[SOLVED] Disk cloning woes, moving from a small ssd to bigger one, will not boot. 0xc000000e

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

So to start off I'll say that I have been using the ssd I have my windows installed on since about 2018ish, its a small 128gb drive that has been nearly full for the last year or so and it's a common annoyance every few months or so that I have to boot up windirstat and delete or move some stuff so, I have a "new" 512gb 2.5inch ssd to replace it. I have tried using macrium reflect free edition to perform the operation and upon trying to boot from the new drive I get an error saying "you're pc needs to be repaired, a required device isn't connected or cant be accessed, error code 0xc000000e". So then I cleared the new drive, and made a rescue media tool on a usb and tried the whole process again. This time, after cloning again I tried booting from the new drive and got same error as expected, then I shut down and tried booting into the usb which worked and then I tried using "startup repair" which was not able to resolve my issue. So then, before moving forward and trying a bunch of crazy stuff I thought I'd ask for advice here since the people here were very helpful in trying to resolve a previous issue I had.

To provide some extra information I'll add that since the beginning of my pc's life it has had the "System reserved partition" on a drive other than the drive that has the windows installed. To my understanding this is not where it should be but I'm adding it here in case it has anything to do with my inability to boot from a new drive.

 

[USAFRet]

return the system back to original, without the new SSD.

Does it run properly?
If no, a clone operation will not fix that.

If yes, we can go into specific cloning steps.

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

return the system back to original, without the new SSD.

Does it run properly?
If no, a clone operation will not fix that.

If yes, we can go into specific cloning steps.

Yes my pc runs fine, it only has problems when I try to boot without the current ssd. So this is by no means an urgent issue, just an annoyance. Sorry for not clarifying.

 

[USAFRet]

Please show us a screencap of the current Disk Management window.

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

https://imgur.com/O65rn6w

View: https://imgur.com/O65rn6w


Disk 5 is the new ssd, I plugged it in with a usb to sata thingy for the cloning and I plugged it in again for the pic as I wasn't sure if it was needed or not.

 

[USAFRet]

For this clone operation, you need both Disk 1 and Sisk 2 connected.
All other, disconnect.

Disk 1 contains the System Reserved partition, what the system actually boots from.

So, in the clone process in Macrium, you need drag that little partition down tot he target first, than the contents of Disk 2, the C drive.


Basically this, with the modifications above:
-----------------------------
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
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD - See above regarding the boot partition!
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Drag down the System Reserved partition from Disk 1...what is labeled the E drive.
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

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 specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the 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 all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

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

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

For this clone operation, you need both Disk 1 and Sisk 2 connected.
All other, disconnect.

Disk 1 contains the System Reserved partition, what the system actually boots from.

So, in the clone process in Macrium, you need drag that little partition down tot he target first, than the contents of Disk 2, the C drive.


Basically this, with the modifications above:
-----------------------------
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
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD - See above regarding the boot partition!
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Drag down the System Reserved partition from Disk 1...what is labeled the E drive.
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

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 specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the 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 all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

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

I just have a couple questions, I have a few programs that start on startup that are installed across multiple drives(for example I have steam on my c drive but all my games are in different libraries across my bigger drives), when starting my pc without those drives will any issues arise after the whole process is done? Secondly, for clarification do you want me to have only "DISK1" and "DISK2" plugged in and move the system reserved partition to "DISK2" before cloning "DISK2" to "DISK5" or do I have all 3 of those drives plugged in and do it all in one operation if that's possible. And as well should I clear "DISK5" again before doing anything?

 

[USAFRet]

I just have a couple questions, I have a few programs that start on startup that are installed across multiple drives(for example I have steam on my c drive but all my games are in different libraries across my bigger drives), when starting my pc without those drives will any issues arise after the whole process is done? Secondly, for clarification do you want me to have only "DISK1" and "DISK2" plugged in and move the system reserved partition to "DISK2" before cloning "DISK2" to "DISK5" or do I have all 3 of those drives plugged in and do it all in one operation if that's possible. And as well should I clear "DISK5" again before doing anything?

