Question Panic! After Clonezilla, my original drive is now NOT bootable

[Pmontero]

I’ve done this cloning operation:

Original device: SSD Kioxia Exceria Pro 1TB PCIe 4 NVMe
Target device: SSD Kingston FURY Renegade 4 TB PCIe 4 NVMe

I followed all the cloning process, with success messages, all seemed to be correct. I followed this tutorial, step by step:

[Moderator note: deleted link.]


After, my target device doesn’t boot. It’s recognised by the BIOS, and the Boot priority is correct. But it says:
“reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key”

Even worse, my original drive is ALSO unable to boot, same message. How is it possible? May Clonezilla damaged my original drive? I’m shocking, I cannot lose all my data.

Please help!

 

[USAFRet]

1. Backups. Where were they?

2. A clone operation, done correctly, should NOT have modified the source drive in any way. No matter what tool you used.

 

[Ralston18]

I deleted the link that you posted for two reasons: 1) No one should try that (whatever it was) and 2) there may some risk in visiting that website.

= = = =

Is your important data backed up?

Update your post to include full system hardware specs.

Source site for Clonezilla?

You may need a full and clean Windows reinstall.

 

[Pmontero]

1. Backups. Where were they?

2. A clone operation, done correctly, should NOT have modified the source drive in any way. No matter what tool you used.

1. I always do backups in my macbook machines. Unfortunately I did not for this windows machine.

2. Everything was smooth and messages okey.

Now I'm in troubles. Can this be related to MBR-GPT?

 

[USAFRet]

1. I always do backups in my macbook machines. Unfortunately I did not for this windows machine.

2. Everything was smooth and messages okey.

Now I'm in troubles. Can this be related to MBR-GPT?

At the end of the clone process, did you remove the source drive, and attempt to boot up from only the new drive?

 

[USAFRet]

Let's assume that the clone is unrecoverable to boot from. Either the source or target.

Do you have another drive you can install Windows on?
Then, we might be able to connect either of these drives as a secondary, and recover your personal files. (not applications, just files)

 

[Pmontero]

At the end of the clone process, did you remove the source drive, and attempt to boot up from only the new drive?

I turned off the machine.

Then I switched the slots of the two drivers.

Error founded.

 

[USAFRet]

I turned off the machine.

Then I switched the slots of the two drivers.

Error founded.

Switched the slots.
So both drives were connected?

That was likely the fatal mistake.

 

[Pmontero]

Let's assume that the clone is unrecoverable to boot from. Either the source or target.

Do you have another drive you can install Windows on?
Then, we might be able to connect either of these drives as a secondary, and recover your personal files. (not applications, just files)

Switched the slots.
So both drives were connected?

That was likely the fatal mistake.

Probably.

I don't have another PC. I can operate with a macbook now...

 

[Pmontero]

Probably.

I don't have another PC. I can operate with a macbook now...

Sorry, yes I have another drive for the PC I could do a fresh install.

 

[Pmontero]

Would you try first to fix the MBR-GPT?

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry, yes I have another drive for the PC I could do a fresh install.

SO do that.
And then, with a USB enclosure, connect either of the other drives, and see if you can access your personal files.

That is really the only thing you can save at this point.

 

[USAFRet]

Would you try first to fix the MBR-GPT?

Not knowing what you did or didn't do with that, unknown.

 

[Pmontero]

Hello,

I was able to fix the issue, assisted by ChatGPT.

I created a EFI partition in the new cloned drive, and it worked. First I had to create a Booteable USB drive with Windows11 (I made it with Rufus), lunch it and go into the Fixing Tools of the installation and lunch Comand shell. ChatGPT nailed it.

Thank you for listening me to cry.