Cloned os to new M.2 ssd unbootable

[KoreyD]

I just bought a new m2 250gb ssd and I cloned my os from my hdd, after doing a full reset and install of windows, using EaseUS todo backup. I followed instructions that told me after cloning the os, I could just format my hdd and my ssd would be bootable after changing the BIOS settings. I have done everything, but it won't let me format my hdd and I cannot make my ssd the first boot option regardless if the hdd is plugged in or not.
I'm not really sure where to go from here, any help is appreciated.
Thanks

 

[gardenman]

Hi KoreyD, I'm guessing that you:
1. Installed the SSD secondly and didn't touch the hard drive position or its cables.
2. Cloned from your hard drive to the SSD.
3. Changed boot order.
4. Then (maybe?) formatted the HDD and now can't boot.

If so, unplug the HDD and any other drives. Plug the SSD into the same cables where the HDD was. This will make the SSD disk 0. Then see if you can boot with only the SSD installed. If so, go ahead and plug your HDD up in the secondary position on the cables, leave the SSD where it is.

If the above is wrong, then please explain what you have done (step by step) and more importantly explain what is happening now, specifically any error messages, weird beeps, anything you see on screen, boot order settings, and how the drives are on the cables (HDD first, SSD second?).

 

[KoreyD]

Hi KoreyD, I'm guessing that you:
1. Installed the SSD secondly and didn't touch the hard drive position or its cables.
2. Cloned from your hard drive to the SSD.
3. Changed boot order.
4. Then (maybe?) formatted the HDD and now can't boot.

If so, unplug the HDD and any other drives. Plug the SSD into the same cables where the HDD was. This will make the SSD disk 0. Then see if you can boot with only the SSD installed. If so, go ahead and plug your HDD up in the secondary position on the cables, leave the SSD where it is.

If the above is wrong, then please explain what you have done (step by step) and more importantly explain what is happening now, specifically any error messages, weird beeps, anything you see on screen, boot order settings, and how the drives are on the cables (HDD first, SSD second?).

I had nothing on my HDD but the OS, I then cloned it over onto my new M.2 SSD, and being told I could just format the HDD and that would be that, but regardless it wont boot off the SSD, even when i swap around the boot options. I think i may have messed something earlier on when I partitoned it, it remains as my D drive because my HDD was set as my C drive.
There aren't any errors when i run my OS off my HDD, but when i try running it off the SSD it just has a black screen and asks to add a boot option or bootable device. That may be a little clearer to understand

 

[gardenman]

OK I understand. Your PC may still be trying to boot from the HDD, especially if it's drive 0.

So unplug the HDD and place the SSD into the same cables where the HDD was.

This will make the SSD drive 0. Later you can add the HDD as drive 1. (The number of drives starts at 0 which can be confusing). This should also make your SSD drive C rather than drive D.

Anyway, all you want right now is the SSD installed as the first drive on the system, unplug all other drives and then try to boot. You can plug the HDD up later on once you get the system booting.

 

[KoreyD]

OK I understand. Your PC may still be trying to boot from the HDD, especially if it's drive 0.

So unplug the HDD and place the SSD into the same cables where the HDD was.

This will make the SSD drive 0. Later you can add the HDD as drive 1. (The number of drives starts at 0 which can be confusing). This should also make your SSD drive C rather than drive D.

Anyway, all you want right now is the SSD installed as the first drive on the system, unplug all other drives and then try to boot. You can plug the HDD up later on once you get the system booting.

My apologies I should've made it clear earlier too the M.2 SSd are PCIE's, so they slot right into your motherboard, so I dont think the cable thing will work in my case, as I have tried booting the SSD without the HDD being plugged in.
Cheer for replying

 

[USAFRet]

1. The very first step after the cloning operation is finished is to power off, and disconnect the original drive. See if it boots up properly.

2. Are you 100% sure your motherboard can boot from tis drive? Not all can.

 

[KoreyD]

1. The very first step after the cloning operation is finished is to power off, and disconnect the original drive. See if it boots up properly.

2. Are you 100% sure your motherboard can boot from tis drive? Not all can.

I've been reading some more forums and it seems like samsung SSD's may have a problem with UEFI booting and that could be the problem all along.
Also I'm not sure if this is important or not but im using easyBDC and i tried to change boot drive to my SSD (D) but said it wasnt recognised as a primary partition even though in disk management it says primary partition.

 

[gardenman]

I can't say I know anything about the PCIE drives, UEFI, or EasyBCD. I have once again stepped in water that's too deep. Maybe USAFRet or someone else can help better.

Advice: Provide more info about your motherboard (name + model #). Be sure to leave that HDD unplugged until you get the SSD booting.

If you hang around long enough you likely will get the answers you need here. Good luck.

 

[KoreyD]

I can't say I know anything about the PCIE drives, UEFI, or EasyBCD. I have once again stepped in water that's too deep. Maybe USAFRet or someone else can help better.

Advice: Provide more info about your motherboard (name + model #). Be sure to leave that HDD unplugged until you get the SSD booting.

If you hang around long enough you likely will get the answers you need here. Good luck.

Thanks, I appreciate your help, hoping I get there one day.
I just decided to format my SSD again, and I'm going to try and use Samsung's data migration program, maybe it might do a better job for my SSD, fingers crossed.

 

[USAFRet]

Adjust this for HDD->PCIe drive:

-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
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 as necessary.
Delete the original boot partitions, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

 

[psg980]

I ran into a similar issue and posted a detailed answer here to what I did. My solution didn't require disconnecting any drivers.
https://superuser.com/questions/1093305/windows-10-fails-to-boot-after-hdd-clone-to-ssd

I noticed I had two Windows Boot Manager listed that pointed to the original drive. It must be when it clones to the new drive it also clones the same drive reference for the Windows Boot Manager partition. I used BootIce v1.3.4 by Pualy to change one of the Windows Boot Managers to point to the new cloned drive and then changed the Boot priority in the BIOS to that new drive. It seems to be working and I can format the original drive when I feel comfortable.