With a hopefully successful clone, anything 'installed' in the other drives will work as before.

Those drive need to be disconnected during this process.


How is your new SD connected?
If it is a regular 2.5" SATA III, it should be connected internally., intsead of a USB thing.

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

How is your new SD connected?
If it is a regular 2.5" SATA III, it should be connected internally., intsead of a USB thing.

Currently? not at all, I only plug it in with the usb to sata for when I am cloning to it, when I tried to boot from the new one I unplugged the current ssd and plugged in the new one using the cables I used for the current one.

Those drive need to be disconnected during this process.

Sorry If Im being a little obtuse but can you clarify, exactly which are the only drives that should be plugged in?

 

[USAFRet]

From your pic, the ONLY drives that should be connected during this process are DIsk 1, Disk 2, and the new SSD.

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

From your pic, the ONLY drives that should be connected during this process are DIsk 1, Disk 2, and the new SSD.

Gotcha, so as I understand it. I turn off my pc, unplug all the drives except those you listed, turn it back on, then clone the system reserved partition from disk 1 on to the new ssd, then I clone the contents of disk 2 onto the new ssd. Then I turn it off again and try booting with only the new ssd connected using the cables from my current ssd. Correct?

 

[USAFRet]

Gotcha, so as I understand it. I turn off my pc, unplug all the drives except those you listed, turn it back on, then clone the system reserved partition from disk 1 on to the new ssd, then I clone the contents of disk 2 onto the new ssd. Then I turn it off again and try booting with only the new ssd connected using the cables from my current ssd. Correct?

The clone operation happens all at once.

You can click/drag the System Reserved partition (Disk 1) down to the new drive.
Click/drag the partition(s) from Disk 2 down to the new.

Manipulate the resulting partition size on the new drive, outlined in the steps above.
Go....

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

Maybe I just don't know how to use macrium properly, but when I try to do as you say and move the system reserved partition to the new ssd I cannot then select another source disk to add the contents from disk 2 to the new ssd without it saying "If you select a different source disk it you're current operations will be discarded".

And furthermore I thought of another question, assuming I clone it and the new ssd boots perfectly by itself, am I then fine to delete the system reserved partition from disk 1?

 

[USAFRet]

Ah...

Well then, do each clone operation one at a time.

For the old drive(s)....do NOT delete anything until you've proven the system works from the new drive by itself.

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

Ah...

Well then, do each clone operation one at a time.

For the old drive(s)....do NOT delete anything until you've proven the system works from the new drive by itself.

Alright, all confusion has been cleared up, thank you for your help thus far. I am going to attempt this tomorrow as It is getting kinda late for me.
I'll update this post once I've attempted it, hopefully It will work flawlessly.

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah...for some reason I thought you could do this from 2 different drives at the same time.
Apparently, I was wrong.

 

[Ihatethebirghtbluescreen]

Alright so this is kind of awkward to continue, but I took some time and thought about what I actually want to do with my pc, and I realized that I wanted to move my os to this bigger drive not only just to end my annoyances with it filling up but also in preparation for upgrading my pc in the future, but I realized the upgrades that I've been saving up for would essentially constitute an entirely new computer. So, I've decided to just stick it out with my small 128gb drive for the time being and by the time that I will be ready to rebuild, I may as well just get a new copy of windows also, possibly even windows 11 and just start fresh on the 512gb ssd or even splurge for a new 1tb nvme. By the end of it I'll end up with 2 pcs, one with my current parts except for my gpu and drives other than my os, and a new pc with all the upgrades I've planned, a new ssd with a new windows installation..

So in conclusion, I thank you for the help you've given me, but I realized that this isn't actually what I want to do. Hopefully the information on this thread will help others google searching their similar problems.

Ciao,

 

[USAFRet]

Cloning is great, between drives within the same PC.

Going to a whole new system, a fresh OS install is indicated.

 

[USAFRet]

Also, in this new system, have only ONE drive connected when you do the install.
This will prevent issues where the boot partition ends up on some other drive. Like you have now.

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