How do I make my cloned SSD (m.2/msata) my boot drive? (Laptop)

[Accolades]

I cloned my HDD over to my SSD, how do I make my SSD my primary boot drive? I've changed Boot Mode to [Legacy Support], Boot Priority to [Legacy First], and set the SSD at the top of the list. But I am still unable to wipe the HDD and my computer is still not booting from the SSD. (I use AOMEI backupper to clone)

SSD is a m.2 (similar to msata)
HDD is regular
they both are connected to the laptop at the same time

 

[sirstinky]

I would venture to say that the boot file is somehow missing, or didn't get copied over in the clone (as IrvSP said, the U/EFI partition that contains the boot files). Not sure how it happened, but I have experienced this imaging windows 7 machines. The proper partitions weren't imaged, so there was no boot when I restored the image. It wasn't until I re imaged the machine with the correct partitions. I think it was D, there were different partitions up to E: which didn't have the boot files. I confirm what IrvSP is saying. They were special additional partitions for diagnostics and drivers (it was a dell PC), that I would get boot. I am thinking it has to be related to Lenovo's configuration for the recovery partition, or the cloning software you used. That's why it's always better to use highly-rated programs that work. You may have to buy them. Acronis makes the best imaging/cloning programs out there. They have a free trial, use it and keep it for 14 or whatever days and let it expire. I've used it extensively to image/clone servers with no trouble. It's worth the weight in gold to get consistent clones and images. It will copy everything, recovery partition, your apps, programs, etc. and you'll be good to go.

Alright ill try recloning, do you have a link to Acronis download?

Here's the link http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup/

There's a free trial for it. This is what I used (the older version). You can image the original hard disk to the external drive and install it into your pc and it should be good to go. Make sure you image the original hard drive, not the ssd with the missing partition.

 

[Accolades]

I would venture to say that the boot file is somehow missing, or didn't get copied over in the clone (as IrvSP said, the U/EFI partition that contains the boot files). Not sure how it happened, but I have experienced this imaging windows 7 machines. The proper partitions weren't imaged, so there was no boot when I restored the image. It wasn't until I re imaged the machine with the correct partitions. I think it was D, there were different partitions up to E: which didn't have the boot files. I confirm what IrvSP is saying. They were special additional partitions for diagnostics and drivers (it was a dell PC), that I would get boot. I am thinking it has to be related to Lenovo's configuration for the recovery partition, or the cloning software you used. That's why it's always better to use highly-rated programs that work. You may have to buy them. Acronis makes the best imaging/cloning programs out there. They have a free trial, use it and keep it for 14 or whatever days and let it expire. I've used it extensively to image/clone servers with no trouble. It's worth the weight in gold to get consistent clones and images. It will copy everything, recovery partition, your apps, programs, etc. and you'll be good to go.

Alright ill try recloning, do you have a link to Acronis download?

Here's the link http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup/

There's a free trial for it. This is what I used (the older version). You can image the original hard disk to the external drive and install it into your pc and it should be good to go. Make sure you image the original hard drive, not the ssd with the missing partition.

alright thanks, will try this out. hopefully it works.

oh and you mean image the original HDD to the SSD not external

 

[Accolades]

I would venture to say that the boot file is somehow missing, or didn't get copied over in the clone (as IrvSP said, the U/EFI partition that contains the boot files). Not sure how it happened, but I have experienced this imaging windows 7 machines. The proper partitions weren't imaged, so there was no boot when I restored the image. It wasn't until I re imaged the machine with the correct partitions. I think it was D, there were different partitions up to E: which didn't have the boot files. I confirm what IrvSP is saying. They were special additional partitions for diagnostics and drivers (it was a dell PC), that I would get boot. I am thinking it has to be related to Lenovo's configuration for the recovery partition, or the cloning software you used. That's why it's always better to use highly-rated programs that work. You may have to buy them. Acronis makes the best imaging/cloning programs out there. They have a free trial, use it and keep it for 14 or whatever days and let it expire. I've used it extensively to image/clone servers with no trouble. It's worth the weight in gold to get consistent clones and images. It will copy everything, recovery partition, your apps, programs, etc. and you'll be good to go.

Alright ill try recloning, do you have a link to Acronis download?

