Migrating Operating System

[WalkingVirus]

Okay so i finally got my first build together, i started with a Samsung 860 250GB SSD and a 1 TB WD Blue HDD. I recently added a WD Black NVME M.2 250GB SSD. Obviously im using the HDD for mass storage, i want my OS to be on the M.2 drive and store a couple of my main games on the M.2 and any additional ones on the Samsung SSD. Everywhere i look on how to actually migrate the OS to a new drive is pretty vague. Anyone have a simple how to that tbey can link me to? Id really rather not have to wipe the drives and stsrt over but thats what I'm getting closer to doing.

My system linked below just in case
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/M4L8Hh

 

[why_wolf]

Since the drives are the same size you can just clone the old one to the new one. Please note you can not move just the OS, it's all or nothing. Afterwards just reformat the old Samsung to wipe any data from it and you use it however you want after that.

This program will do the job. https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

 

[WalkingVirus]

Since the drives are the same size you can just clone the old one to the new one. Please note you can not move just the OS, it's all or nothing. Afterwards just reformat the old Samsung to wipe any data from it and you use it however you want after that.

This program will do the job. https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

I used the program and it cloned my drive and did well except after formatting the SSD i have boot issues. It keeps trying to go to PC Repair tool and i have to go to my bios and manually select the drive to boot from.
Then I changed the boot order, removed the Samsung SSD from the boot options and every time it boots up, it takes a little longer and displays the Windows logo. It never did that before.

 

[USAFRet]

Then you did something wrong in the clone operation.

Does the old drive still boot up?
If so, just redo the clone.

Exactly like this:
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)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
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 as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

 

[WalkingVirus]

Then you did something wrong in the clone operation.

Does the old drive still boot up?
If so, just redo the clone.

Exactly like this:
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)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
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 as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------

No, its been formatted. I did disconnect it first before formatting to see if my system would boot from the M.2 drive and it did just fine. So I'm really not sure as to why it has an issue booting after formatting the Samsung, when it worked perfectly when it was disconnected.