to cloned my old hdd from my laptop to a SSD using the clone feature in EaseUS Todo Backup Free and also EaseUS Partition Master (paid version), yet after it completes, the SSD always fails to boot.

The error is "Operating System not found"

When running the Windows 7 Repair disc, it does not even detect my OS in the System Recovery Options window.

System Recovery Options reports "Windows found problems with your computer startup options. Do you want to apply repairs and restart your pc."

The details of the fix show that it will repair the {bootmgr}

And the following startup options will be added:
Name: Windows 7 Home Premium (recovered)
Path: Windows
Windows Device: Partition=D: (122001 MB)

Name: Windows Recovery Environment (recovered)
Path: Recovery\..long guid name..\Winre.wim
Windows Device: Partition=D: (122001 MB)
Copy of the current boot configuration data will be saved as C:\Boot\BCD.Backup.0001

Of course, I select yes for the repair, but then I get this error: Failed to save startup options.

I'm certain this error is because no OS is detected in the Recovery Options window; it's just blank. Yet when I run bootrec /rebuildbcd, it finds [1] D:\Windows installation, but it fails with this error: "The requested system device cannot be found."

I'm confident most, if not all, of these errors are a direct result of the Recovery Options not seeing my OS. Why would it not see it though if /rebuildbcd is able to detect it?

In diskpart, it shows boot is NOT enabled for the SSD, though the C drive (partition 1) is active and does contain the Boot folder and BCD store data. Windows is on the D drive (partition 2).

Not sure if this is important, but it was bugging me during both clone attempts. The System Reserved is 100MB on the original drive, yet every time it cloned or created that partition on the SSD, it would change it to 101. Wouldn't that partition need to match precisely so the starting sectors line up correctly? If so, I tried to change it, but it always rounded up what ever I typed in the box.

Also, there is a hidden recovery partition on the original drive, but it's not copied because using the Migrate OS to HDD/SDD in EaseUS Partition Master only copies the OS portion (partition 1 and 2).

Any suggestions why a simple clone would fail twice like this? Hope I provided enough details, if not, just let me know.

Mike

 

[Chicano]

The backup and partition tools you have used must be the culprits... Why don't you use the Windows 7 Built-in Backup tool?... you could create the backup image file saving it to a free partition, and then install it from the Windows 7 install media repair & recovery options... and as long as the install media recovery installs it, it should also recognize and repair it if necessary. This would be the most practical cloning method but there are also more appropriate third party cloning programs that you could use if the laptop has capacity for two hard drives. If this is so, you could clone Windows directly to the SSD, next logon to it, and run EasyBCD to check the bootloader and repair it if necessary, and next remove the HDD and boot the SSD.


Windows 7's Built-in Backup
http://www.pcworld.com/article/186997/win7_backup.html

Migrate Windows 7 from HDD to SSD without Third Party Tools
http://www.disk-partition.com/kb/migrate-win7-ssd.html

DriveImage XML V2.50
https://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

 

[Modify_inc]

The backup and partition tools you have used must be the culprits... Why don't you use the Windows 7 Built-in Backup tool?... you could create the backup image file saving it to a free partition, and then install it from the Windows 7 install media repair & recovery options... and as long as the install media recovery installs it, it should also recognize and repair it if necessary. This would be the most practical cloning method but there are also more appropriate third party cloning programs that you could use if the laptop has capacity for two hard drives. If this is so, you could clone Windows directly to the SSD, next logon to it, and run EasyBCD to check the bootloader and repair it if necessary, and next remove the HDD and boot the SSD.


Windows 7's Built-in Backup
http://www.pcworld.com/article/186997/win7_backup.html

Migrate Windows 7 from HDD to SSD without Third Party Tools
http://www.disk-partition.com/kb/migrate-win7-ssd.html

DriveImage XML V2.50
https://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

I don't think the Windows Builtin Backup will work for this task. My source partition is bigger than the destination drive, though the data used is much less, I believe Windows Backup isn't design to handle this. Also, my laptop only has one slot for a HDD. I'm using a SATA to USB adapter for the cloning process.

 

[Chicano]

I believe the Windows backup utility doesn't copy partitions... it most likely only creates image files which should only contain the files in a partition whichever size it should be.... and you can execute the file from the Startup repair options, to extract the OS files from the image. And in the event the feature should not be available in the Windows Backup and Restore tool, DriveImage XML does include imaging as well as cloning, and should be executable from the Windows startup repair options. In any case you could copy some files to an empty partition and initiate a backup to see what if involves.

http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-restore/35819-what-file-extension-has-image-backup.html

 

[Doramius]

First, if your Destination drive is smaller, it may be having MBR conflicts because of how EaseUS tries to condense a primary partition and the MBR not seeing it correctly. Almost sees it as a completely different partition.

[[Please note, that while the following information is verified and sound to work, it is always recommended to backup important data to another safe device. You will follow these instructions at your own risk.]]
Recommendation is use Windows 7 partition manager to reduce the size of the main partition so it will fit to the new drive. YES!! Windows 7 has this ability, and it correctly informs the MBR of the readjustment of the partition, so no issues. YAY!! Anyway, do this by going into Disk Manager, and right clicking on your primary partition (most likely the C: drive) and choose 'Shrink Volume'. Your best option is to shrink the volume to at least 10GB less than capacity of the destination drive. You can always expand the partition, once you verify the clone works.

Next, while I have openly advocated EaseUS previously, in this situation, I'd actually suggest using Macrium: Reflect. You can use the free version to do the clone. The user interface is easier to follow and verify that the clone is showing as an exact copy of the original.