Laptop HDD to SDD Upgrade Problem

[RRTRACKS]

Hi, I have been attempting to upgrade a laptop computer from a HDD to a SDD without any success and wanted to know if anyone could give any advice.

Laptop: ASUS X551MA

OS: Windows 8.1

HDD: Seagate 500 GB

SDD: SanDisk 480 GB

What I have attempted so far follows:

The data partition on the HDD was reduced in size using Partition Manager to make the total allocated storage size of the two drives match. This was done to allow the reproduction method used to create identical size partitions.

A backup of all the partitions on the HDD was made using the free version of Paragon 14. Then using Paragon the backup partitions were restored on the SDD. As near as I can tell all the partitions, folders and files were restored on the SDD and are in the same order as the original drive. I have used this process successfully in the past to transfer OS/data from one drive to another. I like doing it this way because it gives a proven backup of the OS and what has been installed on the computer to date. Incremental backups can also be performed later so in my opinion the extra step over cloning directly is worth it. If it works of course.

After replacing the HDD in the laptop with the SDD the laptop failed to boot and it almost instantly went to the Error Message Screen. The error indicated was; bad or missing winload.efi. I went into the bios and verified the SDD was recognized by the Bios, was set to AHCI and the boot drive. Attempted to boot after checking this and got the same message. I tried switching the Bios setting for the drive to IDE and that did not work either. I took the drive out and verified winload.efi was where it was supposed to be.

Using Paragon a boot USB drive was created and used to boot the laptop with the SDD installed. This showed all the partitions with the correct drive letters, names and sizes. Unfortunately the free version of Paragon does not include any tools. As far as I can tell it is limited to backup and recovery operations.

The backup files were created to 2TB external hard drive and then restored to the SDD though a powered USB hub connected to the laptop. At the time this was done the SDD was installed in an external hard drive enclosure.

If there questions about what was done please ask. Any suggestions or comments regarding anything else that could be done or done differently would appreciated.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[drtweak]

Dump Pargon and download and install Macrium Reflect Free

Just load windows on the HDD, install it, attach the SSD with a USB cable and just clone your exsiting drive to the new SSD. No need to make partitions smaller either. As long as the data will fit you will be fine. Once cloned, swap drives and boot.

 

[RRTRACKS]

Dump Pargon and download and install Macrium Reflect Free

Just load windows on the HDD, install it, attach the SSD with a USB cable and just clone your exsiting drive to the new SSD. No need to make partitions smaller either. As long as the data will fit you will be fine. Once cloned, swap drives and boot.

Attempting to boot the laptop with the SDD cloned with Reflect produced the same error message. I have contacted Asus support by email to see what they have to say about this problem and should hear back from them by Wednesday night. If they have a solution or a no can do this, I will post it here. Thank you for the advice and for responding to my post so quickly. Even though it did not work, it will be useful in dealing with Asus in that the same error was produced using two different methods to clone/restore the disc. If you have any other suggestions I might try I would be willing to give it a go. All the best, Rich

 

[RRTRACKS]

The SSD is now working in my laptop. ASUS Tech Support did get back to me and recommended their backup program, plus the following setting: Fast Boot off; Secure Boot Off and CSM (On the Boot Menu) On. Trying those setting with the clone created by Reflect produced the same error. At that point I had put this project on hold and just got back to it recently.

What I ended up doing was making another backup (My other one was too old) with Paragon and trying ASUS’s recommended settings and found that did not work either. What finally worked was restoring the disk image to the SDD while it was installed in the laptop instead of an external drive case. The new image created within the laptop was booted with ASUS’s recommended setting and that worked.

The factory default setting have now been restored and everything still seems to be working well. Why making the image created in the external case as opposed to inside the laptop is different is a mystery to me. There were not any errors during the restore process and all the OS/partitions/folders/files appeared to have been copied. In hindsight, it did not make much since to use an external drive case. The only reason I did it was to avoid making and running a backup media version of the imaging program.

 

[drtweak]

Odd? shouldn't matter if it is connected internal or though USB when cloning. Glad you got it worked out though!