Here's the link http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup/

There's a free trial for it. This is what I used (the older version). You can image the original hard disk to the external drive and install it into your pc and it should be good to go. Make sure you image the original hard drive, not the ssd with the missing partition.

Ok and after I use aconis to clone it. what do i do? I want to double check so I don't mess things up.

 

[Accolades]

I would venture to say that the boot file is somehow missing, or didn't get copied over in the clone (as IrvSP said, the U/EFI partition that contains the boot files). Not sure how it happened, but I have experienced this imaging windows 7 machines. The proper partitions weren't imaged, so there was no boot when I restored the image. It wasn't until I re imaged the machine with the correct partitions. I think it was D, there were different partitions up to E: which didn't have the boot files. I confirm what IrvSP is saying. They were special additional partitions for diagnostics and drivers (it was a dell PC), that I would get boot. I am thinking it has to be related to Lenovo's configuration for the recovery partition, or the cloning software you used. That's why it's always better to use highly-rated programs that work. You may have to buy them. Acronis makes the best imaging/cloning programs out there. They have a free trial, use it and keep it for 14 or whatever days and let it expire. I've used it extensively to image/clone servers with no trouble. It's worth the weight in gold to get consistent clones and images. It will copy everything, recovery partition, your apps, programs, etc. and you'll be good to go.

Alright ill try recloning, do you have a link to Acronis download?

Here's the link http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup/

There's a free trial for it. This is what I used (the older version). You can image the original hard disk to the external drive and install it into your pc and it should be good to go. Make sure you image the original hard drive, not the ssd with the missing partition.

Ok and after I use aconis to clone it. what do i do? I want to double check so I don't mess things up.

 

[Accolades]

Didn't work.

I think the problem is that these programs are all dealing with full size SSD/HDD where you remove one of them or the other. I can't find a guide which uses a m.2/msata...

 

[Accolades]

Also no UEFI Windows 8 guides for laptops.
And also my bios is a bit odd since it doesn't have typical boot options and doesn't follow the Legacy boot order and instead has an EFI Boot Manager

 

[Accolades]

For reference, here is my entire UEFI/BIOS https://www.dropbox.com/sc/7wthj7rs9189suy/AADwy28zCWZTRdaxql89eZ2Ca#/

 

[Accolades]

I'm thinking a reinstall might be my last thing to do

 

[sirstinky]

I would venture to say that the boot file is somehow missing, or didn't get copied over in the clone (as IrvSP said, the U/EFI partition that contains the boot files). Not sure how it happened, but I have experienced this imaging windows 7 machines. The proper partitions weren't imaged, so there was no boot when I restored the image. It wasn't until I re imaged the machine with the correct partitions. I think it was D, there were different partitions up to E: which didn't have the boot files. I confirm what IrvSP is saying. They were special additional partitions for diagnostics and drivers (it was a dell PC), that I would get boot. I am thinking it has to be related to Lenovo's configuration for the recovery partition, or the cloning software you used. That's why it's always better to use highly-rated programs that work. You may have to buy them. Acronis makes the best imaging/cloning programs out there. They have a free trial, use it and keep it for 14 or whatever days and let it expire. I've used it extensively to image/clone servers with no trouble. It's worth the weight in gold to get consistent clones and images. It will copy everything, recovery partition, your apps, programs, etc. and you'll be good to go.

Alright ill try recloning, do you have a link to Acronis download?

Here's the link http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup/

There's a free trial for it. This is what I used (the older version). You can image the original hard disk to the external drive and install it into your pc and it should be good to go. Make sure you image the original hard drive, not the ssd with the missing partition.

alright thanks, will try this out. hopefully it works.

oh and you mean image the original HDD to the SSD not external

Yes, image the original HDD to the SSD in your external drive. Make sure you get everything. Acronis usually does it for you, but you might have additional volumes to include in the image. There will be at minimum 1 to 2 partitions that need to be done (one is the recovery, a smaller volume) and the main volume (the biggest one) with the Windows system files, AKA. the C: drive. I think it has a clone function too.

Let us know how it works out.

