Question Messed up windows boot drive during ssd cloning and now only blank screen

Feb 6, 2021
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Hi guys,
I'm really hoping someone can help me here because I'm at a loss now.
I use a windows/ubuntu dual boot system and I recently bought an m2 ssd to upgrade from my hdd. I cloned the hdd onto my ssd and created a usb rescue media using this method (https://www.howtogeek.com/199068/how-to-upgrade-your-existing-hard-drive-in-under-an-hour/). After cloning, I restarted the device (I did not disconnect the usb used for rescue media nor the old hdd), it skipped the usual dual boot option menu, then I saw it go into Macrium Reflect without booting up windows. I followed what is shown in "Deploying the Recovery Media" in the link I posted, but I got an error message that led to nowhere. I restarted the computer by pressing on the power button and now I'm just stuck on a black screen. I've seen some similar posts where people saw blank screen with loading animation but for me, its just a blank screen and nothing else. So now,
  • Computer turns on but nothing is shown on my monitor. Monitor does not say "no signal."
  • Keyboard turns on and I see the numberlock turn on as well.
  • I've tried turning on the computer with ssd removed (just hdd), hdd removed (just ssd), and i get the same results. blank screen with nothing else.
Has anyone seen something like this? Any tips would be much appreciated!
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
What tool did you use for this clone? (Macrium Reflect?)
From what drive to what drive?
If you return the system back to original config, does it work as before? Can you show us a screencap of the Windows Disk Management window?
 
Feb 6, 2021
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What tool did you use for this clone? (Macrium Reflect?)
From what drive to what drive?
If you return the system back to original config, does it work as before? Can you show us a screencap of the Windows Disk Management window?
Thank for your reply!
Yes, I followed the direction in the howtogeek link and used Macrium Reflect. I cloned the hdd onto my ssd and created a usb rescue media using their method with Macrium Reflect. What I have tried is in the original post: I've tried turning on the computer with ssd removed (just hdd, which is the original configuration), hdd removed (just ssd), and i get the same results. blank screen with nothing else.
I'm just getting a blank screen. I can't get to the windows disk management window unfortunately, and didn't take screen shots before going through the process.
 
Feb 6, 2021
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One more thing is that my monitors display black but doesn't show "no signal." Did the rescue just somehow mess up my gpu driver? Should I try plugging my monitor directly into the mobo? The computer is "turning on" from my understanding since the keyboard and number lock lights up.
 
Feb 6, 2021
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The clone process should NOT have needed the Rescue USB.
It is a handy thing to have, but absolutely NOT required.


If you return the system back to original config, does it work?
I’m not sure I understand what you mean by original config. I’ve tried booting with just my hdd (which is originally how the hardware was configured) and the same thing happens.
computer turns on but there is nothing on the monitor. Just a black screen (not even “no signal” shown). I can’t access any bios menu or anything. Very confused.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I’m not sure I understand what you mean by original config. I’ve tried booting with just my hdd (which is originally how the hardware was configured) and the same thing happens.
computer turns on but there is nothing on the monitor. Just a black screen (not even “no signal” shown). I can’t access any bios menu or anything. Very confused.
By "original config", I meant "before you started this". The new SSD removed or disconnected, Macrium Rescue USB removed.
 
Feb 6, 2021
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Then something else got changed.
The clone process does not impact the source drive. Unless you did something weird.
Hmm, this is very disconcerting. Like I wrote, when I first booted (all hdd, ssd, rescue usb connected), inadvertently went thru the macrium recovery process. After that I started getting the black screen. Perhaps this messed up everything?
It’s also strange I get no display on my monitor at all. Not even a “no signal”
 
Feb 6, 2021
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Don't do that. Connecting to a different PC is not the path forward.
That just adds another layer of weirdness. Being different hardware, it may fail to boot at all, display or no display.
Hmm I see. Would it make sense to try connecting the monitors directly to the mother board? I’m really out of options here :(