Multiple Partitions -- Cloning Problem

[cyberfyber]

Hi, my drive on my HP Laptop's got six partitions on its HDD and I've done nothing but waste too many hours trying to clone onto a new SSD drive. Finally made headway by managing to clone a couple partitions but that wasn't enough to boot into Windows. Not just from that one try but as well from having at one point inadvertently moving some of those partitions from the main drive to the SSD that I figured out they were important. Managed to figure out how to move them back to the main drive.

Anyhow, any suggestions? Have been using Minitools Partition Wizard since Samsung's Migration tool simply didn't appear to work for me.

I HAD come across another thread here by someone with a similar predicament. Someone advised them along the way of imaging the disk. I'm lost in as far as that's concerned. :-/

Thanks in advance for any direction.

BTW, forgive me...but I forgot to mention how I ended up ONLY being able to clone the main OS partition and another one...thus not being enough.

 

[USAFRet]

Drive sizes...
What are you cloning from, and what are you cloning to?

A screencap is worth 1,000 words.

 

[cyberfyber]

Hi, both are 1 TB.
From HDD to SDD.
Here's a screen capture: http://imageshack.com/a/img923/9317/gKTMgT.jpg

 

[USAFRet]

Doesn't seem too odd.
Try a different cloning application. Macrium Reflect, maybe.

 

[cyberfyber]

So there's a bootable version of Macrium Reflect? Isn't it impossible for me to clone an OS that's actively being used? Unless I'm misunderstanding things.

Mind you, I DID download and begin with it after your suggestion but stopped once I realized what'd I just mentioned.

 

[USAFRet]

So there's a bootable version of Macrium Reflect? Isn't it impossible for me to clone an OS that's actively being used? Unless I'm misunderstanding things.

Mind you, I DID download and begin with it after your suggestion but stopped once I realized what'd I just mentioned.

It is NOT 'impossible' to clone a running drive.
That is exactly what Macrium does.

Seems strange, but it works. The drive I'm using right now (500GB SSD) was cloned from the prev C drive, a 250GB SSD.
While it was actually running.

 

[cyberfyber]

Hi again USA and thanks...after researchimg further it appeared that others suggested through tuts the same that you had.

Problem now is that I'm stuck at the Fix Boot Problems step after making use of the recovery disk i created. It Does see my Windows Pro installation, but in the next step thereafter it doesn't show any active partitions.

Yet, looking at the image I'd posted earlier of my original drive and comparing it with the details of my newly cloned ssd drive....they're virtually identical. Any clue?

Get the feeling I'm missing some very simple step here. :-/

 

[USAFRet]

Hi again USA and thanks...after researchimg further it appeared that others suggested through tuts the same that you had.

Problem now is that I'm stuck at the Fix Boot Problems step after making use of the recovery disk i created. It Does see my Windows Pro installation, but in the next step thereafter it doesn't show any active partitions.

Yet, looking at the image I'd posted earlier of my original drive and comparing it with the details of my newly cloned ssd drive....they're virtually identical. Any clue?

Get the feeling I'm missing some very simple step here. :-/

OK, so you cloned it, and it did not work?

Let's back up a bit.

Verify the system actually works from the original drive. (take the new one out and boot up)
Does it work? Hopefully, yes.
How are you connecting the SSD? Internally or via USB?

If so, then these steps, in order...
----------------------------
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
Take out the original drive and connect the SSD in its place.
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 original boot partitions, 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

 

[cyberfyber]

Welllll, there's no reason for the old drive to not work since i just now pulled it out to replace with my new ssd drive, internally. I had cloned the new one externally using usb.

Everything i outlined previously was after replacing my internal original drive with the newly cloned ssd.

Right now I'm having to make use of the recovery disk created through macrium. But im stuck since it can't find the active partition even though it shows all the newly created partitions on this new ssd.

 

[USAFRet]

Welllll, there's no reason for the old drive to not work since i just now pulled it out to replace with my new ssd drive, internally. I had cloned the new one externally using usb.

Everything i outlined previously was after replacing my internal original drive with the newly cloned ssd.

Right now I'm having to make use of the recovery disk created through macrium. But im stuck since it can't find the active partition even though it shows all the newly created partitions on this new ssd.

Right.
What I'm recommending is completely redo the clone thing.

You could play with the Macrium Rescue thing if you want, but starting over may be a better option.

 

[cyberfyber]

This would be my 6th or 7th attempt with this very same drive.

Trying desperately not to succumb to paying MS $200 for win 10
....not so much because of the cost but because of how foolish it feels in the greater scheme of all this. :-(

 

[USAFRet]

This would be my 6th or 7th attempt with this very same drive.

Trying desperately not to succumb to paying MS $200 for win 10
....not so much because of the cost but because of how foolish it feels in the greater scheme of all this. :-(

I have used Macrium Reflect to clone several drives.
HDD->HDD
HDD->SSD
SSD->SSD

I have had it fail exactly zero times.


And, if the original drive still works, there is almost certainly a Factory Reset partition. This may give you the opportunity to create a reset DVD. Look in the use manual for how to invoke this.

And even if it does not, you can make a whole new Win 10 install DVD or USB, with the MediaCreation tool.
Run that, install. Since this is only a new drive, it will activate.
When/if it asks for the license key, "I don't have one"
Later, when it is online, it will activate.

You do not need to buy another OS license.

 

[cyberfyber]

Thank you USA!! ...looked into that last option you mentioned and 'How To Geek' explained it. Didn't know that. Dang. Score one point for MS and two for you...IF it works. lol.
Will report back.

 

[cyberfyber]

I owe you a six pack USA!

Hasn't asked me for a license key yet and if it does I feel confident I'd be fine now.

THANK YOU and forgive me for ever doubting.

 

[USAFRet]

I owe you a six pack USA!

Hasn't asked me for a license key yet and if it does I feel confident I'd be fine now.

THANK YOU and forgive me for ever doubting.

I literally did exactly this on a friends laptop last night.
It works.

 

[cyberfyber]

Got a load of software to reinstall but that's all okay by me. I deactivated those I needed to on my older drive.
Will now order a caddy to install the old one in here. Awesome having this kind of speed with a SSD.

Thank you again pal!