 

[IrvSp]

I discovered many 'free' cloning programs did NOT cover GPT drives or uEFI. I have Norton's Symantec System Recovery as my back up program. Prior to this I used Norton Ghost. On a 3 year old Dell I put an SSD in and it was a BEAR to get it working after trying to do a restore to the SSD and have it bootable. No uEFI or GPT drive then. Had to do it few times and change a few settings to make it work right. This time on a new GPT/uEFI computer I didn't want to mess with it an bought ($20 USD) the Paragon program. Worked like a charm first time. Maybe your time is free, but $20 would save you some headaches. Just say'in.

 

[Accolades]

I'll try suggestions in a few days, got a busy few days coming up but I'll keep you guys notified.

 

[Accolades]

Found this;
Directions (Lenovo Y510P (Win 8.1), using Acronis):
1) Power down laptop. Open laptop case. Install new MyDigitalSSD in the NGFF M.2 slot.
2) Power-on Windows. Use Disk Management tool to format new MyDigitalSSD in "GPT format"
3) Download & install Acronis True Image. Use it to create a bootable USB flash-drive. Remove USB flash-drive. Turn off computer.
4) Start system BIOS. Change boot schema from "UEFI" to "Legacy." Ensure that booting from USB is enabled. If you don't find the option for booting from USB in the menu, restart the computer, enter BIOS again, and look for the setting--there are some options that only reappear after you've restarted the BIOS! Once booting to USB is enabled, turn off the system.
5) Remove HHD from laptop, and attach it to the external adapter. I used an older Sabrent USB 2.0 to IDE/SATA Adapter. DO NOT ATTACH HDD TO LAPTOP QUITE YET.
6) Attach bootable USB stick, and reboot the system. The Arconis OS/Rescue system should start.
7) Now attach the HHD via the USB to SATA Adapter
8) Run the Clone utility, choosing the HHD as the "source" drive and the new MyDigitalSSD as the "Target" drive.
9) After the clone procedure is complete, turn off computer and remove bootable USB flash drive as well as USB connecting the old HDD.
10) Restart the system. At this point, it should boot directly from the new MyDigitalSSD...and it should boot fairly quickly.
11) Once you confirm that the SSD is booting correctly, and WIN 8.1 is up and running, you can use Acronis to format the old HDD (The Win 8.1 Disk Management Tool wouldn't let me delete the UEFI/GPT partitions on the HDD) via the external connection. Then use Disk Management to reformat the drive (NFTS).
12) Turn off the computer. Re-install the HDD. Restart the system to make sure everything is running as intended (booting from SSD, HDD shows up).
13) Enter into BIOS and re-enable all of the UEFI settings (for security). Recheck the boot again. If all runs well, power down again.
14) Reassemble laptop


Thanks everyone. Ordered a USB-Sata and will let you guys know how it goes

 

[Sirdens]

Hey Accolades,

Have you managed to figure it out yet? I have a plexor M2, Lenovo laptop, and exact same situation. Thought it would be easy. But it's been a pain in the ass so far. Tried several things, but computer is still not booting from M2.

 

[bobalston]

I had the same problem but with windows 10. I had used Paragon software MIgrate OS to ssd 4.0 and it did the cloaning just fine. but the cloned SSD could not be booted. I got Neosmart's Easy Recovery Essentials Windows 10 edition (for free on 8/6/2015) and the automatic fix option worked just great.

Bob

 

[bpitas]

I just did this last night for my son's new Windows 10 64bit rig. I had previously run into the same issue where the SSD wouldn't boot after cloning and I believe it was because the cloning software didn't bring across the hidden recovery partition which facilitates the boot. I spent the $20 for the Paragon software made specifically to migrate HD to SSD (http://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/) and it worked great with one slight hiccup. It's important that the SSD's file system be formatted with the same system as the source hard drive - MBR or <the other one who's name escapes me>. The paragon website has some very informative screen shots in their knowledge base on how to launch the Windows Management storage snap-in or use the diskpart command line utility to unallocate any pre-existing partitions on the SSD prior to migration and set it to use the same formatting model as the source hard drive. Before I did that, the Paragon software complained that it couldn't lock the source drive, but once I changed the boot record on the SSD to match the hard drive, everything worked perfectly. I also had no issues with Windows Activation (knock on wood) which is good because we lost the little card with the activation code, so I probably wasn't going to be able to do a clean install on the SSD.