Question Help - Windows 10 wont boot off SSD without storage HDD connected

[RyGuy409]

Hey everyone, I could really use some help here to fix my current windows installation. A couple of months ago I purchased a Samsung SSD for my boot drive. I installed a fresh copy of windows and turned my old 500GB hard drive for storage. I thought I had set it up correctly. When I first got it running it was fine, I could completely disconnect the HDD and it would boot perfectly. Recently I could tell something was up with my widnows install, it would take longer to boot, programs would crash more often and my windows defender wouldn't work correctly. So at first, I thought it was a virus, after running multiple scans and looking for any suspicious services running I'm pretty sure it didn't have to do with a virus. So I decided to do an in-place upgrade for windows 10 to get a fresh install without losing any of my programs. So I disconnected my HDD and it wouldn't boot, it doesn't even find a boot device it just won't boot at all. So I'm thinking that some of the boot files were somehow moved to the hard drive (windows update I'm assuming). I've already tried using the installation USB and repairing, no luck. Does anyone know how to fix this or can maybe guide me in the right direction so my pc can boot without my HDD?

Thanks

 

[R_1]

when you installed windows after the SSD purchase, did you have the HDD connected?
windows has a nasty habit of spreading boot files around. if the HDD was connected during the install windows may have continued using the boot partition on the HDD and the SSD does not have the tools to boot, so to speak.
if I'm correct the only way I know is to install windows to just the SSD. replace the HDD, backup your data and shut down, remove the HDD and install windows afresh.

 

[RyGuy409]

when you installed windows after the SSD purchase, did you have the HDD connected?
windows has a nasty habit of spreading boot files around. if the HDD was connected during the install windows may have continued using the boot partition on the HDD and the SSD does not have the tools to boot, so to speak.
if I'm correct the only way I know is to install windows to just the SSD. replace the HDD, backup your data and shut down, remove the HDD and install windows afresh.

Luckily I ran into that problem before so I knew to remove the HDD when I installed windows on the SSD. I'm going to try and run a boot repair utility and maybe it can fix the install on the SSD. I would hate to have to reinstall all of my programs if I were to do a fresh install.